Fattoria Nicodemi / Fam. Nicodemi
Between the deep blue of the Adriatic Sea to the east and the snowy peaks of the Gran Sasso to the west you find the rolling and charming landscape of Abruzzo. On a hilltop lies the pretty village of Notaresco and not far from it the winery of Elena and Alessandro Nicodemi.
The siblings continue their father's work, dedicated to the local grape varieties Montepulciano and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo. Their ambition is to produce even better wines with each vintage. Their vineyards in the best western and southern slopes of the Colline Teramane DOCG have been cultivated organically for many years. An olive grove is also part of the property, from which a deliciously mild and nutty olive oil is produced.
White wines from Fattoria Nicodemi / Fam. Nicodemi
Rosé wines from Fattoria Nicodemi / Fam. Nicodemi
Red wines from Fattoria Nicodemi / Fam. Nicodemi
from Fattoria Nicodemi / Fam. Nicodemi
The Montepulciano grape variety is very rich in extract. That is why all the wines, simple or superior, are full-bodied and deep in colour. The winery's old vines are trained on a pergola so that you can walk underneath. A real pleasure when the grapes are ripe. However, you need Elena's or Alessandro's permission! Further culinary experiences are offered by a family friend in the Ristorante Borgo Spoltino, about 20 kilometres away, where you can also stay overnight in a unique atmosphere.
Producer
Descendientes de J. Palacios, S.L.
In the late 1990s, Álvaro Palacios came to Bierzo in search of a new challenge after having achieved great success in the Priorat. Bierzo, in the far northwest of Castilla y León, awaited him with its wild, craggy landscape where heather, rock roses and holly oaks dominate the flora, with its climatic and geological characteristics, and with the fascinating grape variety Mencía.
Dominio de Pingus
The first Pingus was bottled in 1995. This limited production wine from Ribera del Duero made history with a legendary rating from Robert Parker Junior (1998): "One of the greatest young red wines I have ever tasted." The vintage is also at the centre of a somewhat mythical-sounding story – the freighter carrying a quarter of the limited production sank off the Azores, with the wine ending up in Davy Jones's locker at the bottom of the sea.
Bodegas Ribas
We could talk about our winery of the year, Bodega Ribas on Mallorca, all day long. But it's best to see and read for yourself! We sent wine journalist Britta Wiegelmann and cameraman Felix Groteloh to experience the winery and the family at first hand. Araceli and Javier Servera Ribas, the brother and sister team behind the wines, tell us how the oldest existing winery on the island survived phylloxera, why they love their local grape, the Mantonegro, so much and what the sea has to do with it all.