Tenuta Castello di Morcote
The vineyard of the Tenuta Castello di Morcote is widely held to be one of the most beautiful in Ticino. It lies some 200 metres above the picturesque village of Vico Morcote and offers a stunning view of the mountains and the Lago di Lugano. At the heart of this vineyard are the ruins of the Castello di Morcote.
It was in 1994 that the first vintage of the outstanding "Castello di Morcote" from Ticino came onto the market; with its 90% proportion of Merlot, it has since become a fixture of the Swiss wine scene. No less popular is the "Castello di Morcote Bianco", 90% of which is vinified from red Merlot grapes and 10% of Chardonnay.
White wines from Tenuta Castello di Morcote
Rosé wines from Tenuta Castello di Morcote
Red wines from Tenuta Castello di Morcote
from Tenuta Castello di Morcote
The sun-drenched slopes of the 7-hectare Tenuta Castello di Morcote are home not only to the Merlot for which Ticino is predominantly known but also to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay. The vineyards profit from their south-facing orientation and the associated wealth of sunshine and also from the thermal winds which rise up from the sea. The spectacular landscape which stretches from the foothills of the Alps to the Po plateau has a geology that is one of a kind in Ticino. The soil consists of rose porphyry, a quartzite which was formed 200 million years ago as a result of volcanic activity. The aim of the Tenuta Castello di Morcote is to harvest grapes of the highest quality in order to produce elegant, aromatic and unique wines which reflect their terroir. The vineyard is cultivated exclusively in accordance with the principles of organic and biodynamic agriculture.
Castello di Morcote has enjoyed considerable success since 2009 under the passionate direction of art historian Gaby Gianini. She is ably supported by Emilie Gerbex and Benedetta Molteni, two well-respected oenologists, who have an unparalleled understanding of their craft. In the form of the "Relais Castello di Morcote", an elegant little hotel with twelve rooms in a former monastery from the 17th century, this dynamic enterprise has also created a wonderful place of sanctuary, likewise in Vico Morcote.
Producer
Weingut Nicolussi-Leck
The Kreithof, as the ancestral estate is known, is located near the idyllic Lake Caldaro in South Tyrol (Alto Adige) and has been cultivated by the Nicolussi-Leck family since 1915. Standing guard over it are the medieval ruins of Leuchtenburg Castle, which – like the estate – dates back to the 13th century and was presumably also associated with nearby Laimburg Castle in the Etsch Valley.
Alvaro Palacios, S.L.
Álvaro Palacios was only 25 years old when he moved to the lonely Priorat in 1989. He left his parents’ vineyard in Rioja (Palacios Remondo) behind, which had grown too small for him. He joined forces with a group of friends to reawaken the sleeping beauty of the Priorat, which the prior inhabitants had mostly abandoned in search of a better and easier life in the cities.
Champagne André Clouet
We didn’t find the low house, dating from the 17th century, straight away, even though the village of Bouzy is not very large. Modest buildings are grouped around a courtyard, behind which a vineyard lies, similar to a clos.