Yellow Road

Today our guest is a new member of the “Yellow Road” from Languedoc ...
Just below is a quote from the estate site ... The property has 160 hectares of land: vineyards, olive groves, pine forests and harrigues. The word "harriga" until recently was unfamiliar to me ... But, probably, its role is so great that it is also present in the name of the winery. A harriga, it turns out - just thickets of shrubs and fragrant herbs ...

“In the south of France between Béziers and Montpellier, in the heartland of the Languedoc where the Mediterranean beckons, Château Saint Martin de la Garrigue works its charms. The estate, centred around its Renaissance château, spreads out as a mosaic of ordered vineyards and olive groves, pine forest and the typical Mediterranean bushland (“garrigue”).

As the visitor arrives at Saint Martin de la Garrigue, the overwhelming first impression is of harmony between the estate's exuberant natural surroundings and the works of man. With the passage of time, successive owners have left their mark and the result today is a perfect balance between history and modernity.

Evolving continuously, the Languedoc vineyard region has recovered an identity. We at Saint Martin de la Garrigue have made our contribution to this reconstruction, fully aware of the outstanding potential of the Languedoc's terroir.”



The manager of the estate Jean-Luc Parret answers our questions.


1- Tell us, please, how and why did you become the manager of the chateau? Should the manager be well versed in wine?
After graduating from the Sorbonne (trade with the countries of Eastern Europe) and studying the course “Planned Economy”, my fate led me to Russia, where I was engaged in various business areas and “lingered” for a long twenty years. I was a representative of the brands associated with a beautiful and eco-friendly lifestyle - L’Occitaine, Faconable, Aigle ...
Over time, passionately carried away with wine and winemaking process. I became the representative of the company VineaTransaction, specializing in the sale of wine-making property in France. One of the clients suggested that I become an estate manager. So my dream came true, and I began to do what I loved.

2 - Please share your favorite white wine story.
When you take part in all processes and do it with love, then there can be no unloved ones as with children.
But, a special wine, with a unique history I can highlight. This is picpoul (picpoul de pinet). Wine is made from 100% white picpoul - one of the oldest varieties of France, whose history goes back over a thousand years. The vineyards are located on the hills near the seaside bay. What, together with the sandy soils of deep occurrence, gives the wines a soft mineral flavor, slightly salty taste with hints of iodine.

Picpoul is a very fragile variety and working with it is not easy. Many growers prefer to harvest in early - mid-September to avoid possible damage from rain or wind. Chateau Saint-Martin de la Garrigue prefers to wait until the berries reach maximum maturity. We harvest in October, often losing in quantity, but preserving the recognizable wine profile - the mineral wine is saturated with velvety notes of peach, acacia flowers and honey. A rich bouquet of wine appreciated by famous wine critics. In particular, Tim Atkin (Tim Atkin’s Jury, London), who recognized Chateau Saint-Martin de la Garrigue picpoul as one of the 10 best white wines of Languedoc.
who recognized the of Chateau Saint-Martin de la Garrigue as one of the 10 best white wines of Languedoc.



3 - In correspondence with us, your pr-director Ekaterina Parret said that your picpoul makes up a unique pair with the best oysters on the Tarbouriech coast. "This "duet" is very popular in our places, it is also ordered into the Elysee Palace!" ... Can we try the "this duet" at your winery? And how much will such a set cost?
This is true. The St Barth farm, which belongs to the Tarbouriech family, practices exclusive production technologies. The main feature is that mollusks in the process of growing leave "sunbathe" in the sun for several days. Before that, they “train” for a long time: them are daily lifted into the air and lowered into the water, imitating the tides of the sea, in order to strengthen the muscles of the mollusks, which in the future must resist the sun.
Due to ultraviolet exposure, oyster shells acquire a characteristic pink hue. They are much cleaner and tastier. The external beauty of the shell is enhanced by unusual taste properties - a crisp reception with an exquisite fruit and berry aftertaste, where there are notes of walnut and mango.



According to reviews of experts and numerous clients of the farm, the “duet” of Tarbouriech oysters with a picpoul Saint-Martin is recognized as the best.
We offer a tour of the castle and cellars with wine tasting: 7 euro / person
According to the application, we can make a wine tasting with Tarbouriech oysters in the castle: from 35 Euro / person

4 - Do you prefer (this is important to you) the color of the wine? Can picpool be called yellow wine? Is it produced in other regions of France?
I pay attention to the color of wine, but I can not say that I pay much attention to this. I am interested in the bouquet, taste and longness. Like deep rich colors. But it all depends on the varieties, the region. They are usually produced in the Jura region
Picpoul can not be called "yellow." Color picpoul: straw with green reflections

5 - List, if possible, a set (gift box) of three or four of your own wines (red and white) that you think may be worthy of the presentation of your estate.
We can offer a set of wines "bronzinelle" - this is our "premium" line (haut de gamme): white, pink and red
Often companies take our wines for gifts to VIP clients. For example, Gres de Montpellier red wine with 15 months aging in barrels, in a heavy Burgundy bottle with a “Languedoc cross”.






6 - Please share your achievements in winemaking ...
Numerous medals and certificates, reviews in wine guides tell us about our successes.
I can especially highlight:
91/100 from Robert Parker (world-renowned expert, produces the same wine guide) for our red Bronzinelle 2016 (bronzinelle rouge)
92 + / 100 from Robert Parker for the red Gres de Montpellier 2015 (Gres de Montpellier)
High marks for Bronzinelle white and red, Gres de Montpellier in the book of famous sommelier Rosemary V. Gorge



7 - Your vineyards are located in fantastically beautiful places ... And what is your favorite place on the Mediterranean coast? Do you manage to relax there?
I like Languedoc. Incredible landscapes near the lake
Salagu, the endless beaches of Marseyan, the volcanic bays of Cap d Agda ...
But, being a Provencal, I still prefer native edges. There I rest there in La Poulle Mondel -a small town near Cannes. Incredibly beautiful bay between two ancient castles.



8 - The town of Meze - on the shores of Lake Ethan de Tau - literally 10 km from you ... The thermal resort of Balaruc-les-Bains is also nearby. Can a tourist staying at your estate use public transport to visit these cities?
Indeed, these cities are close to the estate. But, public transport does not reach us. Customers come by car or we order a car for them with a driver.

9 - What is your choice for "Yellow Road"?
We offer our white ecological wines (certified by the ecological organization Terra vitis):
Tradition (Tradition blanc, AOC Coteaux de Languedoc) is a light, sparkling wine. We offer to take with you on a picnic or a friendly party. Also, thanks to the citrus finale, it refreshes well in the heat, “quenches thirst”.
Bronzinelle (Bronzinelle blanc, AOC Coteaux de Languedoc) is a wine that has won numerous awards (gold medals of the competition in Macon and from the guide Bettan and Desuv, 16/20 and two stars from the guide Ashett). Recommended for fish, cheese
Picpoul (picpoul, AOC Picpoul de Pinet). Gourmet celebration with oysters at the bay!



10 - Once again I refer to the words of Ekaterina Parret: “The exposition of contemporary art paintings is held at the chateau, they regularly make films. Including such stars as Pierre Richard” ... Well, Pierre Richard is a famous winemaker ... And he likes your wine?
Yes, indeed, in the castle were shooting several TV series, as well as the film Les vieux fourneaux (a possible translation, Old bastards) with Pierre Richard.
Before each difficult scene, he asked the assistant to bring a glass of red Bronzinelle! It was an honor for us to treat the Master.




11 - If it's not a secret, tell us about your plans for the future ...
Expand the estate. Currently, we supply wines to different countries of the world - USA, Japan, Europe, China. So far, the wines of Saint Martin are not represented in Lithuania. Let's set such a task!

12 - What white wine producer (from France or another country) would you recommend for "Yellow Road"?
I really love Meursault from Burgundy. I recommend to extend the road there!


Sergey Evtuhov, author of the project "Yellow Road"
evtuhov@yahoo.com

Today is a meeting with the last participant of the Yellow Road this year - the legendary winery from France Mas de Daumas Gassac. France has already been represented by winemakers from Burgundy, Nantes, Provence and Bordeaux. Now the region Languedoc.
So, the first results of the project ... Twenty-six participants from Italy, France, Spain and Switzerland ... But most of all there were participants from Italy: Veneto, Friuli-Venezia-Julia, Piedmont, Tuscany, Umbria, Sardinia, Sicily ... And even two (special guest ) guest of the road who did not have white wine (or was, but in a small amount), and there was olive oil of the highest quality, and even one guest with red wine.
In total, for the first six months of work, the site was visited by about 70,000 people. Immediately after the New Year, the author of the project will try to organize for his Vilnius friends an amateur wine tasting from the “Yellow Road”. And for winemakers - participants of this competition prizes will be prepared: 3-5 pictures, photos of which will be published here on the site. The winners awarding scheme will be very simple: three, five or six participants, whose wine we like more than other wines, will all be named winners of the competition. And the first issue (gold) chooses a picture that he likes more than others. The second number (silver) chooses from the remaining 2- 4, etc. Those winemakers who have sent their wine for tasting have already been allowed to participate in the competition automatically.






France’s legendary winery Mas de Daumas Gassac is expanding its presence in Asia and is releasing its latest vintages for 2018.
(press release for 2018, which I saw on the company's website)

Despite its modest designation and location in the South of France, in the Languedoc commune of Aniane, the Mas de Daumas Gassac vineyard is universally revered for its outstanding red and white wines. Out of its 2016 vintage, only 7,500 cases were produced, with some set to be released in spring 2018. The family winery, founded by Véronique and Aimé Guibert – and now run by their four sons Samuel, Gaël, Roman and Basile – has single-handedly rewritten the history of winemaking for the region of Languedoc. Known for a century as a place where only cheap table wines were produced, the Guiberts were instrumental in showing that this region in the south of France could produce world-class wines. For 2018, the winery is presenting its Red Grand Vin 2016, produced with the estate’s new press which has allowed for unparalleled extraction. This wine, produced from 40-year-old vines, has a high freshness, and tastes of ripe fruits such as cassis. To be drunk while young, this is an explosive vintage not to be missed. The estate is renowned for its whites and for 2018, it is releasing its White Grand Vin 2016. It features the Mas de Daumas Gassac white signature: exotic fruits and light sap notes; a fresh finish and a dash of saltiness. This well- carved profile is made up of 8.1% rare grape varieties. Mas de Daumas Gassac’s wines are grown on a “magic” terroir strikingly similar to the best of Burgundy, and cool microclimate gifting finesse and complexity to its vintages. It is here that Véronique and Aimé Guibert, first- time wine-makers, made their home and developed the Mas de Daumas Gassac wines, which are today still grown on 52 small vineyard plots amongst 3,000 hectares of protected forest. Their sons still see to the old ways of winemaking, ensuring that the wine is conceived and aged following European traditions with the highest standards. The estate has earned a rare “cult” status since being founded in the 1970s. French gastronomic guide Gault & Millau hailed the winery as the “Lafite Rothschild of the Languedoc”, and The Times compared its vintages to “Latour”. British wine critic Michael Broadbent ranked its vintages among the 10 best in the world, while wine guru Robert Parker applauded them as “exceptional”. In 1991, the estate also debuted its Moulin de Gassac selection, which was voted the world’s best wine by the International Wine Challenge in London just two years later. These compelling, single vineyard wines are the estate’s range of accessible vintages that combine elegance and freshness, and reflect the Mas de Daumas Gassac philosophy and craft. These are now marketed in 90 different countries.



The questions of "YR" are answered by the Samuel Guibert, owner/winemaker of the MAS DAUMAS GASSAC

1 - What can the readers of the "Yellow Road" learn about the owners of the vineyard MAS DAUMAS GASSAC?
The Mas de Daumas Gassac estate was founded by Aimé & Veronique Guibert in the late 60’s and became the pioneer vineyard for Grands Crus wine quality in the region. Daumas Gassac is now ran by the 2nd generation (since 2000) - Basile, roman, Gael & Samuel Guibert (4 brothers)

2 - You have two vineyards: DAUMAS GASSAC and MOULIN DE GASSAC. Is there a significant difference between them?
The Mas de Daumas Gassac is the original Grand Crus vineyard, founded by Aimé & Veronique Guibert in the late 60’s and pioneer of the fine wine of the Languedoc region. these vineyard are located on the unique and “magic” Gassac terroir, organically farmed since the beginning of the 19th century. Our vineyard is organic because our spirit and our beliefs lean naturally toward respect for and protection of the earth, the environment and nature. No insecticides, weed killers or chemical fertilisers have ever been used at Daumas Gassac. Horse and sheep manure are the only organic supplement enriching the earth. The birds from the hedgerows and the scrub surrounding the vines are our natural pesticides.

The Moulin de Gassac vineyards were founded toward the end of the 80’s from some of the best stony hillside vineyards overlooking the Mediterranean sea (Villeveyrac area), this beautiful area of old vines is known for producing some of the lowest yields resulting in generous, original wines. These wines enable you to discover the fascinating terroir and diversity of our region and offer some of the best value for money wine one can find.



3 - What is your favorite wine (red or white)? And why?
The Mas de Daumas Gassac white because it allies everything - explosive aromas, very complex and lengthy palate, freshness and ageability.
Four noble grape varieties, all estate farmed, dominate: Viognier from the Rhône, Petit Manseng from the Pyrenees, Chenin from the Loire and Chardonnay from Burgundy, (20 percent of each) completed with about 15 grape varieties from some of the most famous wine regions around the world. They merge brilliantly to create the outstandingly well balanced white Daumas Gassac. The blend of these 20 grape varieties gives birth to a Grand Vin, pure and fresh, with mouth-watering fruity savours and a voluptuous texture.




4 - List, if possible, a set (gift box) of four own wines (red and white), which, in your opinion, can adequately represent your farm.
Mas de Daumas Gassac rouge
Mas de Daumas Gassac blanc
Mas de Daumas Gassac rosé Frisant
And cuvée Emile Peynaud (only a production of 200 bottles every 5-6 years)


5 - Your vineyards are located in beautiful places. Have you thought about building your own tourist way.. What will be the length of the route? And what attractions in your area would you recommend to visit?
We already have our own touristic & cultural way with most people visiting the Mas de Daumas Gassac estate, usually continue to discover the stunning village of St Guilhem Le Desert (from the 8th century) and magnificent Heart valley.
This can be done in half a day


6 - Your Choice for the Yellow Road of white (yellow) wine?
Picture of Daumas Gassac white wine with food






7 - You can offer the most spectacular view (favorite point) on vineyards or the surrounding landscape.
50 ha of deep and well-drained soil, free of pesticides, fertilisers and chemicals, the terroir of Mas de Daumas Gassac, similar to
the best parts of Burgundy, was rediscovered in 1971 by Henri Enjalbert, Professor of Geology at Bordeaux University, who considered the Gassac valley to be “the ideal and unique terroir to produce a Grand Vin”. The Estate is divided into more than fifty-two
small vineyard plots amongst 3.000 hectares of protected forest.

8 - If it's not a secret, what are your plans for the future?
Further the distribution of the Mas de Daumas Gassac wines throughout the world and continue bringing Excellency to all the wine lovers from our estate.


9 - What is your favorite restaurant in ANIANE? And what would you recommend? Where, in addition to the winery, tourists can try your wine?
Our Favourite restaurant in the vicinity is called “De Lauzun” , located in the little charming town of Pézénas, one star Michelin. Authentic Mediterranean food with a marvellous local wine list.

10 - What kind of platform can you offer for the cultural program Yellow Road: exhibition space, cinema hall, etc. Or do you have your own cultural projects?
We collaborate every year with Cinemed: International festival of Mediterranean cinema. We are also sponsor of the Music festival from our village Saint Guilhem le desert. And every summer we have an evening concert in the estate inviting some international Jazz groups.
For us, it is extremely important to promote our Mediterranean culture, our patrimoine and of our course our lovely wines from Languedoc. We created also a wine festival “Festival des vins d’Aniane” which is becoming bigger every year in order to invite the best winemakers from our village Aniane and showing the quality of our fabulous wines coming from Aniane terroir.

11 - Which white wine producer (from France or another country) would you recommend for the Yellow Road?
Raveneau from Chablis


Sergey Evtuhov, author of the project "Yellow Road" and Victorine BABE, export area Manager (Mas Daumas Gassac).
evtuhov@yahoo.com

As I promised you in the article “Will the Yellow Road through Livorno pass? ..”, the owner of the wonderful Tuscan winery Fattoria di Bacchereto Mrs Maria Rossella Bencini will answer the questions. Fattoria di Bacchereto is located very close to Carmignano. And to Florence only 40 kilometers! ..
Fattoria di Bacchereto is situated on the wooded hills that cover Montalbano. The estate has been owned by the family since the 1920s.
The vineyard area is 8 hectares, olive trees are planted on 60 hectares, and the remaining 90 hectares are forests and chestnut groves. All in all, Fattoria di Bacchereto has about 160 hectares of land.

What distinguishes the production of Fattoria?
Careful care of the vineyard without the use of herbicides, chemical fertilizers or pesticides, traditional winemaking practice without the addition of yeast, when the future wine is aged in small oak barrels of 350 liters.
What grape varieties? .. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Black Canaiolo, Tuscan Trebbiano, Malvasia del Chianti
About 20,000 bottles are produced annually.



Fattoria di Bacchereto has its own apartments, so they can be easily found on TripAdvisor. I could not resist and just copied one of the reviews on this site:
"This is such a beautiful place that we chose it for our wedding. Wonderful reception. Mrs. Rossella is simply charming. They produce award-winning wines (and we understand why), they are absolutely biodynamic. All guests liked their wines, and the lucky ones who stayed overnight They even got a very good breakfast the next day. With very tasty Tuscan sausage, jams, etc. Excellent butter and honey too. The place is beautiful, with a breathtaking view of the valley of Bisenzio. And the rooms are in typical Tuscan style. "




The questions of "YR" are answered by the Rossella Bencini, owner of the Fattoria di Bacchereto.

1 - The history of creating your favorite white (yellow) wine.
The history of our white wine is very simple: all our white grapes are old varieties of typical Tuscan grapes “Trebbiano Toscano” and “Malvasia del Chianti” coming from an old vineyard 50 years old, so we decided to produce also white wine, as we did with the red, with ancient methods, avoiding chemicals at all..and we obtained a White Wine very structured and refined both at sight and taste


2 - Do you prefer (it's important for you) the color of the wine?
The color of wine is very important because It represents the first thing that we can see.. as it happens for people, also for wines the look is the first thing that affects us .
Our wine, as every good wine, has a beautiful and bright color.. and particularly the colour of my natural White wine is sparkling gold yellow.
3 - List, if possible, a set (gift box) of three-four own wines (red and white), which, in your opinion, can be worthy of representing your farm.
We produce only four kinds of wine, Red, White, Vin Santo and RedPassito. Each of them rapresent my farm but maybe,the most representative could be the red wine Carmignano Terre a Mano, red wine.. because it is the wine with which I started my hard work with biodinamic approach and we grew up together

4 - Your company produces several wines, olive oil and it seems honey.. ... Did you have a desire to concentrate on one thing?
I love what I do , that’s my agricultural work,so I’d like to do more things, not less… The country side life is a multitasking life, It could be impossible to do only one thing ,and not useful : specialization is typical of industry, and of current era, but the agricultural craft must not follow the laws of mechanical and chemical industry, because it deals with the nature.. that is living … so it must free itself from a mechanistic vision and rediscover a vision linked to the reality of natural phenomena, that are complex and have their own laws that’s impossibile to change.



5 - Your vineyards are located in fantastically beautiful places.
Can a tourist live in your hotel? Is it convenient for them to travel to the famous Tuscan cities?..
Everyday we guide some wine tours here and people enjoy it very much. They can walk around vineyards, hear how we produce different kinds of wines, and taste ours products. It’s a beautiful experience! Tuscany is a rich region and the people that visit it are very lucky!
Yes, tourists can stay in our Fattoria di Bacchereto: we have some simple, fully equipped , typical Tuscan apartments to rent for holidays- the place is very quiet, surrounded by vineyards and woods , and people can visit a lot of wonderful cities ,that are very close, like Florence,(25 km) Lucca, Pisa and Siena but sleeping in a natural oasis!
It’s very easy to travel to the famous touristic destinations : we are located on a hill, but only 6 km.far from the plain, where after 6 km.more we could reach the Autostrada to go everywhere: in one hour we could also go to the sea and the beaches of Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi!

6- You can offer the most beautiful view (favorite point) on vineyards or the surrounding landscape?

7 - Your choice for the "Yellow Road"?

8- What cultural event would you like to see at home: an exhibition, an opera, a ballet or something else? A fan of what kinds of art you are?
I love all kinds of art….Winemaking is an art.. I sometimes hosted several kinds of arts in my farm, the place lends itself especially to theater performances and concerts.

9 - You have a vineyard, there is wine, what would you like to add to this picture? Expand the vineyard, improve the wine, increase sales? If it's not a secret, what are your plans for the future?
The nature is dynamic and full of life, so I’d like to add to wind, clouds and sun also also animals as cows, sheeps, goats and chicken, to recreate a really true to nature, complex, agriculture

10 - Which white wine producer (from Italy or another country) would you recommend for the "Yellow Road"?
I recommend every producer of my group “Renaissance des Appellations” and particularly the Founder of the group, who is Nicolas Joly : he with his family produces a wonderful, shiny as a blade, White Wine in his exceptional vineyard la Coulée de Serrant, located in the Loire Valley of France.

Sergey Evtuhov, author of the project
evtuhov@yahoo.com

"I am reluctant to write this review because in all honesty, I don't want to share the charm, solitude and magnificent vistas of this place that my wife and I have come to adore and thirst for. Call me selfish. The experience that is Il Fontanaro is, and will always be, at the top of our list and we've been all over Italy. From Lake Como to Sicily this place is without peer. The warmth of the property and surrounding village, the hospitality of our hosts/Owners Alina and Lucia Pinelli, and the relaxed pace of living are everything that you could wish for. This is our second trip here having experienced the cooking class on a day trip from Rome first prompting our desire to return for an extended stay, and what a stay it was. Suffice it to say that we can't get back here fast enough. To borrow a line from a Bradley Cooper movie..."Don't ever change, for anybody"

These are not my words, this is a review of one of the visitors to the estate of Il Fontanaro. I myself was not in Il Fontanaro, so I cannot confirm or refute the words of a culinary school student. Fontanaro has its own wine, but Fontanaro’s specialty is a culinary school and olive oil production.





Il Fontanaro is an Organic Olive and Grape farm, Villas, Olive Oil Slow Food Presidium and Culinary school
There are few places where you can find serenity, explore medieval hill towns, Etruscan art, and historic cities, and enjoy great food and extraordinarily welcoming hosts. Fontanaro offers all that and much more. The Country slow Living estate has five luxury locations, and can accommodate to more than 50 persons. All have AC, WIFI and infinity swimming pools. They are: Fontanaro, Tartagli, Fontegirasole, Fonte della Pace and Fonte Cicerum.





The main Fontanaro estate was built in 1893 and contains a beautifully restored two story stone farmhouse with two separate luxury homes. Located in Umbria, the green heart of Italy on the border of Tuscany, the property is set on 40 acres with 3.000 olive trees and a small vineyard.




The view lends itself to rolling green hills facing breathtaking sunsets and sunrise like a Perugino’s painting. There is a bread oven, a Weber barbecue and a large private Infinity swimming pool with high-performance salt chlorinator (14 x 6m) with a maxi Jacuzzi.




2018 Gold Medal Awards, New York (please look at the link)
https://bestoliveoils.com/brands/olio-fonte-della-pace


2018 Gold Medal Awards, london (please look at the link)
http://www.londonoliveoil.com/awards-results-2018/#(grid|filter)=.gold



" Our oil is the result of a production of top quality olive groves not comparable to any kind of industrial production.
Plants from which we extract Fontanaro olive oil are grown on sunny slopes, far from factories and traffic congested roads, in an unpolluted natural environment.

We recycle all the garbage and we don’t use any chemicals.
We return the residues of the oil processing as natural fertilizer to the soil.

Our oil has a very fruity taste with bitter and spicy notes and is very rich of unique flavors. In our own mill, the cold press process is applied within 6 hours of the olive picking to guarantee the very best quality oil."
Alina Pinelli

Sergey Evtuhov, author of the project "Yellow Road"
evtuhov@yahoo.com

Alessandro Martelli, owner of the vineyard Azienda Agricola Incontri, shared on the “Yellow Road” information about places in Livorno, the history of which is connected with the brilliant Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani. Amedeo was born in Livorno in 1884. What is now known in Tuscany about the artist?
There is a museum of G. Fattori, which contains paintings by Italian artists, contemporaries of Modigliani. The house where Modigliani was born has been preserved. There is a synagogue built on the site of a synagogue destroyed during the Second World War. Here, it seems, everything ...
Already four wineries from Tuscany are represented on the “Yellow Road”: Azienda Agricola Incontri, Villa Spoiano, MorisFarms, Borgo Casa al Vento. All of them are located at a distance of about 80 - 100 kilometers from Livorno. Soon another great winery will join us: Fattoria Di Bacchereto. Traveling through Tuscany and exploring the route of the “Yellow Road”, if desired, a tourist can easily reach to Livorno. But the list of objects from Modigliani is small. Of course, Tuscany is filled (packed like a treasure chest) with huge treasures: Florence, Siena, Pisa, Lucca. But even in these Italian treasures you can hardly find paintings or sculptures of Amedeo. Therefore, only here and only now photos from the exhibition of copies of the brilliant painter.





Amedeo Modigliani is one of my favorite artists. I arranged exhibitions of copies of his paintings in Vilnius and Riga. Several of my sculptures on the paintings of Amedeo decorated Vilnius Audi saloon and Riga Geneva watch store. Maybe you should try to implement some new project (along with the “Yellow Road”) in the artist’s homeland - apartments, cafes, wine, exhibitions or an unusual museum?












Sergey Evtuhov, author of the project
evtuhov@yahoo.com

In 1967, Martellino Martelli, grandfather of Alessandro, the current owner, bought a farm in the village of Fossoni in Suvereto, thereby starting the family’s agricultural activities. In 1985, Martellino’s son Renzo and his wife Marcella Busdragi began producing bottled natural wines. In 1989, Martellino bought another farm in Incontri a Suvereto, which today gives its name to the current farm. In 2000, Alessandro took over the activities of his parents, and even today he enthusiastically leads the work begun by his grandfather Martellino.




The company has a total of 12 hectares of objects, including 6 vineyards, 2 olive groves and 4 arable lands, clay is the main component of these lands, and the company of this precious material contains clay: red, brunette, yellow, blue and green.
Incontri natural wines, depending on these different types of clay, have different and unique organoleptic characteristics.
The Incontri winery is located in Fossoni in Suvereto. Only a limited number of precious bottles of natural wines are produced from a single grape each year. All processing processes fully respect the environment and everything that is part of it is a zero carbon footprint and follow the lunar and planetary calendars. Natural wines are certified organic, vegan and without the addition of sulfites.
The principles of the Earth Charter are the basis for every activity carried out within the company. Permaculture principles apply to planning and overall activity management.
As for crops, the method of dynamic organic farming is used.



The questions of "YR" are answered by the Alessandro Martelli, owner of the winery Incontri

1 - You have a vineyard, there is wine, what would you like to add to this picture? Expand the vineyard, improve the wine, increase sales? If it's not a secret, what are your plans for the future?
Certainly we have dreams, I work every day with my family to fulfill our dreams. I promote and support the Charter of the Earth, it is a statement of fundamental ethical principles for the construction of a fair, sustainable and peaceful global society in the 21st century. The Charter proposes to inspire in all peoples a new feeling of global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well-being of the whole human family, of the great community of life and of future generations. The paper is a vision of hope and an appeal to act. The Charter of the Earth is primarily concerned with the transition to sustainable forms of life and sustainable human development. The Charter recognises that the objectives of ecological protection, poverty eradication, equitable economic development, respect for human rights, democracy and peace are interdependent and indivisible. As a result, the document provides an integral and broad-spectrum benchmark for guiding the transition to a sustainable future.I work my farm with these principles, the most important dream is to always keep these principles, and act.
This summer we have prepared the land to make new vineyard of Trebbiano, there will be vines to make grapes from Orange wine, the vines we have selected my father and I in our vineyards and in the oldest vineyard of Suvereto 1947. Every year from here to 7 years we want to renew a small part of our vineyards with our selections. In the cellar I started for three years to renew all containers in cement vitrified, this allows me to make refinements on natural yeasts longer, so it will increase the longevity and pleasantness of the orange wines, we are proud of the NOISTR wines but We always want to improve them. We want to find two good distributors one for Italy that distributes 5,000/10.000 our bottles and one for the foreign that distributes our 5,000/10,000 bottles.



2 - Do you prefer (it's important for you) the color of the wine?
For me the color of wine is important, but it is not all, must have a good perfume and above all must have a good taste, the orange wine are white wines that have a good flavor that's why we make them.

3 - History of the creation of your BIANCO and how much is a bottle, for example, INCONTRI AMBRA?
My grandfather made orange wine in the years 60 and 70 with macerations from 2 to 7 days, in 2007 was born our first new orange wine, we drank it all in the family. INCONTRI AMBRA was born to have a good white wine and long-lived, after a maceration of over a month ripe for 36 months in cement barrels and/or oak wood, after is aged in the bottle for at least 12 months.



4 - List, if possible, a set (gift box) of four or six own wines (red and white), which, in your opinion, can be worthy of representing your farm?
Family farm from 1957 total 12 hectares of which 6 per vineyard annual production about 20,000 bottles.
We make Orange from 2008 the macerations of the grapes we make them in steel or vitrified cement.
We do bio-dynamic farming next year we will be dating Demeter certified wines.
For the Vegan certification we do not use anything of animal origin in the wine and we do not use any insecticide in the vineyard.
The wines are not controlled by temperature during fermentation, we do not use selected yeasts, we look at the moon and the Stars for the processing, are not made additions of sulphites, are not filtered.

Orange Wines

INCONTRI AmbraTO 2013 Vermentino 80% trebbiano 20% -30 days of maceration 36 months Barrique IGT Tuscan White 30 euro (1050 bottles)

INCONTRI Orange 2016 Trebbiano 100% IGT Toscana Trebbiano 100% -2 days of maceration 18 months Oval Oak Barrel 19 euro (2000 bottles)

INCONTRI Orange 2015 Vermentino 100% -2 days of maceration 24 months barrel of cement vitrified 19 euro (3000 bottles)

LO SFIZIO DI UNA GOCCIA from dried grapes (2008) Vermentino 70% Trebbiano 30% 120 days of maceration 60 months of barrels 40 euro (300 bottles)

Red wines

INCONTRI ROSSO 2015 IGT Toscana Red Merlot 95% -30 days of maceration 24 months tonneau Oak 25 euro (3000 bottles)

INCONTRI RISERVA 2013 Merlot 100% IGT Toscana – 30 days of maceration 60 months tonneau Oak 45 euro (2000 bottles)


5 - And where, besides the winery, can try your wine?
Our Orange wine is located in Amsterdam at Winestories Wine Bar in Rome Enoteca Solovino in Edinburgh wine Cafè Toast Leith in Livorno Osteria La Venezia

6 - Your choice for the "Yellow Road" of white (yellow- your orange) wine? INCONTRI ORANGE,INCONTRI AMBRA?
INCONTRI ORANGE are of Trebbiano and Vermentino grapes, macerated according to the year from 2 to 7 days, they mature for at least 18 months in cement vitrified or oak wood

7 - Can you offer the most impressive view (favorite point) on vineyards or the surrounding landscape?


8 - Is it convenient to get to your farm from Livorno? Is there a Modigliani museum in Livorno?
Our house is 1 hour drive from Livorno, in the city there is a museum G. Fattori in Via San Jacopo in Acquaviva where there are works by friends artists, examples and masters of Modigliani and also a work of his, visitable on reservation 0586/808001-804847
By appointment you can visit his first house in Via Roma, 38. On the main floor of the house there is a small exhibition of photos, letters, documents and his works, Visitable on reservation 320.8887044
The Synagogue, in Via Benamozegh is not the one that knew Amedeo Modigliani, but it rises in the same place and inside there are furnishings and marbles recovered from the previous destroyed in the Second World War. visitable on reservation 0586 896290

9 - And what are the Venturina terme, which are located 8 kilometers from you?
At the spa of Venturina there are various structures that benefit from the waters already known by the Etruscans and the Romans, called "Aquae Populoniae". They gush at 45 ° Centigrade throughout the year, with constant flow, and are classified as sulphated-Calcic-Magnesiache-bicarbonate-alkinotherrose.

10 - What kind of platform can you offer for the cultural program "Yellow Road": exhibition space, cinema hall, etc. Or do you have your own cultural projects?
For Yellow Road We can offer an exhibition space, in the tasting room of the winery or other premises of the farm, or involve activities in the area that appreciate our wines orange.

11- Which white wine producer (from Italy or another country) would you recommend for the "Yellow Road"?
Gravner Italy

Sergey Evtuhov, author of the project
evtuhov@yahoo.com

In the center of Tuscany, in the famous Chianti district between Florence and Siena, you will find the Fattoria Villa Spoiano farm.
This farm is spread over 80 hectares, 25 of which consist of vineyards and 20 olive groves, while the rest are occupied by fields, meadows and forests. The purpose of the farm is to produce high-quality and environmentally friendly products, so they are 100% organic and certified.
During the 17th century, the property was owned by the De Nobili Family. 1934 the villa was purchased at an auction by the Tinti Puccioni family. During the second world war, General Kesselring and his German soldiers occupied the villa that was later on bombed by the Allies destroying part of the lookout tower and many statues of the garden.



After the unusually cold winter of 1984/1985, most of the olive trees were frozen and many farms had to b. e sold. At that time, the Swiss oenologist Jan Karel Waspi had visited 43 Farms located in France, Spain and Italy until he found Spoiano and fell in love with Tuscany. December 1985, at the age of 29, he bought the farm and has been working passionately ever since.
The vineyards are at an altitude of about 350 meters above sea level. The land is predominantly of morainic origins and consist of Pliocene sand formation. The climate and the favorable exposures, along with the organic farming practices such as natural fertilization with the dung of the farms own dexter cows and cinta senese pigs, allow the production of pure wines that are a true expression of the terroir.
Most oft he vineyards are Sangiovese grapes, the typical red-grape variety of Tuscany, but Fattoria Villa Spoiano has planted 8 different varieties and produces 9 different labels.
Now here on the farm, you can rent rooms and holiday apartments in the villa as well as in the 4 surrounding typical Tuscan houses which have been carefully renovated to retain their original character but outfitted with all modern conveniences. The rooms and holiday apartments are fully furnished, have a private bathroom and most of them have an independent kitchen. The spacious terrace of the Villa offers a spectacular view of the Tuscan countryside from Barberino Val d'Elsa (Florence) until San Gimignano ( Siena).
And for those who like not only to taste the wine but also to eat, the restaurant is open. Delicious dishes of typical Tuscan cuisine, well cooked and made from own organic products.
Four times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday), the cook prepares a four-course dinner with homemade vegetables and meat from Cinta Senese pigs and Dexter cows.

The restaurant is open from April to October ...


Answers to the questions of "Yellow Road" Jara Waspi, representative of the dynasty Waspi.


1 - You have a vineyard, there is wine, apartments, what would you like to add to this picture? Expand the vineyard, improve the wine, increase sales? If it is not a secret, what are your plans for the future?
We are expanding our vineyards in fact we recently planted Vermentino, an Italian white-grape variety. The vines are young and this year (2018) we were able to harvest some grapes for the first time. We are excited about it because the wine looks very promising. We are really looking forward to the coming years, when the vineyard will enter in full production and we will be able to introduce this new wine to clients and wine lovers.

2 - Do you prefer (it's important for you) the colour of the wine?
The colour of the wine is very important, it captures your attention and can tell you something about the wine before you even smell or taste it.

3 - History of the creation of your white wines?
When Jan Waspi took over the farm in 1985, almost all the vineyards were Sangiovese. He had studied in Switzerland and had lot of experience with white wines; he wanted to use his knowledge and decided to plant Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, with great results.



4 - List, if possible, a set (gift box) of four or six own wines (red and white), which, in your opinion, can be worthy of representing your farm.
As a gift box representing our farm we would choose the following wines:

Chardonnay Toscano: an intense and colourful 100% Chardonnay.
Chianti Colli Fiorentini: A typical Chianti with 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot+Cabernet Sauvignon.
Chianti Classico: our 100% Sangiovese.
Sotto la Villa: a blend of 60% Sangiovese and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24 months in Oak barrels.
Cabernet Toscano: a wonderful 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24 months in Oak barrels.
Vin Santo del Chianti: a sweet dessert wine typical for Tuscany, this is best to be enjoyed with some cantuccini cookies.

5 - And where, besides the winery, you can try your wine?
Besides our winery, you can find our wines in some restaurants and wine bars in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and France.




6 - Your choice for the "Yellow Road" of white (yellow) wine? Chardonnay Toscano?
Our choice for the yellow road is our Chardonnay Toscano because it is the most colourful white wine we produce. For this wine we do an extended maceration with the skins to extract more colour and aromas.

7 - It takes 10 minutes by foot to reach Tavarnelle Val di Pesa and Barberino Val d'Elsa... What can we see there?
Barberino Val d’Elsa is a typical small medieval town with wonderful views over the Tuscan countryside and a beautiful church.
Tavarnelle Val di Pesa also has some beautiful churches (especially the Badia a Passignano) but is mostly known in the area for the weekly market that takes place every Thursday morning on the big central square.

8 - Florence: 30, Sienna: 38, Volterra: 30, San Gimignano: 20, Monteriggioni: 25, Greve in Chianti: 20, Certaldo: 15, Colle Val d'Elsa: 18, Pisa: 75, Arezzo: 100, Lucca: 100 km...
And how to get to these cities from Villa Spoiano?
You can easily reach these places by car and most of them by bus or train. If it is nice weather, you can rent scooters or bikes as well to reach the close by towns.




9 - Imagine that your guests are two people who like to drink and have a snack ...
So, arrival, breakfast. Then a tasting tour for two and in the evening a grill with wine and a lodging for the night. How much should they pay?
We rent double rooms from 70€/night to 110€/night, depending on the room and the length of the stay. Every Friday at 10 we do a free farm and cellar tour+tasting for the guests of our agriturismo and 4 times a week we organise social dinners with home-grown products for 25€/person. Besides wine we also produce olive oil, vegetables and have Cinta Senese pigs and Dexter cows.




10 - Can you offer the most impressive view (favourite point) on vineyards or the surrounding landscape?



11 - What kind of platform can you offer for the cultural program "Yellow Road": exhibition space, cinema hall, etc. Or do you have your own cultural projects?
Our breakfast and dinner room serves as exhibition space. Every year we have an artist change exhibition. We regularly host groups of painters, artists and sculptors who come to get inspired by the beauty of our countryside.

12 - Which white wine producer (from Italy or another country) would you recommend for the "Yellow Road"?
We would recommend Weinbau Schwarzenbach wines, from Switzerland


Sergey Evtuhov, author of the project "Yellow Road". With the participation of Jara Waspi.
evtuhov@yahoo.com