Blog

Prologue — When the Extraordinary Feels Ordinary Sometimes, life gifts us moments that feel simple — natural, even — until later, when we realize they were quietly extraordinary. It’s only in retrospect that we see the magic that was unfolding right in front of us. That’s exactly how I feel looking back on those days at La Gazzara. At the time, everything seemed so effortless: the rolling hills of Tuscany, the laughter over aperitivo, the scent of fermenting grapes. We were simply a group of wine lovers coming together to learn, taste, and share. But what we were actually doing…

Meet the Team: An Interview with Matteo Altare – General Manager of Castell’in Villa and Senior Consultant for The Wine Partners This month we sat down with Matteo Altare — the man behind the Custom Wine Sessions and one of the guiding minds at The Wine Partners. Originally from Alba, Matteo brings deep technical knowledge, a poetic view of wine, and a lifetime of vineyard experience to the team. We caught up with him between a vineyard walk and a barrel tasting in Tuscany. TWP: Where did your journey with wine begin?Matteo: I was born in Alba, one of those…

Meet the Team: An Interview with Francesco Altare – PhD Student, Sustainable Viticulture and Senior Consultant for The Wine Partners TWP: Francesco, tell us a bit about what you’re researching right now in your PhD. I’m studying how certain plant pathogens (especially Plasmopara viticola, the one responsible for downy mildew in grapevines) develop resistance to fungicides. Alone, this disease can wipe out up to 75% of a harvest if left unmanaged. What makes this research urgent is the pace at which these pathogens are adapting: year after year, we’re seeing more cases of reduced fungicide efficacy, making it harder to protect…

ETNA ON TOUR – A Resounding Success! Curated by The Wine Partners, the ETNA ON TOUR events in Miami, Orlando, and NY/CT were nothing short of extraordinary! Through a series of exclusive private dinners led by our Chapter Leaders, we unveiled 12 exceptional Etna wines in a masterclass-style tasting to an audience of 70 Members and select Guests—including some of the most influential wine buyers and collectors. While the majority of attendees were Brazilians living in the U.S., we also welcomed wine lovers from Argentina, France, England, Australia, South Africa, and Italy, creating a truly international gathering. What stood out?…

Linguaglossa, Etna – North, Sicily, Nov 2024 I was one of the 20 IWAs selected by VIA for the November edition of the Gita Scolastica, a themed field trip focused (not only) on Etna. During six days of immersion, we tasted around 200 wines in ten masterclasses and eleven winery visits. The IWAs came from the USA, Canada, England, the Netherlands, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Japan, Mexico, and Brazil. Renowned journalists participated, such as Marco Sciarrini (Cronache di Gusto), Alicia Dorey (Le Figaro), and James Button (Decanter), along with the celebrated presence of Pietro Russo MW. The…