It is difficult to define the craft of this genuine Florentine with precision: a woman with great charisma, a charming and stylish person who specialises in a profession that she herself invented. Simonetta Doni is a wine designer, well she is actually the wine designer! A clearly famous designer who is specialised in the creation of wine labels.

A successful career dedicated to the image management of wine through its dressing. A creative who has acquired the secrets of communication and wine marketing through experience combined with timeless taste. A woman who dresses the bottle, praising it with the label.

“The success of a wine depends also on the way in which the label represents it. This is the initial impact on the consumer, an impact that may be decisive for the purchase.”
How can she be wrong in a world where image is everything? An excellent wine without suitable dressing loses its appeal.

Simonetta Doni has made an impression in just a few years with her grace, intuition and feminine creativity in a traditionally male world such as that of wine. Today she is the owner of "Doni & Associati", one of the very few studios specialised in the image of wine companies in the world. Her clients include some of the most important companies internationally, but also young innovative and emerging companies.

How did you come up with the idea of creating wine labels?

For my first labels a few years ago, I had certainly created beautiful images, but perhaps without fully understanding the value of communication and sales. A little later on, an enlightened producer asked me to invent a series of concepts that he intended to communicate: the smell of the earth, the seduction of the wine, the happiness that it could have given to those who drank it, its history, the work behind it, etc. I became aware of the value that a simple piece of paper could have. The challenge of achieving the goals was the springboard that made me concentrate on this form of communication for the passionate and all-involving world of wine.

Were your first approaches with this world very masculine?

In reality, dealing with a world that is mainly made up of men was a positive thing. I believe that female sensitivity brought added value to it. The comparison was always stimulating and constructive. Seeing things from a sometimes opposite point of view makes one find new and interesting solutions. There are now many of us who work and create fantastic projects in this world.

Where were you aware of having made it?

After the first label, which I call “aware”, other producers came to me and told me that they had seen that label. Therefore they asked to be study the image also for their products.

Which is the most difficult client?

There isn’t one in particular, but let’s say that the most demanding clients are those which make us always find new solutions with their countless requests and make us define even the tiniest detail in an almost maniacal way, which make the difference when all put together.

How difficult was it to make the image of wine labels more contemporary?

Once upon a time, the image was created only to say what was contained in that particular bottle and if something was depicted on it, this was often done by someone in the family who dabbled in painting or drawing who “created” the image. They weren’t concerned with communicating all the series of elements that are now vital and implementing the knowledge that we have now gained today. We always propose an innovative hypothesis among the possible alternatives, but certain companies still aren’t completely ready for these solutions. In reality, the large international competition will soon make us explore new paths, without losing the sense of history, where we will be able to also communicate using innovative and contemporary languages.

Info:
Studio Doni & Associati
Via Guelfa, 85 – 50129 Florence 
Tel. 055 26 80 23 – Fax 055 26 79 772
info@donieassociati.it - www.donieassociati.it

Taken from a land of ‘red’, a definition, the Vernaccia from San Gimignano being the name of the grape and the relative denomination of origin, represents that ‘white breeze’ which is the most renowned and appreciated in Tuscany. 

Diffused throughout other areas in the peninsular, from Liguria to Sardinia, it is on the Senese hills surrounding the towers of San Gimignano that over the centuries this grape has found its ideal habitat.

A tradition passed down over the years was fulfilled in 1966 when the Vernaccia gained its first Doc at a National level, a recognition which was followed in 1993 by Docg.
The happy combination between grape and a particularly well located territory brings to the glass a wine which is fresh, delicate, of flowery aroma with its characteristic end taste of bitter almonds.  These united to an aging process are certainly highly surprising for a white wine.

The Vernaccia grape, which in the “Reserve” variety foresees an aging process of at least one year, can be accompanied with other varieties of white grape not exceeding 10%: amongst these is the Chardonnay which has acquired certain consideration amongst producers, even if today’s tendency is to return to the origins with the sole use of Vernaccia grape.

An optimal ‘aperitif idea’, whilst at the table it goes well with fish and white meat (chicken and rabbit) dishes, figuring well in its more structured versions in the presence of slightly matured cheese.

We suggest:

Vernaccia San Gimignano Docg “Selezione Pietravalle”  - Agriculturists from Chianti Geografico
Vernaccia San Gimignano Riserva Docg “I Mocali” - F.lli Vagnoni
Vernaccia San Gimignano Docg “Carato” - Montenidoli

The aztecs called it Xocolatl, or "the nectar of the Gods".

Just as the Swedish naturalist Charles Linneaus in 1775 recognised the unique characteristics of the cocoa plant, which he called Teobroma, a Greek term which means "Food of the Gods", today we call it Amedei.

The siblings Alessio and Cecilia Tesseri, with the help of their family, including their grandmother, Signora Amedei, to whom the business is dedicated – created the perfect chocolate! A true delight for the tastebuds which has permitted the business to garner international attention. The combination of passion, ability and continual research has made it possibile for Amedei to be a unique entity. Besides being the first business to have a woman maître chocolatier, it is the only Italian boutique to have complete control of the production process from the cocoa bean to the final product.

The company won the Oscar for the best chocolate "from bean to bar". It is also the only business to make chocolate by using cocoa beans from the most prized plantations in the world. Alessio has been to Madagascar, hard to reach places in Venezuela, Jamaica, Ecuador, Trinidad and Grenada in search of the perfect cocoa bean.

The results of Alessio’s work and of Cecilia’s determination to only settle for perfection, have made Amedei a designer brand in the world of the chocolatier. At Christmas, why not give chocolate worthy of an Oscar with the Amedei label?

 

Information:

Amedei Srl, via San Gervasio, 29
56020 La Rotta (Pontedera) PISA
Tel: +39 0587-484849; Fax +39 0587-483208
www.amedei.it
amedei@amedei.it

Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi, is synonymous with guarantee and tradition within the international wine-making sector. After all, seven hundred years of history in the cellar are not to be sniffed at….. On the other hand this is one of the oldest families in Italy, most certainly the oldest in terms of wine-making, since their production started in 1300 and is now one of the most internationally renowned, thanks to their constant ability to develop and renew, always however keeping in mind their highly respectable heritage.

The name Frescobaldi does not however only evoke wine, but also a long-standing tradition in Italian art, culture and history. The Frescobaldi family boast among their ancestors poets, explorers, musicians, bankers and politicians. Their commitment to winegrowing has however always been a very important aspect of family life. For 30 generations – namely from the XIV century – this family has in fact been producing wine in their many Tuscan estates , although the annexations of the estates belonging to the Albizi, another great family of the Italian aristocracy, which resulted in this brand’s leap forward, only date back to the XIX.

Since the postwar period Lamberto Frescobaldi and his son Vittorio – the current Chairman – have been promoting modernisation, organisation and wine-growing in their various estates, particularly those at Pomino’s Castle, where we have been given hospitality by Tiziana Frescobaldi, supreme hostess and communications officer of the family-run company.

After a beautiful journey which took us near the first mountains of the Apennines we reached the Castle, which is situated on the incline of the Val di Sieve, about 40 km northeast from Florence. Within Tuscany this estate represents a unique productive environment, thanks to a specific climate microcosm which provides a perfect balance between vineyards and woods.

The elegant and austere 500-year-old Pomino Castle is surrounded by over 1,400 hectares of land, mainly characterised by sandy soil and an altitude which varies between 400 and 750 metres. The castle was built in the XVI century by the architect Gherardo Silvani and was recently the subject of careful restoration. In the wide portico we are attracted, on the left, by a lovely little chapel, consecrated in the Seventeenth century and frescoed by Filippo Tarchiani, but soon the time comes for us to get to the heart of the matter, so to speak… Tiziana Frescobaldi and the enologist Francesca Pratesi prove to be very thorough and accurate guides, as we are led to the pulsating heart of Pomino Castle, its cellars, to witness with our own eyes the production and development of one of Italy’s smallest D.o.c.s.

The nineteenth-century cellars,which are laid out over three floors, are the result of a state-of-the-art architectural design that exploited gravity to make wine ‘fall’ from one floor to the next. The ground floor is crowded with tuns made of Slovenian wood, all lined up like soldiers: the basement, almost a temple to Bacchus, is divided into three ‘aisles’ where the ‘barrique’ are left to rest for 18 months. The top floor is the splendid ‘vinsantaia’, unique in its genre both in terms of charm and technique: at Pomino grapes are in fact laid onto vertical trellises in a dry and well-aired environment where windows are always left open.

Thanks to its environmental characteristics and the optimal exposure of its vineyards, Pomino produces great classy wines characterised by their strong qualities, their aromas and scents and their high level of acidity. As well as Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Moscato are also grown here. Pinot Nero in particular deserves a few words, as it is one of the most difficult species of grape to grow but has found, here at Pomino, the type of environment with a varied range of temperatures which is not common to these regions and which contributes to creating refined and classy nectars.

These are the wine-growers’ signatures: Pomino Benefizio, Pomino Rosso Casafonte and Pomino Rosso. From the Benefizio, the ‘highest’ of the whole estate, originates the homonymous Cru which is the first Italian white wine made in barrrique since 1979. Casaforte on the other hand is a rare and temperamental Pinot, a great example of Tuscan Nero characterised by its strong qualities:it simply has to be tried. And what about the reassuring ‘classics’, all inimitable and unmistakable, also thanks to their original appearance.

Information:

Castello di Pomino
Visits are by appointment only;
contact Mrs. Nicoletta Piccini,
ringing the head quarters of Marchesi
de’Frescobaldi at 055 27141

Upon arriving in the United States and after ingesting the famous American donuts during the first days there, one then feels the need to sit in an Italian restaurant that provides refreshment not only for those Italians on vacation who are looking for cooking from home, but also and especially for Americans, many of them VIPs.

In Miami, in fact, it is quite possible to imagine eating in a restaurant and realize that at the next table is Ricky Martin, or rather Shaquille O’Neal or Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez or many other stars (even Italian ones) who have chosen to live in Miami.

This world is well-known to Maurizio Farinelli, who has been living and working in Miami since 1991 and has been working in the restaurant business since he was a young man. “In our restaurants - la Trattoria Sole, Blu la Pizzeria del Sole in South Miami and Blu Pizza e Cucina in the Mary Brickell Village, that make up the Blù Restaurants Group- we have served many famous people”, Farinelli tells us.

“The main reason for our success is, without a doubt, the excellent cuisine managed by Riccardo Tognozzi, our Tuscan Executive Chef from Arezzo along with our moderate prices in comparison to other Miami restaurants.

“Where eating becomes a passion” isn’t only our slogan, it’s a promise: a promise to delight our guests with fresh, quality Italian products in a menu that caters to all tastes, that goes from more sophisticated dishes to our fabulous brick-oven pizzas, all in an atmosphere that is casual-chic!”.

Moreover, in this true flavour boutique you can’t miss the collection of international wines; rich and excellent Italian labels where the Tuscan wines stand out for importance and variety. And it is Chianti that is, in fact, the leading player in several of Riccardo Tognozzi’s specialties, and more precisely in his stew made with Brunello di Montalcino and porcini mushrooms. Tuscan delicacies in the shade of Miami palm trees, everything is possible! 

Information:

Blù Restaurants Group
7201 SW 59th Avenue
South Miami FL 33 143

www.blurestaurantsgroup.com

Chef Riccardo Messora delights many palates in Melbourne, Australia. Chef Messora originally came from the Livono doc, but he lived in Scarlino, a hillside village in the Grosseto area, on the Gulf of Follonica.

Italian cooking is very popular in Melbourne - Riccardo tells usbecause of the high number of Italians who live there (it is the Australian city with the largest Italian community: of approximately 3,800,000 inhabitants, a good 600,000 are Italian) and any restaurant of any ethnic background has at least one or more Italian dishes on the menu!

When Riccardo speaks, he does not have any Tuscan accent, but rather an Anglo-Saxon accent. This makes us realize that several years have gone by since, after having attended the hotel management school in Clusone in the Bergamo region, he decided to move to London. Herehe spent 8 years, working for important private restaurants and clubs such as Harry’s Bar, Criterion, Escargot and Drones. He then decided to move to Australia where he has been living and working for the past 4 years.

Enoteca Sileno, located in the Lygon Street Italian district is where Riccardo prepares its delicious Tuscan dishes, as ricotta and tuscan black cabbage gnocchi with wild boar ragu’ maremma style.

“The wine cellar and its restaurant, wine bar and showroom are a real institution in Melbourne, besides being one of the main companies in the importation of wines and Italian food products,” says Riccardo. Events, tasting, Italian cooking lessons, often in collaboration with the renowned Australian cooking school William Angliss are held at the Enoteca.

This school, as Pauline Dine, spokesman for William Angliss, states, has formed a strong partnership with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Melbourne, working on various projects and promoting exchange programs for students and teachers in order to foster Italian culture and its philosophy.

Contacts
Enoteca Sileno
www.enoteca.com.au

William Angliss
http://www.angliss.vic.edu.au/

In the province of Arezzo, in the locality of Sansepolcro, Palmiro Bruschi, aka the King of Ice-Cream, lives and works!

Intelligence, talent, imagination and much passion for his work caused Bruschi to be awarded with the title of Italian Ice-Cream Champion in 1994, to become a member of the Academy of Italian Ice-Cream Making in 1997, as well as the World Ambassador for Italian Ice-Cream in 2004.

He appears in many Italian television programmes and has also participated in important national and international events as a mouthpiece for the art of Italian ice-cream making.
The presence of the master at the Renaissance dinner that occurred at the “Italy in Japan 2001” festival was particularly important, which took place at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo in the presence of both Japanese and Italian authorities. He has also participated at the “Bella Italia” and “Italian Style” shows in Melbourne, Perth, Nice, the Canary Islands, Rottemburg, Miami, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Atlanta, Washington DC, New  York, Moscow, Sao Paulo in Brazil and Dubai.

We can see him as a walk-on in Pieraccioni’s “Mia Moglie è Bellissima”, which was mainly filmed in Anghiari (a small town close to Sansepolcro), to then proudly return to his modern laboratory where not only classic flavours, but also the more unsophisticated flavours of the Tuscan land come to life in his creations.

Vin Santo, Brunello di Montalcino, truffle, spelt, and extra-virgin olive oil ice-creams are just a few examples of his workmanship.

However, a nod to history could not be overlooked by a Tuscan master: the Cremolata dedicated to Piero della Francesca, the great Medieval artist who came from Sansepolcro, in homage to the town, was presented for his anniversary.

Information:

The Ghignoni ice-cream shop, a real ice-cream museum, is situated in via Tiberina Sud, 860, Sansepolcro
www.ghignoni.it and www.gelatoegelato.it