A bouquet garni is an assortment of aromatic herbs used to season meats, broths and sauces, enhancing the flavour and fragrance of any number of different dishes. It originates in Provence, but different versions are used throughout the Mediterranean basin. The main ingredients of the traditional bouquet garni are thyme and bay leaves, but there […]
A BERRY NICE BREAKFAST
There is nothing more comforting than a glimpse of Spring: the warmth over the past few days, the first flowers in the fields, and the hills turning green, are truly enough to lift the spirits. We have added an extra boost of energy to this newfound vitality, with our currant jam, made from handpicked organic white, […]
THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS
On the occasion of this special day dedicated to the enamored, we thought we would learn a little about the language of Winter flowers. Decisions about the flowers we choose for someone are often entirely subjective and based on a memory, fragrance, shape or colour that pleases us. Yet certain flowers and plants often conceal […]
WINTER PRUNING
Never as in the vineyard is it fair to say that in January we make a clean break ( a “sharp cut” in Italian) with the past: it’s pruning time. Winter pruning is an essential practice for the well-being and vigor of the plant and prepares the vine to produce for the next year. Pruning […]
THE FESTIVE WOODLANDS
The Vignamaggio woods are scattered with paths that wind through a rich, fragrant and welcoming Mediterranean vegetation: the trees are not very large, but healthy and lush. Through their foliage one can glimpse the remains of ancient dry-stone walls, reminders that every corner of this land was once cultivated and that the woods, before the […]
FROM TREE TO BREAD
During the past few weeks, the entire farm has been abustle with the olive harvest. Up and down the stone terraces, and up on the sunny slopes (or rain drenched slopes like the last couple of days), the magic of Autumn is in the air, with smoke from burning wood mingling with the morning mist. […]
RECIPE: ARTICHOKE, CARAMELISED ONION AND BRIE TART
This recipe, created in collaboration with Freakytable, is perfect for those cool early-autumn evenings when spending some extra time in the kitchen with a glass of your favourite wine becomes quite appealing. Our fresh artichokes preserved in oil, complemented by the rich flavour of Brie, are sure to inspire you. For the pastry: (The recipe […]
OUR GRAPES
It’s that time of the year again! It’s September and our grapes are beautiful, ripe and ready for picking. Because it’s time to harvest, our Francesco has gathered and presented the estate’s most important varietals, the most historical, those that were rediscovered, and the latest arrivals. First of all, the Sangiovese, our most prized grape, […]
FRESH FROM THE FARM: OUR PLUMS
17The wide variety of plum trees we chose to plant 5 years ago means we have fresh plums all summer long, from June to September. These various types of “prunus domestica” ripen at different times of the summer, some produce more fruit than others and they differ noticeably in flavour and colour. In June we […]
IN THE SHADE OF PETASITES
Today we went out with Francesca, manager of the Vignamaggio gardens, to explore the coolest part of the estate, in search of the petasites or butterbur, a perennial plant of the Asteracaea family. It is easy to come across these enormous herbaceous plants alongside Greve’s tributaries. They can be spotted by their huge hat-like leaves […]