#if anyone has been to tuscany or Italy in general how is it

[winterf4iryy]

i’m so anxious about going on holiday :/

[joachimnapoleon]

I'm reading Georges Six' biography of Moncey and came across this: "commandant le 27 juillet 1801 subordonnément à Murat, les troupes stationnées à Ancône, dans les états du pape et le royaume d’Etrurie ; refusa et quitta son commandement, 28 août 1801". Do you know if this was related to any problem between the two of them?

Moncey did have some quarrels in Italy, but they don't seem to have been with Murat. According to Murat's biographer Vincent Haegele, they actually had a very good relationship during this period:

Moncey, an honest and scrupulous soldier, was a sure ally for Murat, although he had hoped to obtain the position of commander, so coveted after Brune's departure; he loyally served the interests of France, earning himself an unflattering reputation as a 'fanatic’. Murat, thanks to him, finds an army in perfect condition, equipped and paid. The two men liked each other, as shown by most of the correspondence of Moncey, who did not hesitate to write, speaking of the new commander-in-chief: “I love him and I was happy with him; he must have been so with me.” The evidence of his best efforts to hand over command speaks for itself. Struggling with the most devious elements of the Cisalpine government, starting with the Minister of Police who cleverly sought to trap him, Moncey was seriously burned by his Milanese experience. He had long conversations with Murat during the summer of 1801; here the latter warns of what awaits him.

I don't have any of Moncey's letters to Murat from this time but the first two volumes of Murat's published correspondence contain several of his letters to Moncey. I haven't read them all but it seems that if Moncey had quarrels with anyone during this period, it was with Brune and Berthier. 

Excerpt from Murat to Moncey (13 June 1801):

No one sees with more pleasure than I, my dear general, the choice that the Government has just made in entrusting you with the command of the troops in Cisalpine. By uniting moderation with firmness, morality with prudence, military talents with consummate experience, no one is better suited for the Cisalpine Republic than you. I pay my very sincere compliment to the troops destined to serve under your orders, to the French Government which you will be able to enforce and to the Cisalpine Republic which will find in you its restorer and its support.

Excerpt from Murat to Moncey (4 August 1801):

The Government has judged necessary, my dear general, to unite the command of the French troops in Italy under the orders of the same officer, and it designates me to fulfill its intentions, without, however, confusing the administration of the corps stationed in Cisalpine with that of the army of the Midi.

(...) Wishing to show you all the satisfaction I feel at serving with such a distinguished and commendable officer in all respects, and convinced that it will be more pleasant for you to reside in Tuscany rather than in Ancona, I propose to you, my dear general, the choice, but I cannot refrain from telling you that you will be better able to fulfill in Florence the views of the Government and mine. Do not see in this process, my dear general, but a proof of my very sincere attachment.

Excerpt from Murat to Moncey (5 August 1801):

Be quite persuaded, General, that no one appreciates or esteems you more than me, and that it will be infinitely painful for me to replace you, if I should regard the new dispositions of the Government as a disgrace to you. But I am far from having such an opinion; I cannot believe that the Government was so deceived on your account. The new post that it assigns you is a new proof of the trust that it has always accorded you and that you have never ceased to deserve. 

I did not leave the First Consul unaware as to how indebted the army is to you for its well-being and how much all the men who think well in the Cisalpine owe you a debt of gratitude for having given them a little rest and tranquility! Yesterday again, I expressed to the Minister the feelings which I have always entertained for you, in my reply to the telegram which brought me his new orders. 

If anything reassures me about the painful task imposed on me by my new command, it is the hope of having you as a collaborator, as a comrade and, I would say more, as a friend. I hope that I am still permitted, my dear general, not to regard your first determination as irrevocable. Revoke, my dear general, the decree which would deprive me of the satisfaction of having you in the army which I command. Write to me quickly that you don't want to leave me. I would be delighted if you could find as much pleasure in serving with me as I feel in telling you that no one is a more sincere admirer of your moral and military virtues than I am.

I embrace and love you.

There is a footnote included with this letter, quoting a letter written many years later from the Count of Mosbourg to Caroline Murat, in which Mosbourg credits Murat's defense of Moncey in his letters to Napoleon from this time for having "saved General Moncey from complete disgrace," due to Moncey having been "calumniated." Le Brethon notes that Moncey had written to Bonaparte, complaining about Berthier's treatment of him. Evidently he complained about Berthier to Murat too--enough so that Murat eventually lost his patience with it and complained to Napoleon about Moncey's complaining (excerpt from 15 September 1801):

General Moncey stuns me with his pretensions, he is never content, I have exhausted all respect, esteem and friendship commanded towards this respectable soldier, and yet I cannot manage to persuade him to go to his destination, he believes himself to be a dupe and victim of Berthier. In truth, I pity him, Moncey is furious with him, I had to remind him that I was his friend to put an end to his invectives. As I don't want to have a new onslaught of tirades to endure every day, do me the grace to give him the leave he asked you for. I'm sorry that this good man is so bilious, he can't live with anyone. 

[dwellordream]

“…Both Vergil and Livy begin by putting down Homeric roots and anchoring their stories in the Trojan War. That makes a good deal of sense from a mythic perspective: the Iliad and the Odyssey were the most illustrious legends of the Hellenic world and so it made sense for the Romans, looking to claim a place in the Mediterranean, to make that claim through connection to this most illustrious of tales… And so both Vergil and Livy begin their story with Aeneas and his plucky band of Trojan refugees, fleeing the fall of Troy (though interesting, while Vergil tells the tale as a harrowing escape, Livy politely suggests that perhaps Homer’s Achaeans let Aeneas go, Liv. 1.1).

Aeneas (son of Aphrodite/Venus and a mortal man, Anchises) does appear, by the by, in the Iliad, though he isn’t a particularly notable or impressive hero (naturally Vergil will embroider Aeneas until he is presented as the equal of an Achilles or Odysseus because…well, wouldn’t you?). The Aeneid follows (with the aid of a major flashback) Aeneas as he shepherds his surviving Trojans from Troy to their prophesied new homeland in Italy (with a minor stopover in Carthage) and then covers also the war that breaks out between Aeneas’ Trojans and the local inhabitants (the Latins) when he arrives. Vergil cuts off at the climactic moment of the war (which in turn presents Aeneas as rather morally grey, a feature that is also present, as we’ll see, in Livy’s retelling of Rome’s legends), but Livy provides the denouement.

After a period of conflict (Livy presents two different versions of the exact sequence), Aeneas ends up married to Lavinia, the daughter of Latinus, king of the Latins (Livy calls them the Aborigines – lit, ‘the native inhabitants,’ Vergil the Latins; in both cases Latinus is their king) and the Trojan exiles and Latinus’ people form a single community at Lavinium, which in turn founds a colony at Alba Longa, both in Latium (the region of Italy in which Rome is, although note we haven’t founded Rome yet).

We then fast forward a few generations. Rhea Silvia, a priestess of Vesta at Alba Longa gives birth to twins, Romulus and Remus by (Livy expresses some doubt) the god Mars. The twins are exposed (for complicated royal-family-drama reasons we needn’t get into) and rescued by either a she-wolf or a woman of ill-repute (Livy isn’t sure which on account of Latin lupa having both meanings and clearly both legends existed, Liv. 1.4) and raised among shepherds in the hills of northern Latium. More politics ensues, Romulus and Remus, having grown to adulthood, right some wrongs in their home city of Alba Longa and set out to found their own city.

At which point Romulus promptly gets into a fight with and murders Remus over who is going to be in charge (this sort of intense moral ambiguity where the venerated legendary founder figures are also quick to violence and deeply flawed is also a feature of the Aeneid and can be read either as a commentary on Augustus or as some lingering Roman discomfort with their own recent history of civil wars running from 88 to 31 BC; we are not the first people in history to have very mixed feelings about how well people in our country’s past lived up to our ideals).

Crucially, Romulus forms his new settlement (prior to the fratricide) out of – as Livy has it – “the excess multitudes of the Albans and Latins, to which were added the shepherds” (Liv. 1.6.3). After this, desiring to increase the population of the city, Romulus sets a place of refuge in the city so that “a crowd of people from neighboring places, altogether without distinction, free and slave, fled there eager for new things” (Liv. 1.8.6) and were incorporated into Romulus’ growing city. Livy approves of this, by the by, declaring it the first step towards rising greatness.

Romulus quickly has another problem because all of these new settlers were men, so he concocts a plot to carry off all of the unmarried women of the neighboring people, the Sabines – an Umbrian people (we’ll come back to this, for now we’ll note they are ethnically and linguistically distinct from the Latins) – who lived in the hills north of Rome under the guise of a religious ceremony (Liv. 1.9-13). At a festival where the Sabines had been lured to under false pretenses, the Romans abduct and forcibly marry the Sabine women, while using hidden weapons to chase away their families (I should note Livy goes to some length to assure the reader that the captured maidens were subsequently persuaded to marry their Roman captors, rather than forced (Liv. 1.9.14-16), though what choice he imagines the unarmed, captive women to have had is left for the reader to wonder at in vain; in any event, we need not share Livy’s judgement or his effort at patriotic euphemism and may simply note that bride-capture is a form of rape).

The Sabines naturally go to war over this but (according to Livy) a peace is mediated by the captured women (according to Livy, unwilling to see their new husbands and old fathers kill each other) and the two communities instead merge on equal terms. In the midst of all of this, Livy does have Romulus set down a set of common customs for his people, which he thinks to have been mostly Etruscan (Liv. 1.8.3), the Etruscans being the people inhabiting Etruria (modern Tuscany) the region directly north of Rome (Rome sits, in essence, on the dividing line between Latium to the South and Etruria to the North).

Now we want to note two things here from this high-speed trip through the first few chapters of Livy. First is the deep ambivalence towards Roman violence here. Livy presents Rome as a city founded on fratricide, conquest, rape and sacrilege. Livy occasionally attempts to soften the impact of these legends (particular with the Sabines), but only so far. This isn’t really the place to unpack of all of that but suffice to say that I think that Livy’s willingness to open his history of Rome – practically an official history of Rome – so darkly speaks to a literary project still attempting to come to grips with the stunning civil violence which had gripped Rome for Livy’s entire adult life and had, as he wrote, only recently ended. And one day we also ought to come back and do a deeper look at how women function in Livy’s legends and histories (Livy’s account becomes much more properly historical as he gets closer to his own time); women, mostly Roman women, suffering (often sexual) violence so that in their sacrifice the Roman state might be enhanced is a repeated motif in Livy (e.g. Lucretia, Verginia).

But more directly to our topic today, I want to note at this point exactly the sort of society Livy is imagining the earliest Rome, under its first king Romulus, in particular that it consists of a lot of different peoples and heritages. We’ll come back to exactly who all of these peoples are (historically speaking) in a moment. But Livy and Vergil first create a Trojan-Latin fusion community, which produces both Romulus and Remus and their initial core of settlers (mixed in with other, apparently purely Latin communities), who then gather up shepherds from all around, and then invite literally anyone from nearby communities to join them (which must include Etruscan communities to the north as well as Umbrians and Falisci of various sorts from the hills) and then finally fuses that community with the Sabines (an Umbrian people).

So we have our very first Romans, as the first Senate is being set up (1.8.7) and the very first spolia opima – the prize for when one commander defeats his opposite number in single combat – being won (1.10.7) and the very first temple being founded in the city (1.10.7). And those very first Romans, as Livy imagines them, are not autochthonous (that is, the original inhabitants of the place they live), nor ethnically homogeneous, but rather a Trojan-Aborigines-Latin-Faliscian-Umbrian-Etruscan-Sabine fusion community. For Livy, diversity – ethnic, linguistic, religious – defines Rome, from its very first days.”

- Bret Devereaux, “The Queen’s Latin or Who Were the Romans? Part I: Beginnings and Legends.”

[josefavomjaaga]

Sir Robert Wilson on Murat and Eugène

Okay, so I said I would read up on Wilson first before reading anything by him – but I had already looked into the second volume of his diaries, and this is just perfect: During the final days of March and April 1814, when the First Empire ended in Upper Italy, he visited both Murat and Eugène and had dinner with them.

Please bear with me, this is going to be lengthy. Plus, I do not know if these diaries were truely private or intended for publication, so I have no clue in how far they were edited later and how trustworthy they are as a source.

We start off in mid-March. Eugène is still holding the Mincio line for Napoleon. Murat has received the ratification of his treaty with Austria but is still on awful terms with Austrian Field Marshal Bellegarde – and with Bentinck [»Lord William«, as Wilson writes], of course.

March 15th – As I am of the species of anecdote collectors, I must note a speech of Beauharnois at Verona, which has made an impression in his favour, although it is not sufficiently towering for a hero's last struggle and would rather suit a sixth than a fifth Henry:

"Pour moi, je suis monté par un escalier si bas que je ne me ferai pas du mal en descendant. Je n'aurai que du chagrin pour ma femme, née et elevée princesse."

In English: "As for me, I have climbed a staircase from so low that I shall not harm myself on the way down. I will only grieve for my wife, born and bred a princess." That was Eugène’s usual attitude. Auguste did the same, in reverse: Of course she never wanted that crown of Italy for herself. But her Eugène (best of husbands™) deserved it so much more than anyone else in Napoleon’s family!

There are many others recorded equally meek; and this humility of spirit, combined with other good qualities and his present martial and military conduct, excites great interest in his favour.[...]

Yesterday, Colonel Cattanelli arrived and brought me advice that Lord William and Murat were at Reggio, contending for and against the British occupation of Tuscany. [...]

March 20th - We have no further advices from Reggio, but are most anxious to know the result of Murat's and Lord William's final conference.

Cattanelli tells me that Murat said to him: "Whereever I am in all the great battles, I have seen General Wilson. He is certainly one of the most distinguished officers, and if it had not been for him, we should in various instances in Russia have got through much better. He has done us infinite harm, but it is a fatality that he should always be opposed to me." He then continued his remarks, observing that I was an enemy to him, his family, the French nation etc. Cattanelli told him that he had heard me extol his military conduct, which pleased him much.

The fact is that I have not written a line or given an opinion under the influence of personal feeling. I have not shown the smallest prejudice in conversation or official correspondence, although I consider Murat's conduct as very dishonourable with reference to his benefactor. I have always said that the Allies did not give his renegade zeal fair trial, and that our present propositions are inadmissable by a King of Naples having only an armistice with England.

There is a reason, why, personally, I would wish to serve Murat. He now knows it, and will be satisfied that at all events I respect myself too much to wrong him.

March 29th, Bologna. - In consequence of the difficulties which existed and seemed to increase, I was requested by Lord William to negotiate with Murat. Constant to the principle of promoting public utility, I acquiesced, but I felt much personal reluctance. […]

At midday I went with Lord William, and was introduced to Murat. He received me very amicably; and we had more than an hour's very interesting conversation on past military events, particularly those relating to the Russian campaign; and I acquired some valuable information on that subject. Murat's dress was singular. Hair curled in Roman coiffure—two ringlets, or what, à la Parisienne, are styled “pensées”, dependent on each shoulder. Blue uniform coat, red pantaloons, yellow shoes, with spurs; sword, with three pictures in the handle. His countenance martial, his manners soft, his conversation easy and intelligent. I reserve further opinion until I have transacted business with his Majesty.

30th. — I dined with the Duke di Gallo - a handsome entertainment and a well-chosen party. In the evening went to the opera. Murat was seated as a Sultan -- princes and dukes all standing behind his throne-chair. He is by far the best actor that has appeared in the royalty theatre. This morning Lord William is gone to have an interview with the Pope. I am left to negotiate. I find myself much like the Allies in France—without any base for operations, line of communication uncertain, various interests clashing, and no unity of direction. [...]

April 1st. —On the evening of the 29th, at half-past six, I was at the dinner-table with Murat. The banquet was according to all the rules of perfect gastronomy. The master's manners were very gracious. It was impossible for Lord Chesterfield to have done the honours better. A certain high personage in England would, I am sure, ever feel a little jealous of his kingly courtesies. There was somewhat more of ceremony in the arrangement of the table than I ever witnessed before in royal fêtes. Murat occupied one whole side himself. Three persons sat opposite, and two at each end. With the exception of this distinction, there was no extraordinary attention paid to him, and the conversation was as general, fluent, and free as in private society. After dinner was over we remained talking till near eleven o'clock. I fought with his Majesty all the battles over again which we had witnessed together. He was exceedingly interesting, very candid, and by no means a Gascon for himself or his brethren in arms. I profited by this opportunity again to acquire information on various subjects which he was best qualified to give, and which may tend to make a posthumous memorandum of the late campaigns more valuable. […]

3rd. - I, yesterday, had a very long audience of Murat, and received his ultimatum on the subject of Lord William's demands. I begged, however, to have the statement in writing, and Murat promises to give it under his own hand. I think his case a good one. In foro conscientiæ he is justified. He has had much reason to feel mistrust and suspect hostile intentions under the pretext of peace. […]

Wilson actually lists up a whole bunch of reasons why Murat was justified both to mistrust the Allies and to break away from Napoleon, including Napoleon's intended takeover of Naples. So, in comparison with what he wrote on March 20, his opinion of Murat seems to have improved much by the end, on meeting him personally and on hearing his side of the story.

I skip over some stuff: The Allies and a bit later the Italians receive the news of Napoleon's abdication, which leads to a first military convention between Eugène and Bellegarde. Then we get the anti-French riots in Milan as soon as the senate tries to install Eugène as king of Lombardy, Pina gets tortured to death. That’s the point when Eugène quits the game.

25th. —Events have streamed so rapidly that I cannot attempt to note their progress. Yesterday, Marshal Beauharnois agreed to surrender the kingdom of Italy. The insurrection at Milan and the intelligence of Buonaparte's cession of the iron crown, with other circumstances, determined that measure.

I have, in my despatch to Lord Castlereagh, rendered justice to his conduct as an administrator, a general, and a man.

I passed the whole of yesterday evening with Beauharnois and in Mantua, and enjoyed very interesting conversation on all subjects. He treated me with a confidence that very few friends could experience from a person in his situation, and earnestly begged that I would see him again to pursue our discourses. There is unquestionably great satisfaction in a reception which gives proof of previous good repute, and shows the existence of unlimited credit on the heart's stores. [...]

Well, if I may suggest – don’t flatter yourself too much. That has, I fear, a lot to do with Eugène and rather little with you. (And btw, Eugène was not a marshal!)

The dinner was a most agreeable part of the day's entertainment, not only because we did not sit down till 7 o'clock in the evening, which is a great extension beyond 2 o 'clock, but because the society was very select, there not being more than eight, including three ladies appertaining to the Princess whose presence embellished the company. The Princess was herself not visible, having been confined only eight days, but they say she is very handsome. Her children, four of whom I saw, are of the best appearance and manners.

Beauharnois asked much after the Duke and Duchess of Bedford.

And that’s because he kinda knew the duchess pretty well before she became the duchess, during the peace of Amiens, when all the Brits crowded Paris. (There had even been talk about marriage but in the end either First Consul Bonaparte or the Duchess of Gordon decided against it.)

He is altered, but has a great resemblance to Moreau, and is as plain as Murat is gaudy in his dress. He is, in my opinion, just the man to suit some good Englishmen of my acquaintance.

Something makes me think he does not intend this to be a compliment 😉.

27th. — Yesterday, Beauharnois and his Princess arrived here. The preceding day there was much reason to fear that there might be obstacles to his departure, as the Italian generals, etc, were greatly displeased with the second convention which surrendered the capital and the fortresses without any arrangement made for them, according to the express stipulation of the first convention to that effect. I think, however, that Beauharnois does right; especially as Berthier desired him to withdraw, and the people had commenced a senseless and what threatened to be a very sanguinary insurrection, only to be repressed in its first outbreak by the presence of an Austrian force. [...]

The Princess, although only brought to bed twelve days, bore the journey very well; but Assalini tells me that she is very delicate, and that he fears the more for her as her mother died after child-birth. I have just sent her a bottle of Tokay from the cellar of John Sobieski. It was given me when I was in Warsaw, and I have carried it about intact on the presumption that I might one day apply the nectar to a better purpose than the gratification of my own palate. If I have not, as I hope, combined the “ utile dulci,” I have at least combined in this instance the “decorum dulci,” and this is more in character.

28th - Yesterday, Beauharnois showed me a letter from his sister, the Queen of Holland. It was full of anecdote about Buonaparte, the Empresses, etc, and proved that she possessed much good sense and good feeling. One of her remarks was—“Fatality determined that no experience, no counsel, not even the Emperor's own intelligent mind should discover the bandage which it had bound over his eyes. The perception of the heart was wanting, and great geniuses rarely possess it. He has been abandoned almost by all. Rustan (the Mameluke) is even about to quit, and when I saw the Empress Louisa the other day, she had not more than one valet-à-pied in her service. She came to the advanced posts to embrace her father before she followed her husband, but it is now said that she will not be allowed to go after him. It is true that he was not latterly kind to you, but I am sure you will remark only his benefactions at this time.” The tears started in the eyes of Beauharnois as he read.

May 1st. - I dined on the 29th with the Prince Eugène, the Princess and three ladies of her court; no other persons present. A conversation of five hours enabled me to travel over much matter, but without exhausting our subjects. I had every reason to be pleased with the Prince, and to be assured that we did not separate without a mutual wish to meet again. He was very anxious that I should be at Paris when he was there, but as I hate traitors and cowards - however beneficial their treason and baseness — I shall not sojourn in that city. I would rather be Buonaparte, to have written his last bulletin, than any one of the yet prosperous renegades.

So, to sum up: Murat fascinating but hard to assess, Eugène plain boring. No surprises there.

[friendsofmotoguzzicathedral]

Super Alce - Feature Bike

The Featured Super Alce in Location

Nestled unobtrusively among a row of 500 singles inside the Cathedral of Moto Guzzi, within a part of the structure which was historically an old sheep shearing shed lies one of Teo's Super Alces.  This Super Alce is presently flanked by an Alce and an Airone Sport.  The Super Alce was produced from 1946 - 1957 and it replaced "la gloriosa Alce".  The Alce was renowned as a tough and reliable military bike during "La Guerra" WW2.  It was a robust and powerful machine which distinguished itself everywhere from the large open plains in North Africa during the fighting and then equally as well in the tough mountainous terrain of "Le Alpi" the Alps.

The Alce, or the Elk in English, was always going to be a very tough act to follow but Moto Guzzi not only followed that act, they massively improved that tough act in 1946 with the Super Alce or Super Elk.  At first glance the Super Alce and Alce appear hard to differentiate.  Moto Guzzi stayed with the same sturdy frame and the proven girder fork suspension up front, the tank and seats look similar.  They both have the trademark (for the time) Guzzi horizontal single 500cc motor keeping the overall look of both models the same.  As the Super Alce was never sold to the public but only made for the military, both models generally (not always) share that military olive green colour in a flat paint to avoid reflection and detection but that's where the similarities end.  Some were offered to the Carabinieri and although still finished in green paint featured some chrome plating as well around the tank.

The Alce had a side valve engine but for the Super Alce there was an upgraded engine derived from the type V engine used in the GTV and GTW series.  This engine had a single port with two inclined overhead valves along with a four speed gearbox. The Super Alce had a twist grip throttle, a major improvement from the old lever on the handle which was present on the Alce.  During 1952 the Super Alce included a magneto with automatic advance rather than the old timing advance lever on the handle needing to be adjusted by the rider as the speed changed.

Earlier models continued with the short double muffler from the Alce on the left hand side which was replaced in 1955 with a single long muffler still on the left side.

Andy and Wayne communing with their Super Alces in the workshop

One, perhaps unique, and quirky optional feature of both the Alce and Super Alce models is the presence of a second set of handle bars available for the pillion passenger.  We have heard much conjecture as to the real reason for the second set of handle bars but frankly we have never met anyone who has convinced us they understand the factory rationale for this decision.  One of the better theories is that because both of these models were only for military use that perhaps the second set of bars was made available so that when soldiers of lower rank were transporting senior officers around the battle field terrain etc that the pillion handle bars were in place so the more senior officers did not need to physically touch or hold the more junior officers piloting those machines.  This is only a theory proposed by some and it is possibly not consistent with Italian culture.  My own father was a soldier in the Australian Army during "La Guerra" WW2 and as a corporal he did often have the responsibilities of ferrying senior officers around on motorcycles but to my knowledge there was no such option on any military motorcycles within the Australian Army.  He is no longer alive so I can't ask him about any touching while ferrying superior officers on a bike.  Please share with us your thoughts or comments on this feature and any ideas you might have in the comments section, we would be very pleased to hear your opinions and learn from any specific knowledge which our 'friends' may posses.

Teo at his best, challenging himself with a Moto Guzzi problem

Special Quiz Question

As a bonus for reading this article all the way through to this point we have a special quiz, or perhaps a test for the very knowledgeable.  Most Super Alce's have frame and engine numbers which commence with the letters SAxxxxxx with the SA being an abbreviation for Super Alce but some Super Alces come with the VAxxxxxx prefix on both the engine and frame.  Do you know what the VA stands for in this instance?  Do you know what differences there are on a Super Alce which has the VA prefix for the frame and engine?

As a clue I can advise that for the Alce model had the frame and engine prefix Axxxxx.  This was consistent through the model run but there were a few Alces which had the prefix Vxxxxx.  The V stood for Velocita and these bikes had different gearing and substantial chrome differences.

So the question remains to our collective brains trust, what differences in the Super Alce model came with the Vaxxxxx prefix.  At this point I will make two declarations before people provide their thoughts or facts:

We at the Friends of the Cathedral of Moto Guzzi do not know the answer to this question.

I own a Super Alce (just purchased from Teo) with the prefix VAxxxxxx.

The Statistics

Provenance of Feature Bike

While this article is about Super Alces in general, the feature bike in question nestled inside the old shearing shed in between the Alce and the Airone Sport has an interesting provenance of its own.  An Italian guy contacted Teo from Italy asking him if he wanted to purchase it some eight years ago. The usual discussions around price were had and before long this Super Alce was in a container bound from Italy to Melbourne, destination Cathedral of Moto Guzzi. The bike arrived exactly the same way it is presented in the museum now, eight years later with one exception.  It had an old ammunition box on the back which Teo removed to keep the bike in its very original condition.  When Teo finally got the munitions box open, he found inside a nice bottle of fine Italian wine made from the famed grape of Tuscany which is responsible for some of the most revered and celebrated red wines in Italy.  Yes it was a beautiful Sangiovese. Needless to say, Teo has received great pleasure from both the Super Alce and the Sangiovese.

The Friends of Cathedral of Moto Guzzi Workshop

Most of us in this group, The Friends of the Cathedral of Moto Guzzi, know that the cathedral is the private collection of Teo Larmers' but as well as the cathedral itself there is so much more going on every day at the site as there is an active and vibrant Moto Guzzi workshop here where many Moto Guzzi related repairs and ground up restorations occur.

We thought that as well as featuring the Super Alce in this article that we would also feature some recent work in the associated workshop relating to two Super Alces.  The first of these is my own Super Alce which I recently purchased from Teo. It had been sitting languishing on his farm (inside a shed) for 10 years before, so we had no idea what we would find and if it would start and the second of these Super Alce projects is one owned by Andrew Hawkes another Cathedral of Moto Guzzi regular who has owned his machine for circa three years.

Teo fettling with Andy’s bike

Wayne’s Super Alce in the Workshop

My own Super Alce story commenced a couple of months back when I told Teo I have a hankering to own a Super Alce.  Something about the unbreakable agricultural look and feel of these machines with their military lack of adornment was beckoning me.  I am beguiled by their primitive but effective engineering casually on display.  I am transfixed by the girder fork front end which like the Eiffel tower is strong, lasting and effective as a piece of engineering while hiding none of it's structural secrets.  One glance at the girder forks shows you how it works and after 82 years of service within the Italian military then abuse at the hands of us civilians these simple front ends are still functioning very well in 2021.  They held up to the constantly changing tide of attack and retreat at the hands of Rommel and the allies in the deserts of North Africa and they did it all again on the Italian mainland.  This engineering honesty proudly on display does not stop at the front end but extends to the rear end as well and then the most mesmerising example of engineering honesty exposed, watching the externally operating valve gear doing its work in front of your very eyes as the four stroke engine ticks over.

First is the induction stroke and you can see the intake valve open to suck in fuel and air from the Dell’Orto MD 27 F.

Next is the compression stroke when all the power is being built up and here both valves remain closed.

Finally comes the combustion stroke when all the power made is released in a fury of fire and brimstone.  Again both valves remain closed.

Then, in preparation for it all to start again is the exhaust stroke where all the spent gases are expelled and here the exhaust valve is open telling all what the engine is doing

The Super Alce power plant is no ‘blackbox’ keeping all its running secrets from prying eyes, no this engine is a open book ready to teach any of us willing to learn the finer details of how an internal combustion engine really works.

Modern motorcycles won't even permit you to view the outside of an engine which is cocooned in a secrecy blanket of accessories or plastic decoration let alone see the exposed workings of the valve train but for the Super Alce, there it is in front of your eyes for all to see and admire, the truth at the heart of it all.

So after telling Teo I wanted to own a Super Alce myself, he revealed that somewhere in the deep dark recesses of his sheds and containers he had a Super Alce which had been dormant for 10 years or more.  With that he located the Super Alce which would become mine.  We gave the old girl a new spark plug lead and new spark plug and new plug cap.  We used the kick starter to roll over the engine a couple times and deduced that it probably didn't have a lot of compression.  Not deterred by this we got some fuel, filled the tank, checked the oils and started the video running. (See the video of the bike's first kick below).  Teo and I had talked over how this would go.  I would pull the choke lever from Aperto to Chiuso (from open to closed), then I would prime the carburettor.  The throttle would need to be in just the right place, then, after locating Top Dead Centre using the decompression lever, I would give that one explosive kick which would bring the bike to life.  Sounds good in theory.  Well watch the following video to see what happened......... Yep, she started first kick after 10 years or more in a dark corner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13hvzKvvdm4 (First Kick)

https://studio.youtube.com/video/hCbFljGPb2M/edit (First Ride)

At first, despite the engine running well, there was a problem with the idling which could not be rectified even with a bit of fettling by Teo.  We opened up the carby and used compressed air to blow out the idle jet.  After that all was perfect, she ran well and idled beautifully.

It seemed we had a good engine, despite it feeling like it had so little compression.  I rode the old girl around a few dirt roads over a couple of weekends and she started reliably and pulled strongly enough.  We were both satisfied that it was ready to go.  But, life sometimes doesn't go as planned.  The next weekend I was ready to take her home and get some red plates for her and she was reluctant to start.  What had happed to our perfect machine which started first kick every time on queue!  We were able to start her and she ran fine but she just took way too much effort with me kicking so much my leg started to get tired before she would start.

As we were working from Teo's workshop nearby the Cathedral of Moto Guzzi it was no effort to pull off the head and barrel to see the condition of the piston, rings, valves etc.  First we poured some oil into the cylinder.  Wow, with oil providing a seal, suddenly I could easily find the compression stroke which had been elusive up to this point. I could even stand up on the kick-starter using all my weight without the engine turning over.  Oh dear, we obviously lacked compression despite the old girl appearing to run just fine.  First we removed the head.  The exhaust valve had a substantial leak and after removing the valves we could see there was so much wear to the valve guides, the valves had been rattling up and down the guides like a clackity old train.  How had this girl run so well!  But surprisingly the best, or should I say, worst was yet to come.  As we pulled the barrel off the piston the four piston rings fell onto the work bench in a myriad of pieces.  One of the piston rings was in seven separate pieces.  How had this old girl been running so well and how had the broken piston rings not caused any damage to the piston or the bores.  What a testament to the robustness of these old engines that with all this going on the old girl just kept running.

Bits of piston ring everywhere as we removed the barrel. 

Oh dear!

All the pieces of the puzzle.

Fortunately Teo was able to supply us with the necessary expertise and parts to reassemble the engine and voila, she will be back to starting with barely more than a simple well placed kick.  I can’t wait to see how this baby will go with even more oomph.   Another very happy customer and another amazing old Super Alce back on the roads or paddocks or wherever I choose to ride her.  Hope to see you out on the road one day while I am riding her.

Andy’s Super Alce

You may notice in the photos that there is also another Super Alce in Teo's workshop.  This fine example of a 1949 Super Alce belongs to our esteemed friend and fellow Friend of the Cathedral of Moto Guzzi, Andy Hawkes.

Andy’s bike in the foreground

To my eye, Andy's bike is one of the best examples of a Super Alce that I have ever seen.  It's not one of these perfect shiny examples that has magnificent paint with perfect finish to all the chrome and other fittings.  It has never been restored or made to look somehow better than it would have back in 1949.  No, Andy's bike has surface rust in all the right places.  It had dents which show the scars of a long and busy life.  It has the scars of a life lived to the fullest and evidence of many experiences which date back to its time in active service for the Italian military.  I suppose in today's parlance it may be described as a 'rat rod' but make no mistake, the scars on Andy's bike are not contrived or deliberately curated.  No the scars on Andy's bike came slowly over years and one by one by virtue of simply being used and enjoyed for the purpose for which it was designed.

Andy’s Super Alce story starts similarly to mine.  It started with an itch and hankering for a Super Alce which Teo was pleased to satisfy.  Teo sourced an appropriate Super Alce for Andy in Italy and thus started the long wait which Andy had to endure as his soon to be Super Alce was transported by boat from Italy to Melbourne Australia and onto the Guzzi Cathedral at Yea Victoria.

Andy’s bike arrived with a non functioning magneto and a few other foibles which were no problem at all in the workshop of Teo Lamers next to the Cathedral of Moto Guzzi.  With these minor issues quickly dispatched by Teo’s skill and tools in the workshop, Andy was soon riding his latest pride and joy.

In fact it was March 2018 when Andy was taking his maiden voyage on his ‘new’ Super Alce that I quickly developed my own hankering.  Andy has always been such a trend setter with the rest of us merely following.

See link below to Andy riding his Super Alce back in March 2018.  Apologies for the recalcitrant pillion passenger on the back of Andy’s bike.

https://youtu.be/yPm2uWIa4pE

The Boys Having Fun Riding Super Alces at the Cathedral of Moto Guzzi Workshop on a Sunday Afternoon.

https://studio.youtube.com/video/dP8Sn10X9wA/edit (Sunday afternoon ride)

https://studio.youtube.com/video/skMy4MJVVic/edit (Back at the workshop)

Written by Wayne Brundell

[sergeantfcx]

BASIC INFORMATION 

FULL NAME : John “Jack” Fox  MEANING :  JOHN | HEBREW, “GOD HAS BEEN GRACIOUS”  FOX | GAELIC, “SON OF THE FOX”  MONIKERS / NICKNAMES : Jack, Sergeant, Fox, The Idol  GENDER & PRONOUNS : CIS-MALE, HE / HIS  ETHNICITY : Italian / English 

DATE OF BIRTH / AGE : January 9th, 1811 ( 34 years old )  ZODIAC SIGN : Capricorn - pragmatic, ambitious, disciplined. ORIENTATION :  Jack is gay, a fact known to precious few. He comes from a well off family, who still harbor hopes that he’ll come back from the Arctic and settle down with a wife--he hasn’t yet worked out the language to tell them that it isn’t going to happen, that he has absolutely no sexual or romantic interest in women at all. He’s never really been in love, but he never does anything half-heartedly, and possesses all of the loyalty of a golden retriever. MARITAL STATUS : Single.  OCCUPATION : Sergeant in Her Majesty’s Royal Guards CURRENT LOCATION : H.M.S Promethean 

BACKGROUND 

PLACE OF BIRTH : Somerset, England  RESIDENCES : He went straight from his parents house, to Sandhurst Military Academy, to postings in the Seychelles, Egypt, and now the Promethean. He rents rooms when he’s in England--nothing special, as he never really knows when he’ll be posted somewhere new.  RELIGIOUS VIEWS : Church of England, casually. After coming back from Egypt, he has little to no faith in any kind of religion.  EDUCATION : Minimal. He and his brothers had tutors growing up, but he was an active child and there were always things to attend to on the farm, so none of it really stayed with him. He also graduated from Sandhurst--he took his military training far more seriously, and it made him a good soldier.  LANGUAGES SPOKEN : English, a few stray words of French, military terms in Arabic, and conversational Italian.  FAMILY :  PARENTS | RICHARD FOX, ELISABETTA ROSSO. Jack’s parents met while Richard was trying to buy mares from Elisabetta’s family in Tuscany, and they’ve been genuinely in love ever since. He has a good relationship with his mother, but there’s always been tension between father and son--Richard would have liked Jack to stay closer to home, to help his older brother run the farm, which Jack summarily rejected as a plan for his life. Since coming back from Egypt, the relationship is thawing somewhat--Richard is happy to have a hero in the family.  SIBLINGS | TOM FOX ( Older Brother ), SAM FOX ( Younger Brother ). They have a pretty good relationship--there is some resentment because the two of them had to pick up the slack at home, so that Jack could roam the globe with the military and play hero. They’re both settled with children of their own, and wish that Jack would come to that point in his life, for the sake of his own happiness.  OTHER FAMILIAL RELATIONS : He has a large extended family in Italy that he only really knows about through the letters his mother writes and receives, and he has two aunts with their own families in London. He’s never really felt like he fit in their circles, so he keeps the contact with them pretty minimal.

APPEARANCE 

FACECLAIM : Luca Marinelli HAIR COLOR / STYLE : He’s the only dark haired Fox son, and favors wearing his hair just a little bit longer than is probably permissible by military regulations. It’s constantly flopping in front of his eyes, and he’s constantly tucking it behind his ear as a kind of nervous tick. He can take or leave facial hair--it depends on the posting. In Egypt he had no scruff / beard, onboard the Promethean he’s letting it grow out. EYE COLOR / SHAPE : blue / green, almond shaped  HEIGHT : 6′0  BUILD : tall, with a lot of lean muscle.  SPEECH STYLE : The proper king’s english--with a little bit of a country accent. If he’s stressed out or frustrated, he puts less emphasis on speaking “correctly” and uses a lot of slang. The military drilled “speak only when spoken to” into him, and so he tends to be more of a listener, in conversation. RECOGNIZABLE MARKINGS : He’s a soldier who’s seen combat action! He has a lot of scars, and most of the time he can’t remember how he got them.  BEAUTY HABITS : If he’s in the field, and depending upon where in the field he is, he doesn’t bother with much more than shaving. If he’s at home, he’s kind of vain about his hair and will make sure it’s laying how he wants it, will fuss a little more with his facial hair. He knows that his looks kind of go hand in hand with his status as an “idol”, so he cares about them perhaps more than he should.

PERSONALITY 

TROPES : THE RELUCTANT HERO, BELIEVING THEIR OWN LIES, GLORY HOUND, WHAT THE HELL, HERO?, THE CHAINS OF COMMANDING  INSPIRATIONS : T.E. Lawrence ( Lawrence of Arabia ), Apsley Cherry-Garrard ( Falcon-Scott Expedition, The Worst Journey in the World ), Marcus Aquila ( The Eagle, The Eagle of the Ninth ), Solomon Tozer ( The Terror ), Edward Little ( The Terror ), Odysseus ( The Illiad, The Odyssey ), Eleanor Guthrie ( Black Sails )  MBTI : ENFJ  ENNEAGRAM : THE ACHIEVER  HOGWARTS HOUSE : GRYFFINDOR  ALIGNMENT : NEUTRAL GOOD  POSITIVE TRAITS : Loyal to his friends and the men underneath of him, charismatic, all the daring and courage of a classical hero.  NEGATIVE TRAITS : he cannot shake the spectre of the ambition that lingers in the pit of his stomach, he is incredibly adept at lying / changing a narrative to fit what he needs it to be, and justifying his own actions. HABITS : Jack is constantly tucking stray locks of hair behind his ears, pulling at the brim of his cap, and pulling at the strap of his rifle. Sitting still for too long makes him anxious and uncomfortable.  HOBBIES : Jack actually likes studying military strategy, planning for possible contingencies. He’s a great marksman and enjoys practicing with a rifle, riding horses, caring for animals in general, and he also enjoys anything that doesn’t require him to stand still / at attention. USUAL DEMEANOR : Cheerful, gregarious, and reserved in equal measure--as every good hero, and ever good soldier should be.

HEALTH 

PHYSICAL AILMENTS : Part of his ambition, his heroism, involves pushing his body to its limits and sometimes past them. He has the aches and bruises of enthusiastic over-exertion, but at this point in his career it’s more of an annoyance than anything else. He used to be the kind of person that would ignore physical ailments, but he’s improving on that front.  NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION : Jack was directly involved with the death of Tamati, and he lives with all of the psychological repercussions of that event--it mostly manifests in insomnia, moments of disassociation, and a guilt that pretty much never leaves the forefront of his mind. He’s also a habitual liar. PHOBIAS : Ghosts, which is a very recent development. He’s also deathly afraid of his secret being found out, being revealed to the people he cares about. ALLERGIES : None. SLEEPING HABITS : Jack has nightmares, and a lot of anxiety about putting himself in a position of vulnerability, so he generally forgoes long periods of sleep. He gets a couple of hours when he can, and habitually drinks coffee to keep himself going.  SOCIABILITY : Jack is incredibly outgoing! He’s an idol, an ideal that people measure themselves to, and he loves having that attention for the most part. More recently, he’s been having a hard time remembering how to be a social being--it’s easier for him to battle his demons alone, without having to explain anything to anyone else. ADDICTIONS : Smoking, occasionally. Coffee. Lying is becoming a real problem for him, a real addicting defense mechanism.

[fanfictalk]

In this section we feature short, fun interviews with a different member of our House each month, to help you get to know your fellow 'Puffs and hear quirky facts about members of the best House there is!

This month: An Interview With Felpata_Lupin

What makes you a Hufflepuff?

Everything? Jokes aside, I just identify a lot with all the Hufflepuff values. I try to always be kind and helpful with everyone, I'm fiercely loyal to the people I care about and I always try to do things at the best of my possibilities (although I don't really identify with the hard work bit... I'm just way too lazy...) I think my main Hufflepuff characteristic, though, is my trust in people/humanity in general. I will always believe in everyone's good intentions, I will always give everyone the benefit of the doubt and I will always grant a second, third, hundredth chance. Maybe that's naive, but that's just who I am...

You are famous on HPFT for writing about Peter, and you also have a big love for Remus Lupin. What is it that calls to you about these characters? Do you have any personal headcanons for them that have never made it into a story?

Ahhh, my boys! Where do I even begin? I guess the main reason I love them so much (the main reason I love the Marauders in general so much) is their tragic background. I guess I'm particularly drawn to Remus and Peter because they are more introverted and insecure, so it's easier for me to identify with them. They are so fragile and so in need of love and I wish I could snuggle them and keep them safe (yes, I know they are fictional characters, does that matter?) I don't think I really have any headcanons that I haven't already included in some story at some point... unless you can call headcanon my silly idea that Peter's dad is Sebastian Blishwick from victoria_anne 's Heroes and Monsters series... (I really want that to make it into a story one day, but it has yet to happen...)

Do you have any headcanon about the wizarding society in Italy (it can be in reference to anything you want: government, school, sports...)?

Uhm... I've never really stopped thinking about it much... I guess government-wise it wouldn't be much different from the British Ministry? Of course the Ministry would be located on one of the hills of Rome, and the entrance would be hidden in some archeological site (obviously I've been spending too much time researching the hills now to figure out the best spots... I'm undecided between the Foro Romano on the Palatino, the Domus Aurea on the Esquilino or some not-so-famous thermae on the Aventino... probably this last one would be the best, less tourists to worry about... ) I also think that their Muggle contact would be the Presidente della Repubblica (I'm not sure how practical that would be, but if I were a wizard leader I wouldn't be bothered to deal with anyone else... yes, I love Italian politics )

School... on one hand I like to imagine a big boarding school like Hogwarts (probably still located in some hidden part of Rome, or maybe in some medieval town in Tuscany?), on the other I think it would be more fitting for the Italian experience to have many small day schools (maybe 1 or 2 in each region, since the wizarding population would be too small to have more?) And after the "maturità magica" the kids could choose between a lot of magical university courses...

What's something you do that makes you happy? What do you like to do when you are sad to lift you up?

Depends on the occasion... it could be just snuggling on the sofa under a cover with a cup of tea and a movie or a book. Or it could be putting on some latin-american music and dancing in the middle of the sittiing room. Or going out for a walk (especially if it's Spring), maybe stopping at the playground and claiming a swing for a quarter of hour...  Or sitting around a table with my friends chatting and/or playing cards/board games.

You are one of the most consistent reviewers on HPFT. Any tips for us? What do you enjoy about reviewing?

Oh... well... I really, really enjoy the feeling of getting a new review, so I like to share that joy with other people. The idea that I can make someone happy makes me happy. That, and sometimes I get so invested in a story that I just need to keep reading (any reference to Stella Blue's Icarus is purely coincidental) and I want the author to know how brilliant they are! Unfortunately time is always limited and it's hard to keep up (too much good stuff to read, to little time and energy) so most of my reviews now are for my request thread or (when I manage to spare some time for it) for swaps. But if I do happen to read something just for the pleasure of it and enjoy it, I always try to leave a comment, maybe just a small one. It's a small effort for me while it might be so   important for the author.

Aside Harry Potter, what is another fandom that you absolutely love?

Two fandoms that I absolutely love (although I'm nowhere near as invested as I am with HP) are Star Wars and Percy Jackson! I think that Star Wars is a wonderfully emotional tale about generational conflict, love and redemption. As for Percy, aside from being about Mythology (which I adore) I just really, really love Rick Riordan's writing and his wonderful sense of humour!

What would Amortencia smell like for you?

Uhm... rain, peaches and freshly baked bread?

[buonoroberto]

( JEREMY IRONS, HE/HIM, CISMALE ) HEAR YE, HEAR YE! Allow me to introduce ROBERTO II VITTORIA of ITALY. The 70-year-old KING is known to be COMPASSIONATE and INTELLIGENT, but rumours about court claim HE can be CONSERVATIVE and CYNICAL when crossed. Only time will tell where their interests belong. Penned by M ( GMT+2 + late 20s + she/her ).

THE BASICS

Name: Roberto Vittoria 

Age: 70

General physical description: Roberto screams dignity like no one else. He is 70, a good age to live. When the plague broke some speculated how was that possible that Roberto survived, such an old man, his haters whispered. He is also quite attractive but that is in the eye of a beholder. 

Hometown: Sardinia, Italy 

Type of home: Florentine palace {most of time}

Relationship status: widower { first wife - Clotilde Marie Vittoria}

Current family: 5 children {3 sons, 2 daughters} and one official mistress {I am not going to describe his relationship with his children as that would be respectfully discussed with anyone who chooses to play them}, bastards? 

Family background (parents, previous marriages, etc.): He was born in Florence, the second of four sons {the youngest died in infancy, the third son died in teenagehood}. Growing up he was destined to become a Pope or a Priest, perhaps there were plans to make him a diplomat or a soldier. Roberto was given a lot of freedom. His father, the Italian king was too busy fighting the wars with the Catholic church, the English court and the French court. His Spanish-born mother watched her own country being destroyed by her own husband. His father was no different than any men of his time, his children were his property, they had no say in their life. In fact, he was feared by his sons and highly respected by his kinsmen. He was a strong king but a cold person. His mother played her role well, her head high, but those clouds made her arrogant and deeply self-absorbed. Perhaps, a daughter would make her happy. But she was stuck with four boys. His older brother was growing up separately and he knew very little of him, the Crown Prince was not one of them, he was above them but then one day he was sent to Spain, his ship sank, killed him and the king and that made Roberto a king. Unexpected, young, inexperienced and uneducated. Suddenly he had to grow up, fight his own way in life. Thanks to his close friend the Grand Duke of Naples his kingdom still stands. The Duke is considered something of a brother. 

Friends: the Grand Duke of Naples, Valentina Stuart

Other close relationships: the Duke of Tuscany, the Duke of Florence 

Relationship with men: nonsexual, he is quite conservative but he is able to turn the other cheek as long as it is done behind the closed doors, he tries to ignore what is going on in his court. Roberto understands the sexual needs of other people and unless it would be beneficial he is not gonna use it against his opponents. It would be lovely to see his opinions challenged perhaps by a family member. 

Relationship with women: Roberto is an old-school man. He likes his women beautiful and silent, but neither his wife or his mistress have ever been so. He finds it tremendously attractive though. He is respectful and gallant, loves to spoil but he is not a believer in you are gonna marry whoever you want. 

Job: a ruling monarch

Dress style: elegant, subtle colours, comfortable, expensive but reasonable 

A BRIEF LOOK

Religion: Catholic

Attitude to religion: devoted

Favorite pastimes: reading, diplomacy, languages 

Hobbies: languages {he speaks Italian, Spanish and Latin perfectly, English and German understandably} 

Favorite foods: exotic fruits 

PERSONALITY

Strongest positive personality trait: diplomatic {he sees the bigger picture and if there is a reason he can put his guns down. he understands that his country will prosper only if he can keep the peace and that is what he is trying to do} 

Strongest negative personality trait: conservative {he has his principles and he is not gonna give up so easily}

Sense of humor: dry 

Temper: phlegmatic 

Consideration for others: compassionate {he had travelled his country and understands the hardships, he is there for his people, of course, he is selfish and of course he wants to be richer but he supports his people and is eager to help where he sees it useful} 

How other people see him/her: depends on a person, some see him as manipulative, arrogant, old, useless, weak and others as strong, wise, capable, peaceful and good

Opinion of him/herself: he is just really tired and is unsure whether he should pass the crown to his son and give up the throne 

Other traits, especially those to be brought out in story: I think his feeling of uncertainty could be used against him. It would be easy to manipulate him into giving up his throne.  He can be used as an ally considering he is a king. 

AN ENDING

Ambitions: to keep his kingdom at peace, to keep his throne for his son, to marry his children off 

Philosophy of life: I have seen it all, give me a break. 

Most important thing to know about this character: He probably knew your grandparents so watch your mouth :)

Source: xx

[bibliophilebookreviews]

The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany

The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany by Lori Nelson Spielman

Picture it: Tuscany, 1959... Just kidding. But I am not kidding about how great this historical romance is. If you’ve heard the hype, believe it!

Here’s the spoiler-free premise: For generations, the second-born daughter in the Fontana family has been cursed in love. And now, in the present day, Emilia is refusing to believe she’s cursed but even if she is, she doesn’t mind the single life. Her cousin Luciana on the other hand is determined to break the curse. (In fact, the whole family has their hopes on Lucy.) When Emilia’s estranged great-aunt Poppy -- another second daughter -- calls to invite her and Lucy on an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy for her 80th birthday, Emilia is forced to choose between adventure and her loyalty to her Nonna. Having lost her mom at a young age, Emilia’s greatest maternal influence has always been Nonna, and Nonna Rosa runs the family. But Poppy has promised to break the curse and tell Emilia about her mother; it’s an offer Lucy and Emilia can’t refuse. And what they discover in Italy -- about Poppy, about themselves, and about their family -- changes everything. 

Let me say first that I enjoyed pretty much everything about this book, but let me start with my favorite thing which is Poppy’s story. Because she’s estranged from the family, she’s the enigma in the story. And it’s time to put the rumors to rest. But of course, being a colorful and sassy old lady, she’s got one heck of a love story. At once beautiful and heartbreaking, I couldn’t help but be drawn in -- I wanted to read Poppy’s story more than Emilia and Lucy’s in the present day! Now don’t get me wrong: Emilia and Lucy’s Italian adventure is a page-turner as well. Super kudos to the author for simultaneously interspersing Poppy’s story and weaving it together with Emilia’s.

Another thing I liked about this book is that the story was not predictable! I may have guessed literally one thing, but it still turned out differently than I expected. Also, it was a very easy read with a perfect pace. Both Emilia and Poppy’s chapters are narrated from their own perspectives and the language was appropriate. (I also learned a few new Italian words!) 

On its surface, this seems like the story is about Emilia (and Lucy) really discovering herself and finding the joy in life and love -- and it is. But whether they ever “find love” or “remain cursed” ceases to be the focal point of the story; it’s about being able to just enjoy the journey, surprises and all.

I think the ending of this novel ended perfectly. Normally, I want it to go one forever and to know exactly how everything turns out for everyone, but not so with this book. Again, it’s not so much about “happily ever after” but just “happy right now.” And while there’s no true epilogue, the reader gets enough information to be satisfied. It’s a natural conclusion. While I don’t necessarily need it to be made into a movie, I encourage anyone who’s even remotely interested to go ahead and take the plunge. It’s worth it!

[vervevibesvino]

Vibes + Vino: 4 Producers, 4 Regions

The record producer: The experience architect, the idea-lobbyist, the ditty boss.

J Dilla - The Sherry Triangle I don’t know what my life was before J Dilla. I don’t know what my life was before Sherry. My first wine mentor was obsessed with Sherry and, in my naive adolescence, I followed like a Hypebeast lemming with no initial context, because who was I to voice a real opinion when my understanding of wine comprised of not knowing Malbec’s origins were in France and pronouncing Xinomavro wrong. (Plus, Sherry was having its boom with hipsters at the time so I was inundated with questions at least 3x daily.)

In retrospect, this no-quantifiable-preconception crash course to Sherry was the best way for me to fall in love with it. It’s essentially a scrappy, off-beat drink if you think about it, and transparent in showcasing distinct soil characteristics, especially by the Albariza soil. #JDillaIsBae because of the same scrappy, off-beat production. Even in the very beginnings as Jay Dee evolved into being a full-time producer, he reminds me of the transparent, against-the-grain nature of the sax & percussion somersaults of 1940s bebop. He constantly built upon his blended style and didn’t overhaul it for anything or anyone. Kind of like the blended nature of Sherry itself, and how new oak isn’t really a solera thing when it comes to Sherry because the tannins would impede the development of flor. Or, even the fact that barrels are preferably fixed instead of replaced/discarded. After J Dilla, everything I thought I knew about hip-hop changed. After Sherry, I opened a new door to beverage geeking. Both run-ins are IRL examples of the often imitated, never duplicated two.

No I.D. - Burgundy My love affair with No I.D. is severely skewed being from Chicago and by my love affair with No I.D.-touched Common albums, specifically 1997’s One Day It'll All Make Sense—which is yours truly’s personal Holy Grail reach for soul searching, psyche demon slaying, and figuring-life-out moments. In the world of hip-hop production as a whole, on the surface it may not seem like No I.D.’s kudos is even comparable to James Yancey levels, but beneath it all it is… and then some. It's real easy to seperate the diehards, casual fans, and curious listeners of No I.D. when the masses only attribute his success to being a master sampler. (Not to discredit the latter by any means, because his artistry of the sample is his muscle—often euphonically ambitious yet golden.)

No I.D.’s music touch is practically sacred. Hell, he’s like the trillion dollar CPG industry in producer form—reputation in a broad space and honing his craft to flow with and stay relevant in current and future markets. He’s what Burgundy is to the wine world, and Burgundy’s domination comes in its own variant of CPG: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Gamay. Yet outsider looking in, a snapshot of Burgundy in population and size might provoke assumptions that the region’s reach would barely make a dent in the world of wine. However, its influence has proven otherwise—and it’s a hell of a lot to examine. It’s to a point where I have to stop myself from feeling defeated when sinking into any Burgundy topic because I constantly feel a million steps behind in the the elaborate, convoluted technicalities. Much like how some winemakers have set Burgundies as a benchmark for influencing their own style of wines, No I.D.'s production style has taken other production artists to new heights. He’s a Veteran for a reason, infiltrating nearly three decades of music.

One No I.D. standout for me in the last five years would have to be "Higher" on Rihanna's ANTI - and it's barely 2 minutes long. In its slurred, vampy nature, it is profoundly focused. That's kind of how he bulldozed even through this next gen of artists - not taking the big shots right away, making punches where it mattered, and leveling up himself. He took time off, got inspired. Even simply relating back to Rihanna as a brand powerhouse, if you think about how influential the Fenty brand has combated the CPG sector of cosmetics when people felt the market was already saturated by celebrity releases, that's No I.D. as a producer. Preeminently, he’s been in the thicks of it, the cornerstone of it, molding a stockpile of careers.

Babyface - Willamette Valley These two scream the clashing dichotomies of the Old School and New School. On one side we have a marveled producer, the master of the dramatic R&B hook and sometimes dubbed the Quincy of my generation (although no one will ever be Quincy). On the flip side we have a region just as dramatic in its moist climate and consuming diurnal shifts, yet it's also a region compared to the likes of Burgundy probably more often than social media sees a contouring vid posted by a Kardashian (although Willamette will never be Burgundy).

Willamette Valley not only is an significant player in Oregon, but the Pacific Northwest as a whole. It's one of the larger American Viticultural Areas and as a New World region, it may not get enough of its due credit when the comparatives are hypersensitive to Old World traditions and fixated on what Willamette Valley is not in comparison to those Old World counterparts. But to me, Willamette is a mélange of the most intriguing characteristics of both Old World and New World wines. Minerality, mutually rustic and earthy - all with a nominal but distinctive fruit personality that is essentially the anti-Burgundy. Babyface initially was met with similar caution in the beginning of his production career - meeting a new generation of R&B listeners while the genre's core at the time could, in essence, be a genre quarterbacked by nobody other than Quincy Jones. Alongside L.A. Reid, he became the bridge to the New School from the Old School in the age of 90's R&B.

Bob Thiele - Tuscany Can you even put your finger on how many times a jazz recording has been sampled? Even if you drilled down to just one work, the gold standard of A Love Supreme, you'd be met with a hefty list. That influence is just one piece of the pie, and only takes sampling use and one album into account. But Bob Thiele's reach stretches much further - Thiele is one of the great names of jazz. His technical proficiency was ahead of his time, and the influence of his work has criss-crossed across generations of listeners and genres.

This kind of intertwining evolution makes me think of the Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc lovechild: Cabernet Sauvignon. As widely acknowledged as Bob Thiele is in jazz, Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are the most planted wine grape worldwide. It’s French in origin, but Italy and its history with the grape is very Bob Thiele - eqsue compelling, in particular. The initial rise of what is now the "Super Tuscan" was met with much controversy as wine laws pre-1980s did not accommodate the foreign grapes then. Eventually grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon would round out the red blend in following years -- winemakers saw it as a way to improve wine quality -- but if emjois existed during the time, any befuzzled/sneering look emjoi would’ve fit right into the reception of the Super Tuscan prior to actually coining the term "Super Tuscan".

In a world of countless Bob Thiele chartmakers, the "What A Wonderful World" project with George David Weiss and Louis Armstrong was not as honored upon release, and was received in similar fashion to how a Super Tuscan was viewed in Italy in the 1980s. Just like how the intention of adding foreign grapes to indigenous Italian varieties was to improve wine quality, "What A Wonderful World" was a tune set out to bridge gaps in race and culture at a time when race relations were beyond heated. Instead, the song faced criticism for simplistic lyrics and for an ignorance toward the world's state at the time. It would take years before the song was even seen as a standard.

[rentahomeinmalaysia]

Classification and tasting of olive oil

Depending on its place of origin and the variety of olives used, olive oil has a wide range of flavors and fragrances and the consumer must choose and buy the type that best suits their particular taste and the food to be prepared. Extra virgin olive oil is like a good wine. Its flavor and aroma can be easily distinguished by the nose and palate, then discussed and dissected. A series of requirements are declared in national and international regulations to identify commercial standards for olive oils. Quality is measured in two steps: acidity assessment and taste test.

According to the International Olive Council (IOOC), these are the categories:

1) VIRGIN OLIVE OIL is the oil obtained from the fruit of the olive tree only by mechanical or other physical means under conditions, particularly thermal, that do not lead to the alteration of the oil. It has not been subjected to any other treatment other than washing, decanting, centrifuging and filtering. When virgin olive oil is intended for consumption in its natural state, it receives one of the following extra virgin olive oil for cooking :

a - The Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a maximum acidity of 1% and the organoleptic characteristics stipulated in the standards for this category; b - Virgin olive oil has a maximum acidity of 2% and the organoleptic characteristics stipulated in the standards for this category; c - Ordinary virgin olive oil has a maximum acidity of 3% and the organoleptic characteristics stipulated in the standards for this category; d - Lampante Virgin Olive Oil has more than 3.3% acidity and organoleptic characteristics stipulated in the standards for this category. It is not suitable for consumption in its original state and must be refined before use as food.

2) REFINED OLIVE OIL is obtained from virgin olive oils, generally Lampante, by refining methods that do not alter the initial glyceride structure of the oil.

3) OLIVE OIL is a specific food term for a mixture of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil suitable for consumption as is.

When buying olive oil, consider how you will use it, how it will enhance your cooking style. For dipping and drizzling or if you have a fantastic salad, pasta, red meat or some grilled veggies, you will probably need a full bodied, great tasting oil and could opt for a hint of olive with a tomato base flavor (typical with oils produced in Sicily) or artichoke (Tuscany and central regions of Italy).

Taste the oil on different foods and determine if it enhances your meal or is too overwhelming for a delicate fish, for example. Another oil might be better drizzled over your pasta or fantastic with some hot bread ... choose the right oil like you would choose the right fine wine! An official extra virgin olive oil tasting is carried out after chemical testing to determine if the oil meets the standards. The tasters must follow the rules of conduct established by the IOC. Our experience with non-food professionals taught us that anyone can learn to taste well. You can replicate at home the same procedure that professional olive oil tasters follow to judge olive oil.

To start your tasting experience, you will only need a small plastic cup, a bottle of olive oil, and a glass of water. You will get a better result if you do not drink coffee or smoke at least 30 minutes before the scheduled time for your test and if you do not use any perfume, cosmetic or soap that may remain during the test. In general, we suggest tasting at least three or four different oils made with different species of olives to discover different flavors and intensities. You will find many different species of olives used in the oils that we offer in our Selection. Pour just a small amount of olive oil into the cup (enough to cover the bottom), hold the top and bottom of the cup between your hands to warm it up a bit, and swirl it for at least a minute.

[hottubunderson]

Reasons Why People Love to Visit Rome

ROME AIRPORT

ROMA NEED A NEW AIRPORT

In such times Rome airport police are all debating regarding the chances to develop or maybe just a fresh airport in Rome.

In this time Rome contains three divisions: Fiumicino, for its global flights, even Ciampino, to get its very low priced businesses, along with also the town airport terminal ( Aeroporto dell' Urbe ), generally utilized as military airport in addition to training centre for its majority of pilots as well as the aquariums of Rome.

In these types of weeks that the passengers targeted visitors in Ciampino airport terminal climbed and also the city demands additionally to maneuver area of their very low-quality atmosphere traffic out of Ciampino into Fiumicino.

Three will be the jobs on its near future of those Rome airports:

Ciampino airport terminal has been crammed;

Fiumicino airport terminal might be expanded using a fresh terminal C, even with all the options to sponsor greater low-cost European air-crafts.

The metropolis airport terminal ( Aeroporto dell' Urbe ) positioned from the northwest of Rome is going to be converted to a small business traveler airport terminal.

Initially, the metropolis airport had been inaugurated in 1928 and before World War II it had been the significant airport in this civic aviation in Italy. Before it had been murdered in 1943 it'd a few buildings utilized to its airport direction and also a pilot practice faculty. The town airport includes an excellent capacity however it takes infrastructures and branches of approximately 10 million 83000. This airport terminal is likely to soon be more attached to this metropolis of Rome using a fresh road that'll reach 15 moments that the Vatican town.

The Italian government is additionally presuming to proceed to the targeted traffic of this country air-crafts into the airport.

About the conversation board organized from the neighborhood govt of Rome, there clearly was your price of low-cost business may pay even when they property in Fiumicino airport terminal and additionally the analysis of this pollution affect depending on the European natural environment parameters.

A CITY USES TWO NAME FOR ONE AIRPORT

There are currently 3 terminals one which, Terminal C, which is associated with your satellite. Terminal B, a light and airy location, has a dual role in handling international and lots of national solutions. Terminal C can be found nearby the significant foreign flights and is connected to satellite C, also a mini-terminal in its very own right using the complete array of catering, shopping, and other products and services.

The satellite is closely linked to Terminal C by the"Skybridge" automated rail shuttle, the very 1st of its own kind in Italy, also that there are ways to expand the ceremony into the remaining part of the airport terminal. This is welcome news for anyone who has tramped the endless walkways - the moving walkways are just a partial help - which links the terminals.

Worldwide travelers will locate satellite a huge improvement over the previous days once the sole approach to make it to the aircraft steps on several flights meant a bus experience. Irrespective of all of the amount of money used in satellite, but the chance has never completely been eliminated. Some of the 14 gates continue to be the prelude to your bus journey to a parked plane carrier. How did this transpire?

New shopping and catering areas are introduced in Terminal B as the plans to collect the image and caliber of Rome's major airport gathers speed. Back in Europe the hub and spoke style of performance has much more history than in the united states, having developed from their previous regulatory framework and of the prevailing geographic and political states, instead of within an autonomous market procedure. Each state has its own flag carrier, with a privileged standing in the vicinity of its domestic market and frequently a huge government ownership share.

ROME'S TAXIS

Italian auto drivers revived the hit at the exact middle of July 2006 later talks within administration intend to deregulate the business, resulting in turmoil in several metropolitan areas.

The motorists staged many different kinds of protests, besieging chief sections, blatantly snarling visitors, obstructing usage of numerous airports and coordinating go slow pushes and local press mentioned.

At Rome, the motorists descended upon fundamental Piazza Venezia, the town center of Rome, so on after midnight, afterward cab marriages left the table.

They stayed there through the duration of the evening time and forced regional police to near off the square for targeted visitors.

Many 60 different taxis participate within a go-slow driveway out of the town's key airport into your town and straight back again, inducing further issues.

The protests had been duplicated in Naples, Turin, Genoa, and Milan, exactly where drivers obstructed access to the airport.

Italian financial growth Minister who drew the bill up contested with the drivers'' claimed that"that they (the cab drivers) don't have the metropolis "

The subject of controversy can be that a govt decree that plans to liberalize cab licensing and also violate up the digital monopoly standing of neighborhood cab federations.

This decree dictates municipal administrations to raise the range of taxi licenses issued and then offer out momentary licenses throughout busy durations.

Among their, absolute most contentious aspects can be that a step that could have enabled private organizations to go into the business by getting licenses then hiring their own drivers.

Rental permits in Rome are considered as confidential land with their own holders, who exchange them when they retire or move them to their own kiddies. The custom has produced a grey-market where the purchase price of the license could get to as large as 200,000 euros (roughly 240,000 U.S. bucks ).

Italy's 40,000-strong fleet of flights would be the lowest in Europe. Based on official numbers, you can find 2.1 flights per million population in Rome as opposed to 8.3 from London and also 9.9 at Barcellona.

The amount of flights working in Rome is currently 5,820, in comparison to significantly more than 61,000 in London, nearly 43,000 in New York and also 17,000 in Paris, '' the report mentioned.

Grievances from tourists and residents across the issue to locate flights throughout peak hours and also during nighttime have taken up in the last few decades, together with cab drivers accused of intentionally limiting the variety of autos out there as a way to protect their gains and also the worthiness of their own permits.

KNOW ABOUT ROME'S HOTEL

With Rome hotel that can be made a booking once you've decided on your hotel in Rome.

Within our pages about Rome hotels, You may observe the entire index of hotels and you'll be able to display colorful images, in addition to tariffs and useful information ever since your coming at Rome airports.

Our Rome lodges are ideal for an enchanting journey from the Eternal City, a calming period or even to get a small business vacation. You may locate our Rome accommodations conveniently positioned in a peaceful street in the middle of Rome: the accommodation we provide you're just a couple of minutes from Rome's monuments.

For all those that would like to ponder farther, Rome Under Ground is right across the corner of one's Rome lodge.

Our rooms in hotels have been over the customary three-star lodge in Rome, brightly adorned with great excellent materials, original paintings in the start of the 20th century and mahogany furnishings. After each time of exhausting sightseeing, you may relax in our gorgeous roof terraces or socialize together with different travelers from throughout the globe.

Rome lodge assistance would be your optimal/optimally chance you've got to research Rome along with the lodging choices you can expect interval a broad scope of budgets; our price ranges will not hinder your fantasies becoming authentic in Rome.

Rome resort lodging comforts include satellite television, air-conditioning, direct dial phone, modem points, electronics and private bath in marble with bathtub stall, bidet, bathroom, sink, hairdryer and towel warmer.

Our premiums include a broad scope of budgets. Take a peek at our lodging deals, exclusive supplies, travel packages, therefore, you'll see how cheap we're.

Bedrooms for nonsmokers along with wheelchair-accessible rooms can also be offered. We advocate calling Rome Hotel the right to make the perfect agreements.

As your getaway Rome is beneficial for you personally, we provide quality info and advice that will allow you to design a carefree holiday season. Vital advice about states is only a click.

Adopt the magic of those vacations in Rome. Heal your self to a fashionable seasonal vacation with a few of the Rome lodge remedies.

Combine Rome lodge for a memorable bed and breakfast remain at which superiority and relaxation are all our devotion with all the foundation of yesterday and simply a bit of now.

BEST TIPS FOR ROME RESTSURSNTS

Fried sweetbreads are likewise a Roman specialty.

Conventional'vacationer selections' commonly offer you fantastic price, you start with bread and coconut oil along with pasta or soup; some very simple fish or meat dish with veggies (contorni) to get second; and cheese or fruit to conclude; followed by means of a carafe of locally-produced Frascati white or crimson wine out of Tuscany. Generally, major dishes usually don't arrive with veggies, that can be arranged independently.

If you to compose Rome and exude reference of its gustatory delights depends upon will demonstration, as in Rome ingestion is an art and ingesting that a science,'' also he's does not understand what Rome delivers is aware of neither art nor science fiction.

Practically every pub and eating area in Rome can provide first-rate filter java; Italians respect redeemed cappuccinos being an early morning beverage and a Post Prandial cure, the moment the pickup expresso or even macchiato is advised. Ice ointments are stunning, creamy gelato and refreshing granita (sorbets) include a lot of enticing flavors, such as java, peppermint, licorice or sour cherry, which are unnaturally ready for an incomparable Spicy dessert.

Rome is more full of markets and also this can be represented by the superb range of vegetables that are superb served from the town eating places. Beans can be utilized a fantastic bargain from the cuisine and also look at various meals, cold and hot. Over a chilly winter that the customer searching a heating lunch may don't superior to pick a yummy minestrone soup, and that's just another of this region's specialties.

If you're residing at no-frills trattorie or some formal ristorante, chefs and owners always enjoy choosing the finest seasonal produce. Vegetarians can get first (primi) wheat classes to become meat-free; additional choices incorporate a seasonal vegetable'fritto misto' ('blended fried') or side-dish mix, also the verdure miste ('combined green'). Kosher alternatives are confined on account of the incidence of cheese and meat, especially beef.

As everywhere in Italy, pizza continues to be favorite staple food items to its restaurant and also the avenue, and also the Roman variant is just a crossover involving your crust that is thick, pastoral Neopolitan wide variety along with also the thinner, more elaborate Northern variant. Aside in the principal tourist locations, many restaurants just serve pizza in the dinner period.

The neighborhoods of all Trastevere, San Lorenzo and also Testaccio are famous for presenting inexpensive, genuine Roman cuisine; restaurants around Campo de'Fiori and Piazza Navona are enjoyable areas to dine, together with artists hand to amuse.

[thewineauctionroom]

New Post has been published on https://wineauctionroom.com/top-italian-wine-producers-and-labels-on-the-liv-ex-power-100/

Top Italian Wine Producers and Labels on the Liv-Ex Power 100

Every year, Liv-ex organizes its Power 100 list, a detailed ranking of the highest-performing wines on the market. The most recent Power 100 list included seven of the best Italian wine producers and labels in the country, including Sassicaia, Gaja, Masseto, Dell’Ornellaia, Solaia, and Antinori Tignanello. Not only did these producers and labels perform particularly well on the secondary market last few years, but Italy’s total market sales also increased as a whole by ten percent in the past year. With the popularity of Italian wine on the market increasing, there’s never been a better time to learn about the best Italian wine producers. If you’re looking for a few promising investment ideas, or you’re dipping your toes into fine Italian wine for the first time, then it may be worthwhile to start with a few vintages from the producers on Liv-ex’s Power 100 list.

1.Sassicaia

Position on the Power 100 List: 7. Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Typical Characteristics: Rich, dense, and powerful. Region: Bolgheri, Tuscany. Best for: New-World wine lovers who want to try Italian wine.

The Sassicaia label, made by the San Guido estate, is the producer’s most successful wine. While San Guido makes other wines worth trying (Guidalberto and Le Difese), choose the flagship Sassicaia label if you love bolder wines or want to make a profit on the secondary market. San Guido was one of the first in Italy to embrace a bolder, fruit-driven style of Cabernet, and it would later take on the name “Super Tuscan,” influencing countless other producers that wanted to make a beefier Italian red. In this way, it differs significantly from Italy’s traditionally dry, earthier red wine varieties.

Although Sassicaia is one of the most valuable Super Tuscans in Italy and makes an excellent investment for resale, it’s also a wine you should try yourself at least once. A wine collector writes on the Wine Berserkers forum that in 1992 he found six bottles of 1985 Sassicaia on sale for just $80 apiece. After opening the first bottle to try it, he found the wine so delicious that he ended up drinking the rest of the bottles before the year was over. As much as he wanted to store this wine long-term, he couldn’t resist the temptation to drink them. His story isn’t unusual; I’ve heard from a number of collectors who feel the same way. This is a great wine for collectors who prefer to drink their own wines, or who have enough willpower to wait patiently for their bottles to mature so that they can resell them later.

*This chart shows how Sassicaia has been performing in our past auctions.

  2.Gaja

Position on the Power 100 List: 34. Varieties: Nebbiolo, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Syrah, Sangiovese. Typical Characteristics: Nebbiolo wines are medium-to-full-bodied and tannic; the Super Tuscans are floral, earthy, and spicy. Region: Langhe, Piedmont (known for Barbaresco and Barolo), Bolgheri, Tuscany (the Ca’Marcanda estate wines). Best for: Anyone who generally drinks New-World wine but has enjoyed some earthier wines as well and would like to try more Nebbiolo.

Gaja wines have experienced a 13.37% increase in value between 2016 and 2017, and this upward trend is expected to continue through 2018. What makes this producer so popular among serious collectors is that Gaja wines age especially well. Additionally, Gaja is modern without losing its Old-World charm; the producer was the first in the area to use temperature-controlled fermentation and small-cask aging. These techniques help create a structured, flavorful wine that will last for decades in a cellar. Barbaresco is the most successful Gaja wine, and you can find some particularly fascinating vintages of the estate’s Costa Russi, Sori Tildin, and Sori San Lorenzo labels. Since the 1996 vintage, these have been reclassified from Barbaresco DOCG to Langhe DOC, which has given the producer more freedom to experiment with unique winemaking techniques.

The biggest question you may ask yourself when investing in Gaja wine is which style will best meet your needs. The obvious choice for the majority of collectors will be the estate’s cru Barbaresco, as it is the most valuable label and a big hit among wine critics. This is the label that I recommend to collectors just getting started with Gaja wine. If you’re looking for a wine with enormous finesse and integrated oak flavors, then Sorì Tildin may also be an excellent choice. Meanwhile, Ca’Marcanda is a polished, memorable wine that often appeals to those who already own and collect plenty of Bordeaux—you may find some similarities between classic Bordeaux and Ca’Marcanda.

  3.Masseto

Position on the Power 100 List: 72. Varieties: Merlot. Typical Characteristics: Lively and powerful. Region: Bolgheri, Tuscany. Best for: New-World wine lovers who want to try Italian wine.

Dell’Ornellaia’s Masseto label is currently the best-performing Italian wine on the market in terms of value and sale volume. Masseto grew in price by 24% and it’s expected to continue to increase in value over the next few years. Liv-ex founder Justin Gibbs explains, “It has top scores, the supply is limited, and it seems to be successfully distributed through ‘La Place’.” Masseto is both an excellent source of profit for serious collectors and delicious, complex wine for drinking.

I generally recommend this wine to collectors who already adore New-World wines (especially Napa Valley Merlot) and who want to ease their way into Italian wine for the first time. I once knew a man who claimed not to be a fan of Italian wine at all—he assumed that Italian producers only made light, earthy reds, and he preferred bolder California reds. But everything changed for him when he tried Masseto at a recent tasting event. The wine was full of dark cherry, spice, and chocolate notes, and its powerful flavors reminded him a bit of his favorite Merlot from Hourglass in Napa. However, he found that the Masseto had a unique finesse and depth. It shared some similarities with New-World wines, yet the underlying structure was very Old-World and distinctly Italian. Today, he owns many bottles of Masseto, as well as a few other offerings from Dell’Ornellaia.

You might have noticed that Masseto and Dell’Ornellaia appear at different positions on the Power 100 list. That’s because, although Masseto is made by the Dell’Ornellaia estate, the producer encourages a distinct separation between Masseto and the winery’s other labels. Masseto also typically garners a much higher price per bottle than Dell’Ornellaia’s signature wine, Ornellaia, putting it in a class by itself.

  4. Solaia

Position on the Power 100 List: 57. Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese. Typical Characteristics: Full-bodied, spicy, and very dark in color. Region: Chianti Classico, Tuscany. Best for: New-World wine lovers who want to try Italian wine.

Like Masseto and Sassicaia, the Solaia label from Marchesi Antinori is so valuable and sought-after that it has earned its own unique ranking on the Liv-ex list apart from the producer’s other labels. The wine gets its famous ripeness from the ample sunshine of Tignanello Hill—it’s grown in the sunniest section of the vineyard. Due to Antinori’s focus on high quality and careful grape selection, Solaia vintages will last for decades in a cellar. This is especially good news for collectors who wish to lay down some of these wines for future resale—the wine has increased in value by more than 14% since the beginning of 2017.

Before you buy a few vintages of Solaia for your collection, be aware that these wines tend to be very fruit-forward, even more so than some of the other Super Tuscans on this list. During a blind tasting event last year, one wine enthusiast initially misidentified a bottle of 1990 Solaia because the wine tasted so ripe. The enormous fruit flavors in the nose made the attendee believe that he was drinking a late harvest California Cab. For this reason, Solaia typically appeals most to drinkers who love New-World wines and fully ripened fruit flavors. It’s one of the best examples of this style in Italy, and it’s downright hedonistic in personality. If you prefer an earthier, more restrained wine, then you may opt to invest in one of the other Italian wine producers on this list instead.

  5.Tignanello

Position on the Power 100 List: 71. Varieties: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc. Typical Characteristics: Full-bodied, concentrated, and velvety. Region: Chianti Classico, Tuscany. Best for: New-World wine lovers who want to try Italian wine.

The very first Super Tuscan to hit the market, Antinori’s Tignanello label is still thrilling collectors today. Although the wine doesn’t garner quite as much attention as its Solaia sister, it is still one of the best offerings from the Antinori estate. It claimed many firsts when it was introduced: the first Sangiovese to be aged in barriques, the first Italian wine blended with non-traditional grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, and the first red blend in Chianti Classico to use purely red grape varieties. This subregion is known for mixing white grapes into red blends, but Antinori was the first to ignore this common practice. As a result, these wines still have plenty of Italian personalities (in part from the traditional Sangiovese grape), yet will taste very familiar to New-World wine lovers as well.

The Tignanello label will always hold a special place in my heart in part because it was one of the first Italian wines that I invested in on a serious level. When I first began drinking fine wine, I stuck mainly to California proprietary blends, Bordeaux, and Burgundy. But one night a taste of a 1997 Tignanello absolutely fascinated me. The wine was full-bodied, yet had soft, supple tannins, and the finish seemed to last for ages. The quality of the wine made me want to learn more about Antinori and Tuscany’s many other collectible producers. To this day, I still adore the Tignanello label, and I’ve continued to buy these wines over the years.

  6.Dell’Ornellaia

Position on the Power 100 List: 91. Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese (and Merlot for the Masseto and Le Volte labels). Typical Characteristics: The Super Tuscan blends are full-bodied, balanced, and elegant. Region: Bolgheri, Tuscany. Best for: Collectors who enjoy both the finesse and elegance of Old-World wines and the plush fruit of New-World wines.

Along with its Masseto label, Dell’Ornellaia’s Super Tuscan proprietary blends—the most important being Ornellaia—also made it onto the Power 100 list. While Ornellaia often isn’t as high in value on the secondary market as Masseto, it tends to be slightly more elegant in style, making it appealing to those who drink other Old-World wines. And because these wines can last for 20 years or more in storage, they make a potentially valuable investment in addition to being an enjoyable drinking experience.

When you’re starting an Italian wine collection for the first time, the Dell’Ornellaia estate can teach you a great deal about the environment in which these wines are made. The Ornellaia label is a near-perfect expression of Bolgheri as a region, so if you’re not that familiar with the Bolgheri region, or even with Tuscan wine as a whole, then Ornellaia can give you a good sense of what Bolgheri’s typical style is. Once you have some knowledge of Bolgheri under your belt, you may choose to move on to other great Dell’Ornellaia wines, like Masseto, that will give you a glimpse into a single-vineyard, single-variety wine from this area.

  Other Producers That Make Age-Worthy Reds

If you want to get to know the best Italian wine producers, you’ll want to look at more than just Liv-ex statistics. I’ve known a few collectors over the years who thought that the only wines in Italy worth buying were those on the Power 100 list. But in the process of collecting only the best vintages from these producers, they missed out on a number of fantastic Italian reds that fall outside of the “Super Tuscan” category. Recently, one of these collectors, in particular, has made it a goal to start tasting wines from a variety of areas, and he has become much more open-minded about Italian wine, branching out to try offerings from other great producers like Bruno Giacosa and Vietti. Today, his Italian wine collection is diverse and well-rounded, and he’s discovering a new passion for aged Barolo and Brunello in particular.

*Tuscany has been the King region in our past auctions, which offers the most lot value.

  All of the Italian producers on Liv-ex’s list are located in Tuscany and Piedmont, as those two regions offer some of the most collectible Italian wines. But there are more great Italian producers than the handful that made it onto Liv-ex’s Power 100 list. Here are some other Italian wine producers that craft legendary red wines:

1.Biondi Santi

2.Speri

3.Masi

4.Poggio Antico

One of the struggles of getting into Italian wine is figuring out which styles you most enjoy. As someone accustomed to drinking bold New-World wines, I discovered that Super Tuscans, Tuscan Sangiovese, and young, ready-to-drink Barolo were excellent gateway wines for me. These styles are more modern and international than some of Italy’s other classic wines, but they have enough local flavor to ease New-World drinkers into more traditional Italian wines. Likewise, mature Barolo, Barbaresco, and Brunello di Montalcino typically appeal more to those who already collect Old-World wines, as these usually taste more elegant and subtle.

[hagarenmovie]

[Translation] CINEMA SQUARE 9/08/2017 FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST

THE SHOOTING SCENE SP

The Director & Producer talk about movie filming

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST

The shooting of the highly acclaimed movie FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST was done during summer 2016. We had an exclusive interview with director Fumihiko Sori after the end of the movie filming! In addition, there will be special comments from the protagonist Ryosuke Yamada during shooting, and we will also deliver an extremely passionate shooting report that will wipe away the anxiety of the original manga fans.

Despite the huge number of total CG cuts, the major highlight of the movie is deep “brotherly love”

Medieval Alchemist rituals were once performed at the shooting location so it felt like we were destined to shoot here

The idea of making this project had begun 10 years ago, and the presence of Alphonse was the biggest challenge in the live action

— I heard that the planning of the movie had been going on for quite a while.

Sori: Planning started more than 10 years ago. I think we earnestly started working on it right after I finished “Tomorrow’s Joe”.  Actually “Tomorrow’s Joe” was a work that included many challenging CGI aspects, so what we developed [from there] was quite effective. The biggest challenge in “FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST” (Hagaren) is the presence of another hero, Alphonse (hereinafter referred to as “Al”) with the leading character Edward (hereinafter referred to as “Ed”/Ryosuke Yamada). Before we could visualize Al convincingly in full CGI, we felt that this work shouldn’t be made. Because I had a great confidence in the CGI techniques that I managed to implement in “Tomorrow’s Joe”, project planning [for Hagaren] began to move concretely from there.

— Surely since Ed’s younger brother Al is a soul trapped inside a suit of armor, it should definitely be a CG character, right?

Sori: Since his height is around 2.2m, it’s almost impossible to visualize him with actual real beings. You’ll understand this once you watch the movie, but Al will move very lightly there (laughs). Conversely, if we manage to bring Al through CGI, I feel that the Japanese movie industry will enter a great new era. 

— Even just by [visiting] the shooting location, the theme of the work clearly speaks “brotherly love”.

Sori: That’s right. Although the amount of CGI cuts in this movie is amazing, I would like [the viewers] not to think too much on the CGI (laughs).  I don’t want them to worry about the CGI here and there, instead, I’d like the viewers to follow the story of Ed and Al, and feel that Al and his personality really do exist, since it was a superb acting performance. Thanks to Yamada-kun’s acting skills, Ed was brilliantly played.

Someone who can win when he has to, Yamada is “the chosen one”

— How was Yamada-san?

Sori: He is a true actor [T/N: Sori used 役者 (yakusha) here instead of俳優 (haiyuu). Though both means actors, In Japanese terms “yakusha” is considered as an actor who becomes the character and able to bring out more versatility compares to “haiyuu”.  So from here I will refer “yakusha” as a true actor if that makes more sense to this translation]. I don’t know much about him as an idol, so I can only watch him as Ryosuke Yamada the actor. If you watch the movie, I’m sure his fans will be surprised. In this movie you will discover a Ryosuke Yamada that you’ve never seen before. He is so keen to learn things and has a deep understanding about the original work. In other words, he doesn’t just simply imitate a character, he is a true actor who’s very motivated to create his own Ed. He is very intuitive, he’s really fluent in using his tongue and voice [in his acting]. He is blessed with a great sense as an actor and there are many things [about him] that surprised me during filming.

— His action performance too?

Sori: Both action and acting performance. No matter what kind of action stunts he needs to do, he’ll do it all by himself. No matter how many times I recommended him to use a stunt double, he’ll say “I’ll do it myself” … he’s a person like Tom Cruise (laughs). Even when everyone around him was nervous, he gracefully took responsibility as the lead, and everyone knew it. One of the moments that surprised me the most, was during an action scene where he had to jump from a really high place after running 25 meters at full speed and he said, “We don’t need to practice.” I thought to myself, “Huh?!” but he managed to do it in one take. Of course he has an incredible physical ability, and his concentration skill is also amazing. At the same time I also thought, “He’s the chosen one.“ He’s the type of person that will win when he has to win.

—The other cast members are also marvelous!

Sori: Though I previously said I was surprised by Yamada’s performance, I think that was also because the acting showdown between every one of the cast members is really amazing, it feels like a battlefield for acting. For example Yamada vs Tsubasa Honda, Yamada vs Dean Fujioka, Yamada vs Yasuko Matsuyuki. Everyone’s respect for the original work is amazing, especially Yasuko Matsuyuki-san’s acting during the final scene, I think she [portrayed Lust] with even more detail than my instruction (laughs). Because Matsuyuki-san was able to do it to that extent, the other people had to do it too. As a director it was fun to have a sparking scene on set! 

— Dean-san’s character, Roy Mustang, is also very popular isn’t he?

Sori: Dean-san is super cool! He’s basically a cool person in general, but I was dazed by his acting as Mustang. I’d say this about Yamada-kun too, [Dean] is a person who has an aura and a certain level of coolness that is out of this world that really suit the [Fullmetal Alchemist] world.

— Did the fact that you shot the first half of the movie in Italy contribute to the establishment of the [Fullmetal Alchemist] world?

Sori: It was huge. I was really thankful that we were able to run a 100 year-old locomotive in Tuscany for the shooting, in any case, the popularity of FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST in Italy is enormous. In the beautiful city called Volterra, I can’t be thankful enough for having them cooperate with the shooting by closing an entire main street for 3 days. One of the most impressive things was when we shot in the square of a church in Volterra, there were a lot of Alchemist symbols inside the church and the outer wall. Actually, when I entered the church, there was even a chimera [statue] (a beast that also appeared in the original work). I heard that during the medieval ages alchemists performed their rituals in these places. That’s why the place where the priest goes on a rampage and where [Ed] transmutes his spear are all places where real alchemists used to perform these ceremonies. I can’t help but feel that we were destined to [film here].

— We’re getting even more excited!

Sori: My goal is to have everyone enjoy this film as one single movie no matter from where you watch it, whether you’re a fan of the manga or don’t know anything about it. Please look forward to it!

Edward Elric Actor – Yamada Ryosuke:

I thought, "No one can portray Ed but me!”

— What were your honest feelings when you first heard about this project?

Yamada: Since I really love the original work, I asked myself, “Can we really turn this into a live action?” I was worried about whether I could portray such a popular hero like Ed. But when I saw the demo (CGI) footage of Al, the quality was so amazing that I thought, “Ah, this is alright!” and after that I trusted the director and the staff to handle this project, while I devoted myself to bringing Ed [to live action].

— The costume for Ed is really spot on, but how comfortable was it to wear them?

Yamada: It was really hot [wearing them] (laughs). But personally, since I did countless costume fittings, it really was made to fit my exact body measurements down to the millimeter. At first, doing action scenes while wearing the coat was difficult, but now I’m the opposite, always saying, ‘let’s wear the coat!’ It makes me feel like I’m really [playing Ed]. 

— What was your impression on Director Sori, working together with him for the first time?

Yamada: We spent some time together inside a car during our shooting in Italy. We talked passionately about the work (laughs). He lets me do things the way I want, in a good way. But this time the CGI (Al) was a huge challenge, as expected it was really difficult… the director was really strict about playing the emotional parts, as I was acting against someone that wasn’t entirely visible to me, I was really worried about it the day prior to the shooting. Since Ed’s [character] base is that of a big brother who loves his younger brother Al and is always thinking about him, I thought, ‘I have to always be a passionate and caring big brother.’

— What do you think about the character Ed?

Yamada: Though this comes from myself, I worked very hard to become Ed, so I’m quite confident about playing him. I didn’t want to give this role to anyone else, so now I think, “no one can portray Ed but me!”

—  How did the [Hey! Say! JUMP] members respond to this?

Yamada: It seems that everyone loves the original work, when I got the gig to play Ed, they said things like, “What?! I’m so envious!” Arioka (Daiki) said, “Good thing you’re a pipsqueak, huh?” and I replied, “You’re a pipsqueak too ya know!” (laughs). But really, I’m so glad I’m a pipsqueak!

Location Report: Witnessing Yamada=Ed’s incredible high level of physical ability!

Going back about a year ago. It was August 2016, the hottest time of year, identical to 2017, and Director Sori who had wrapped up shooting in Italy about 1 month earlier, was directing the climax scene of the entire movie in a Tokyo studio after a total of 3 months shooting. That day, a spectacular action scene involving the life of one of the important characters in the movie is taken under a serious heat. And from behind another character, firing flames at it, was Mustang (Dean Fujioka), a popular character that evens out Ed’s popularity even in the original work. Just as Director Sori stated, Dean seems to be portraying Mustang the “Flame Alchemist” perfectly. In a vast open set, there was a scene where Mustang suffered an injury and collapsed, he looked fearless and sexy.

And then, Ed (Ryosuke Yamada) appeared! It was a scene shot with a green screen, his dyed golden hair and bright red coat shines vividly amongst the green. Yamada mentioned how it was difficult for him to do action scenes with the coat at first, but from the second half, he was able to say “Since the coat needs to sway lightly, I thought about ways to make it look even cooler everyday. ” Although it was a quick counter action sequence, in order to avoid a violent attack from the villain Lust (Yasuko Matsuyuki), from an angular starting point we can clearly see Yamada’s high level of physical ability exquisitely shown in each take.

Source: Cinema Square 9/08/2017

[newstfionline]

‘Taxi Therapy’ for Young Cancer Patients in Italy

By Gaia Pianigiani, NY Times, Dec. 7, 2017

FLORENCE, Italy--The black-and-white checkered floor of the taxi looks a bit like home flooring. The seats are yellow, purple and orange leather, while the pea-green interiors are plastered with daisy stickers. When riding in the cab, passengers can play with plastic swords and a megaphone, or make soap bubbles.

Welcome to Milano 25, the Florentine taxi that for 16 years has offered free travel, by day, between a pediatric hospital and the homes of young cancer patients--and, in the evening, carried regular clients around Tuscany’s main city.

Its soul and operator, Caterina Bellandi, 52, is better known in Florence and across the country as Zia Caterina (Auntie Caterina). She drives her Chrysler taxi wearing a flashy green-and-azure cloak topped by a straw top hat decorated with pompoms, and fabric roses and gerberas. An army of little bells sound at the movement of her wrists and of her necklace, a polka-dot rosary of yellow, orange and red.

“This is not a show,” she said, looking in the rear mirror through her fluorescent glasses. Her warm smile was accented by her red lipstick. “My children may be sick, but they can and have to be happy.”

Ms. Bellandi’s partner, the original owner of Milano 25, died prematurely in 2001. His taxi license was his legacy to her.

“I found such a profound love in him and in his death that I decided to make his taxi live on,” she explained. “I wanted to pay homage to him, making his Milano 25 the most wonderful cab in the world, so special to be remembered by anyone.”

Ms. Bellandi surely succeeded. With a sense of style reminiscent of Mary Poppins, she and her taxi are one-of-a-kind.

Not even Patch Adams, the American doctor in a clown suit whom she highly regards for his work with sick children, could get her to wear the outfits that those attending his clown tours in hospitals worldwide usually put on. In 2007, she drove 1,800 miles from Florence to Moscow to attend his course in clown therapy, but she refused to wear a red nose.

“I am not a clown,” she explained. “I am a taxi driver. So I do taxi-therapy.”

Her creative idea initially ran into city rules. Taxis usually look alike here, and hers carries unusual items, like a stuffed figure of Disney’s dwarf Grumpy on the passenger seat.

The local authorities also objected to the pictures she glued to the windows, saying they could hamper the driver’s view. After getting multiple tickets, she complained vigorously.

“She is an extraordinary engine of solidarity and I felt her city should help her a little,” said Eugenio Giani, now president of Tuscany’s regional cabinet, who interceded for her with the municipal police.

He is planning to recognize Ms. Bellandi as “Tuscany’s Solidarity Ambassador,” an honorific title signaling the region’s institutional backing.

“She is capable of involving ill children in anything, from soccer matches to trips abroad, and she does it from one child to another, nonstop,” Mr. Giani said. “She puts a positive spell on them.”

Ms. Bellandi is not only a taxi driver for these young patients, but a friendly presence throughout these challenging moments of their lives. She visits families in their homes and arranges vacations. She takes sick children to watch sports games and shake hands with their sports heroes, and has even taken some to the Vatican to meet Pope Francis.

A generous network of people helps Ms. Bellandi. A Florentine bakery donates a crunchy flatbread and pizza that even patients undergoing chemotherapy can swallow. Mothers sew her cloaks. A designer fabricates her extravagant hats.

She is so well known these days that some parents of children who are battling serious illnesses search for her on the internet. A new version of the Monopoly board game that has famous figures of Tuscany on the play money includes Ms. Bellandi.

“I was desperate and I was looking for support,” said Francesca Scaturro, mother of Giulia, a 5-year-old who had an aggressive form of brain cancer. So she wrote an email to Ms. Bellandi’s website.

Ms. Bellandi showed up in style at the hospital where Giulia was being treated. She brought pizza with her and insisted that Ms. Scaturro, 34, have a slice.

Ms. Bellandi became a frequent presence during Giulia’s year of treatment, spending weekends with her and other families facing similar medical challenges, and even coming on a holiday in Sicily last summer.

She is now considered a family member, Ms. Scaturro said. Giulia calls her “Auntie.”

“It is enough just to see her,” Ms. Scaturro said. “Her hug is everything to me.”

“With her strong will and her extravagance, she gave me happiness and the sparkle to believe that I could recover,” said Erica Stoccati, 22, who met her last September, while she was waiting to undergo treatment.

Ms. Stoccati is a dancer who received a diagnosis of brain cancer last June that doctors immediately operated on to save her life.

“All of a sudden I had so much free time,” she recalled. “But she came and took me on cab rides around town. She never pitied me and threw me back into normalcy.”

While Milano 25 attracts the smiles of most fellow drivers, some paying passengers are reluctant to get on board.

“Some people think I am too much,” she said. “And I respect that.”

But even as she said that, a couple of people who had been staring at the cheerful cab parked near Florence’s central train station knocked on her window.

“How can we book you?” a young woman asked Ms. Bellandi with a smile, trying to reserve her services in advance.

“Oh sweetheart, you can’t, but we will meet if it is meant to be,” she replied, honking her car horn, which played “La Cucaracha.”

[beauhfsi174-blog]

All About The Best Wineries

California Wineries Can Be Fun For Anyone

The 2016 Chardonnay ($ 45) gives off lemon pie crust and tropical pineapple, with a taste of buttery croissant and also nougat on the taste. Yet it has adequate acid to maintain it vibrant as well as zingy. The a glass of wine spends nine months on the lees in French oak that's a mix of old and also new.

Biondi-Santi 2011 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Thanks to Biondi-Santi This rich, balanced a glass of wine has the trademark brown-tinged, ruby-red shade of a great Brunello (one of the couple of made with one hundred percent Sangiovese) and also is swarming with both dark red fruit and earthy, herbal notes. Held back up until it was flawlessly prepared, the 2011 vintage ($ 566) from this historical Tuscan estate is at its optimal of drinkability.

Now overseen by the sixth and 7th generations of the family members, Tancredi Biondi Santi as well as his papa, the winemaking is come close to with long life in mind, aging in neutral oak barrels, to make sure that any kind of oak extraction takes a backseat to the grapes. The creeping plants are the result of generations of cultivation of Sangiovese Grosso, leading the family members to develop a clone of their very own: BBS 11, for Brunello Biondi-Santi.

Some Known Facts About Best Vineyards.

E. Guigal 2014 La Mouline Côte- Rôtie Thanks To Guigal In a plain 3 generations, the Guigal family has actually taken a trip from winery work to producing some of the most very well-known wines from nearly every area in the Rhône Valley. And while the familiar E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône label yells worth the world over, it is the family's little manufacturings from post-stamp vineyards in the similarity Côte- Rôtie, Saint-Joseph and Hermitage that trigger collectors to sleuth out bottles on the additional market.

In truth, it's taken into consideration the earliest in the AOC itself, with walls dating back some 2,400 years. Replanted in the 1890s, after the scourge of phylloxera, the vineyard's current creeping plants balance regarding 90 years old. The E. Guigal 2014 La Mouline ($ 390) reveals what stunning equilibrium vine age can produce.

Sparkling Wine Pol Roger 2008 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Politeness of Pol Roger Myths abound about the war time PM as well as his Pol Roger (that he consumed a bottle of it daily-- before he woke up in the early morning), but the reality is that after Globe Battle II, Churchill formed a lasting relationship with the captivating Odette Pol-Roger, and afterwards, the red wine was his Sparkling wine of selection.

The Buzz on Best Vineyards

Vintage 2008 ($ 300), released last loss, embodies Churchill's preference in Champagne-- robust, durable as well as mature. It is complicated as well as chalky, with identify equilibrium in between a delicately honeyed personality as well as a briny oyster-shell high quality. On the taste, citrus, pear and also faint tropical tastes are layered with nuttiness and meringue. Are we ripping off to select a Champagne as our Best French White? Can you ever before have excessive Champagne? Silver Oak Alexander Valley Damion I.

Which, obviously, is by layout. San Francisco-- based designer Daniel Piechota utilized simple, virtually elemental angles and also products to accomplish the impact. For guests, the experience vividly links the renowned, American-oak-aged Cabernet in their glasses to its resource. What Piechota as well as the Duncan household, owners of Silver Oak, have actually also attained is the first-ever LEED Platinum accreditation for Structure Design as well as Building and construction for a winery.

With greater than 2,500 roof photovoltaic panels, the center will inevitably create 105 percent of the energy it requires. As well as with sophisticated water improvement modern technology and rainwater harvesting, the goal is to produce more water than is eaten in the cellar, the sampling area and the bordering landscape. Attractive all around.

A Biased View of Vineyards

So it could not be as well difficult to guess who obtains the special bottles when wineries have some to use. Wally's already operates a wonderful sampling space in its Beverly Hills front runner; beguiling himself, Navarro in 2018 opened up a 2nd area in Santa Monica, just actions from the beach, that stocks 16,000 bottles, with a separate vault for unusual red wines.

You really feel sexier simply standing there, glass in hand. And it is just one of minority areas in the United States where you can do a vertical of Dom Pérignon. Maui White Wine as well as Food Standard Andrew Richard Hara Great weather? Check. Premium red wine? Examine. Talented cooks? Inspect. However it's the tiny, intimate guest list of enthusiastic oenophiles and also storied winemakers that made this March event so much even more than a charge to the putting tables.

As well as it really did not hurt that the festival occurred at the 4 Seasons Maui at Wailea. Master classes complete with rare vintages, taught by specialist sommeliers and also winemakers themselves, coupled with gushed suppers developed to couple with the red wines were exceptional. Next year's event will occur Might 22 to 25, 2020. We'll see you there.

The Definitive Guide for Wineries

As head wine maker at Sullivan Rutherford Estate in Napa Valley , Cole created an one-of-a-kind Cabernet Sauvignon from the most effective parcels in the vineyard for the 2019 Best Napa Valley, a futures auction for red wine industry stores. His special, five-case whole lot offered to a customer for $30,000, or $500 http://www.champagnesundayliving.com/how-to-build-a-champagne-fountain/ per container.

Prior to signing up with Sullivan 6 years back, Cole honed his craft at Schramsberg, beginning in the cellar as well as working up to making the juice himself, finding out every step for both still and also champagnes. He takes what he amassed there regarding adding skill to high-acid wines and also applies it to mouthwatering reds that have substantial cellaring potential.

Tuscany has actually long been associated with spectacular landscapes and a few of Italy's ideal made glass of wines. In this enchanting landscape of rolling hills and also winding roads, you'll locate glorious sunflower areas, ancient olive groves, middle ages damages, and also splendidly wild forests. And, certainly, first-rate wineries. A glass of wine touring here is not concerning a five-minute sampling at a roadside wine bar, however rather it is an immersive experience.