Empson & Co. | Via Romolo Gessi, 58 Milano | +39.0248010101 | info@empson.com “Maria and I dreamed of moving to Italy after spending our honeymoon in Portofino, in 1969, where I fell in love with everything Italian.” When Neil Empson first professed his undying love for the country known for its art, history, food and wine, he set the wheels in motion, effectively building what today is a When a winery spans seven generations, it’s a given that tradition is going to be a big part of its formula for success. But what happens when tradition is paired with invention? Going back to basics – or rather, going certified organic – is oddly seen as being progressive in a world of winemaking dependent Empson continues to expand its portfolio, but this time with exciting wines from the Veneto, including Valpolicella, Ripasso, and Amarone wines. Massimago, first founded in 1883, has been growing grapes in Mezzane di Sotto for over a century. But today, it sees fourth-generation Camilla Rossi-Chauvenet (shown above) at the helm, who began commercializing estate-grown and “The company’s vision has always been to find high-quality wine producers and to build long lasting relationships, ultimately partnering with growers to promote their gems outside of Italy. The remarkable thing is that my parents were not only able to create business relationships with these wineries, but form friendships with the families that ran them.” The island of Sardinia offers much in the way of history, culture, cuisine and wine, and certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed by wine professionals all over the world. In fact, Jeff Porter recently took a Sardinian wine tour here or rather one of his famed “Sip Trips,” stopping off at our very own Santadi. He is Maurizio Bertera of Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera spoke with Costaripa’s Mattia Vezzola, known for being a pillar in the wine world, first in Franciacorta, then at home on Lake Garda, where he makes world-class Rosè wines, such as Rosamara. Below a translation of some of the more interesting questions! Mattia Vezzola, Seeing the World The EMPSON Companies announce the passing of their beloved Chairman and Co-Founder, Neil Trevanion Howard Empson, on Saturday, September 14, 2024. He was 85 years old. "My dad was my rock and mentor. He was dedicated to my mom, our family, the company, and the wineries he represented," said Tara Empson, CEO of Empson USA. "My mother and Empson & Co. is proud to announce the addition of Torraccia del Piantavigna to its portfolio, effective immediately. The global exporter will represent five of their wines including the winery’s award-winning Gattinara DOCG and Ghemme DOCG as well as “Erbavoglio” Colline Novaresi Bianco DOC, “Barlàn” Colline Novaresi Rosé DOC and “Neb” Colline Novaresi DOC. Torraccia A Closer Look at Bucci's Global Warming Tactics Ampelio Bucci has long enjoyed leading the pack in the making of quality – and especially age-worthy – white wines as well as deliciously inviting reds. In decades past, he was responsible for adding cellarable, oak-aged white wines, made from a native Marche grape no one believed Empson’s Piedmont presence expands with Cantina Lodali, a historic Barbaresco house that’s making great waves on the international wine scene with two well-made lines of Langhe wines. The boutique winery is located in Treiso, a prime Langhe growing zone for Barbaresco wines, the “queen of wines”, known for finesse and structure. Lodali is owned by A trip to Sicily and the Faro Superiore regio with Gianfranco Sabbatino, owner of the "Le Casematte" vineyard, cradle of Nerello and Faro DOC wines. The Alto Piemonte wine region has been stuck in the shadows of its regional siblings – Barolo and Barbaresco – for as long as anyone can remember. But make no mistake, Alto Piemonte wines can hold their own, especially Ghemme and Gattinara, two historic wines made from Nebbiolo and grown in exceptional terroir. We talked What do the different crus have in common? They each grow exclusively Nerello Mascalese from old vines – from 80 to 120 years old* – on the northern slopes of Etna. The soil is generally stony, light sandy loam with volcanic origins and the vines are bush-trained. The altitudes hover around 3,000 feet above sea A family, boutique-sized winery located in Ghemme in Alto Piemonte, Torraccia del Piantavigna has just 40 hectares and makes about up to 250,000 bottles a year. It was founded by Alessandro Francoli of the Luigi Francoli Distillery, but in 2015, the Francoli family teamed up with the Ponti family to continue the legacy of grandfather Pierino Piantavigna, whose Sauvignon Blanc is a white grape variety that is now grown all over the world for the making of crisp and refreshing dry and sweet wines. It originated in the Bordeaux region of France but because it grows so easily and generously in both warm and cool climates, it made its way around the globe, A visit to Castello Romitorio moves you. Conversations don’t just center around their delicious, award-winning wines and how they were cultivated, but also include topics, such as art, philosophy, history, and geography. Filippo Chia is fascinating, profound, and multi-faceted, just like his wines, offering a view of winemaking that goes beyond just crushing grapes. You "...It was a considerable gamble back when they started in the wine import business, let alone the Italian wine import business, yet it didn't matter if it would end in financial ruin for them as the close friendships they made with Italian wine producers was all that mattered – and hence Empson Selections was born. There wasn't This morning Tara Empson was a guest on the Italian radio station Radio Deejay. She was given this incredible opportunity to talk about her parents and how they first fell in love with Italy and got their start (think Italian sports cars and art school!), ultimately founding Empson & Co. nearly fifty years ago in Milan. - Part 2 To mark forty years of success, Bollini released a Ramato wine (2018 vintage), a classic Pinot-Grigio-driven rosé featuring a unique coppery color that comes from a few hours spent on the rosy grape skins. As with all the Empsons’ winemaking ventures, this one is all about quality and features the unique landscape of Italy’s northern