Laura Sbalchiero
FROM SATURDAY 5TH TO MONDAY 7TH APRIL, there will be the 11th edition of VILLA FAVORITA, the fair of natural wines that VinNatur – the Natural Winegrowers Associaiton has organised for the past eleven years.The now traditional location of the event is the spectacular Villa la Favorita in Monticello di Fara, Sarego (VI) via Favorita 6.
This year, the three days of wine-tasting will crown a moment of intense activity for the association founded and presided over by ANGIOLINO MAULE.The collaboration with the scientific world was strong desired and sought out; now this relationship has consolidated and is attaining concrete results, as Maule himself explains: – The close relationship with institutions and research centres enables us to make important progress in safeguarding our own health and that of consumers.
For this reason, every wine grower who asks to enter the association is willing to subject his own wines to a residual pesticide analysis so as to be able to objectively evaluate its genuineness and safeguard the health of those who will be drinking it.Last year, here at Villa Favorita, we presented the results of the study that demonstrated how the adoption of virtuous cultivation practise allows the grapes, and hence the wine, to maintain a greater concentration of micronutrients.This is a fundamental demonstration of how wines made from grapes cultivated without chemicals, if consumed in the right quantity, are healthier.Over the course of this year, Professor Laura Di Renzo and her team of the Chemical Nutrition and Nutrigenomics Section of the University Tor Vergata – Rome, with whom we are currently collaborating, have continued this research to the point of demonstrating how the adoption of natural vine cultivation and oenological practices influences the nutritional properties of the wine, which results as being richer in anti-oxidants and therefore capable of significantly reducing the oxidation processes developed by human metabolism. This greater nutraceutical value is also capable of fighting the pro-oxidation effect of meals with a high fat content.Results like these encourage us to continue improving, with the knowledge that our work as vine-dressers without the use of chemicals, either in the vineyard or in the cellar, makes it possible to offer everyone a product that is both healthy and tasty -.
THE NUMBERS
140 natural wine-producers from 8 countries:Italy, France, Spain, Slovenia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria.
More than 600 wines for tasting and to be sold:numerous grape varieties, many of which are local.
3 whole days open to the public with these hours
Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th April from 10am to 6pm
Monday, 7th April from 11 am to 6 pm
20.00 euro admission, including the catalogue and a tasting chalice.
NEW FEATURES
The tasting room:a room that will be set up for tasting and reserved for sector operators like buyers, distributors, and press (access to the room can be asked only upon accreditation at the reception desk of Villa Favorita).
The VF baker:a bread-making workshop set up by Esmach (www.esmach.com), an event partner, who will be baking fresh bread continuously, made with culture yeast to accompany wines and snacks.
The gastronomic pavilion:a roomy outdoor space dedicated to gastronomic exhibitors, selected producers who will propose foods like cheese, cold meats, oil, chocolate…produced with healthy agricultural practices.
The VF restaurant:continuing with the tradition of lunches and snacks made only with selected organic material and nutritionally balanced.Chef Stefano De Lorenzi, together with the brigade from his Ristorante Zenzero in Grumolo delle Abbadesse (VI) will be on board to delight palates. (www.ristorantezenzero.com).
This year, there will also be PICNIC BASKETS with tempting and surprising menus to be savoured on the blanket (included in the basket) spread out on the villa lawn.
EVENTS WITHIN THE EVENT
Natural Resistance:Monday, 7th April at 4pm, there will be the preview of an excerpt from Jonathan Nossiter’s most recent film, presented with success at the latest Berlin Film Festival.The director and Giovanna Tiezzi, one of the vine-dressers who stars in the film and is a VinNatur member, will be present at the viewing.
Statistical mapping of the vineyards that produce the Great wines of Burgundy:Samuel Cogliati, author and publisher (www.possibiliaeditore.eu), will be present at the fair to present his last book dedicated to Burgundy, paying homage to the historic work done by the Comité d’Agriculture de Beaune in 1861.
Info at a glance
When:Saturday 5th, Sunday 6th and Monday 7th April 2014
Where:Villa La Favorita – via Favorita 6, Monticello di Fara, Sarego – Vicenza
Hours:Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th April from 10am to 6pm, Monday 7th April from 11am to 6 pm
Admission:Euro 20.00 catalogue and tasting chalice included
For those travelling by train:Station of Montebello Vicentino – Shuttle service every hour of arrival of the trains starting from 10:20
For those travelling by car:visitor parking