Cantabria is a small region on the northern coast of Spain, wedged between the Cantabrian Mountains and the Bay of Biscay. Together with its neighbours, Asturias (to the west) and the Basque Country (to the east), this lush, mountainous region is affectionately known as España Verde, ("Green Spain").
Viticulture has not traditionally been important here, as the local soils are too fertile and the Climate too wet and windy for quality viticulture. The few wines that are produced tend to be low-alcohol, high-acid, bright-tasting white wines, similar to the txakoli of the Basque Country.
The region's most respected drinks are its tangy Sidra (cider) and orujo. The latter is a brandy distilled from GrapeMarc.
Nevertheless, there are now two Vino de la Tierra (VT) titles in Cantabria: Liebana VT and Costa de Cantabria VT. Liebana is nestled in the southwest corner of the region, in a particular mesoclimate created by four valleys.
First introduced with the 2006 vintage in 2009, the Vendemmia d’Artista series commissions different artists each year to capture the character of the vintage in limited edition sculptures and labels. This 14th edition of the Ornellaia Vendemmia d’Artista series will see 100 double magnums, 10 imperials and one salmanazar sold to raise money for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, which plans to expand its Mind’s Eye initiative – a programme that enables the visually impaired to experien ...
The small island of Gorgona, just off the coast of Livorno, isn’t your run-of-the-mill viticultural area – its main purpose is to serve as a penal colony. Not just any prisoner can reside on Gorgona, however. Up to 90 incarcerated men live on the island at a time, alongside 17 residents and a handful of police officers. Prisoners on the island are allowed to stay for a maximum of five years, which must conclude the end of their sentence. After Gorgona, the men are set free. Scroll down to see ta ...
The Drinks Trust has partnered with Whisky.Auction to host its first annual auction, with all proceeds used to fund the different projects through which the charity supports the UK hospitality sector. The Drinks Trust is a community organisation for the drinks industry, offering educational, institutional, and peer-to-peer support to the sector’s professionals. It also provides wellbeing and financial assistance in challenging times, such as those the industry is currently facing. In 2020 alone ...