From Veneto to Calabria, passing through Lombardy, Tuscany, Marche, Puglia and Sardinia, we found ourselves on the Zoom platform for a virtual aperitif that united Italy in a toast didactic with four labels of Santa Margherita Wine Group.

“A beautiful event, an engaging way to make these production realities known. Thanks to the excellent organization, we received the wines for tasting in advance, and then had a pleasant chat masterfully conducted by the brand ambassador of Santa Margherita Alberto Ugolini, by the expert food and wine journalist of La Cucina Italiana Valentina Vercelli, and by the editor of La Cucina Italiana Maddalena Fossati Dondero" commented Francesco Innocente di Osimo (AN), one of the lucky readers of our magazine who participated in the tasting, then sharing on our social channels comments and recipes designed in combination with wines with the hashtag # saràstraordinario.

A family history that has lasted 85 years

Santa Margherita Gruppo Vinicolo is one Italian history of passion and work, values ​​and tradition, born in 1935 from the count's vision Gaetano Marzotto, who believed in modern, efficient agriculture, made of men, nature and technology together. 85 years have passed since that visionary beginning, but the reference values ​​have remained unchanged and have allowed this dream to grow to become one of the most important wine companies in Italy. An "oenological mosaic"Led by the third generation of the family, which today brings together ten different estates in some of the most beautiful Italian regions: from Eastern Veneto to the Adige Valley, from the hills of Valdobbiadene and Refrontolo to Franciacorta, from South Tyrol to Lugana, from Chianti Classic to the Maremma, from Sicily to Sardinia, the wines tell the territory from which they come to the winelover of 94 countries in the world.

To each recipe its wine

To open the online tasting, marking the first virtual toast, was the Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore “52” Brut di Santa Margherita, a delicate and tantalizing bubbly, perfect to accompany the appetizers and vegetarian dishes. In the editorial office we thought of proposing it in combination with the mini sbrisolone with cheese, while Beatrice Ortolani, in connection from Paderno d'Adda (LC), told us that she found it sublime after adding a peach cut into pieces, two cubes of ice and a few mint leaves.

So we moved on toSouth Tyrol Classic Brut Method from Kettmeir which, after almost three years on the lees, has revealed its elegance and complexity in the glass. For us it seemed immediately perfect with prawns in a rice noodle crust, while Alessio Antompaoli di Massa would also marry it with white meats and medium-aged cheeses.

Following, the Lugana Molin from Ca 'Maiol an unexpected white wine was judged unanimously by all testers, very pleasant for its fresh and savory notes, perfect in combination with a plate of garganelli with sea bass and courgettes, but it is also very inviting with the Mojito risotto recipe recommended by Riccardo Varlese of Verona, who, not surprisingly, is a chef by profession.

Finally, it was the moment of wine that won the podium of preferences of Viviana Cianciaruso di Mola di Bari (BA): the Carignano del Sulcis Riserva Buio Buio from Cantina Mesa, loved for its scents of myrtle and Mediterranean scrub, for its decisive structure, in balance with a salinity reminiscent of the Sardinian sea. For us it is unbeatable with the beef tenderloin cooked on salt tiles flavored with fennel, juniper berries and mint.