In the Isonzo (Eastern Part of Friuli Venezia Giulia) , a few kilometers from the border with Slovenia, since XIII Century the Castello di Spessa castle raises in all of its beauty, as a witness of the history of its own land. Despite the natural property changes occurred during the centuries one thing has never changed, that is to say the surrounding area vocation to the viticulture, which is still nowadays studded with vineyards and natural landscapes, making the estate (which also hosts ceremonies, events and so on) a reality isolated from the normal passing of time. In the Merlot Friuli Isonzo DOC - Castello di Spessa we have found a wine that traces this concept, a product that remains anchored to a timeless expression of its own land due to the meeting between the northern boreal winds and the warm clime coming from the near Adriatic Sea, with the Castello di Spessa wines following great quality lines. Friulian Merlot Balsamic, red fruit under spirit and licorice notes, coordinated by a full bodied structure, almost fortified but velvety at the right level not to result invasive, assisted at best by the aromatic bouquet.

In the Isonzo (Eastern Part of Friuli Venezia Giulia) , a few kilometers from the border with Slovenia, since XIII Century the Castello di Spessa castle raises in all of its beauty, as a witness of the history of its own land. Despite the natural property changes occurred during the centuries one thing has never changed, that is to say the surrounding area vocation to the viticulture, which is still nowadays studded with vineyards and natural landscapes, making the estate (which also hosts ceremonies, events and so on) a reality isolated from the normal passing of time. In the Merlot Friuli Isonzo DOC - Castello di Spessa we have found a wine that traces this concept, a product that remains anchored to a timeless expression of its own land due to the meeting between the northern boreal winds and the warm clime coming from the near Adriatic Sea, with the Castello di Spessa wines following great quality lines. Friulian Merlot Balsamic, red fruit under spirit and licorice notes, coordinated by a full bodied structure, almost fortified but velvety at the right level not to result invasive, assisted at best by the aromatic bouquet.

Leone de Castris was born in 1665, during a period when revolutions both on the political and scientific sides took place, a winery which have literally seen and participated to historical changes for more than three centuries. On its part it has been the first winery to sell a rosé wine in 1943, whose name, on the alley’s army request, has been anglicized in “Five Roses”, a signature that has directly acquired a place in the Italian and international enology history. Through the centuries, production has been searching for innovation, new challenges, but at the same time keeping on giving space to those which are the original tastes of the land that hosts the winery. In this sense the 50° VENDEMMIA - Salice Salentino Doc Riserva - Leone De Castris is emblematic, both in the name and the content (100% Negroamaro), awarded with three glasses gambero rosso for the 2014 vintage available in our catalogue. A lively red ruby colour, with fruity aromas at first than turning to spices (licorice in particular). A the palate it is soft, velvety and well balanced, with mainly spiced notes tending to vanilla due to the oak barrels refinement, with a lightly sapid finale cleaning the mouth.

The Nobile di Montepulciano has many centuries of history behind, you mustn’t confuse it for the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Tuscans wouldn’t forgive you for that). It is a territory that, as the ancient letters testify, has an enological tradition dating back to the first centuries after Christ, a wine that has always had, and still nowadays preserve, a deeply local character, as the grapes of which is made up of (Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero and Mammolo). Poderi Sanguineto I e II Rosso di Montepulciano is a direct, sincere wine, with spices and tertiary aromas, while at the palate it is dry, with an acidy that makes the tastes clean and a light tannin final sensation.

The so called “pasta mista” has an ancient history, due to the necessity to avoid any kind of wasting, when food wasn’t certainly abundant among common people. Nowadays Pastificio Dei Campi proposes again this format intentionally, symbol of a tradition to which the Pasta di Gragnano is particularly linked to, as this kind is protagonist of many historical recipes from South Italy and especially Campania. In this case the assembly has been perfected: while previously the different kind of pasta had different cooking time in turn, for the Mischiato Potente - Pastificio Dei Campi are selected formats with compatible cooking times, therefore facilitating the comfort during the preparation.

It has been officially started the collaboration with ONAV, an Italian national level association that deals with the divulgation of wine and everything that rotates around what is one of the most tangible products of the relationship between mankind and Hearth. For anybody who doesn’t know ONAV it is a non profit organization, where the ensemble of volunteers and passionates commit their free time to their passion, which is wine, and try to transmit knowledge, culture and history linked to it. Every year in the 100 national sections courses for the achievement of the “Wine taster” certification (first, second and third level), wine tasting both of local and foreign varieties, visits in wine cellars with didactic aim and the subscription to the magazine “L’Assaggiatore”, a read that surprises for the precision and scientific expertise with which every topic linked to the enological world is treated. Due to the entrance in the fidelity, the ONAV members will benefit from a 10% discount on all the products in our catalogue.

Some classics of the gastronomy are doomed to remain in the cooking history, leaving an indelible mark. They may certainly be reinterpreted, or presented in different versions, but the real secret are the tastes they’re made up of. We can insert in this field the risotto alla milanese with ossobuco, a recipe symbol of the Lombardy region capital whose flavors are shaped in a perfect harmony of which we’re giving you our version: starting from a goof meat broth that exalts the delicacy of Acquerello - Carnaroli Rice and saffron (Saffron pistils Principato di Lucedio), the full and enveloping taste of the ossobuco and the marrow, cooked with some thinly chopped anchovy fillets that add sapidity, contrasted by the Sicilian lemons from Ribera zest (true secret touch of this recipe, for our palate). Finally creamed with some icy Butter - Beppino Occelli and Parmigiano Reggiano Vacche Rosse (milk from the red cow) 30 months.

Environmental sustainability is an expression that is joining the virtuous companies vocabulary in the Italian food sector. Describing all the functional dynamics and processes to achieve a total eco-sustainability would require a wider deepening, so today we’re focusing on a single aspect, to define better what sometimes could appear a difficultly tangible concept in practical terms for consumers. We take as an example the agricultural sector, particularly the wheat production and that exceptional reality that Pastificio dei Campi is: when I first read about triennial rotation, i immediately had a flashback to the history class, when during the school lessons we used to study the cultivation methods and their evolution. The triennial rotation is a practice that has been abandoned due to the lower yield, but brought back by Pastificio dei Campi as the rotation give the ground a break, allowing its natural time to recover and come back offering high quality Pasta di Gragnano at rhythm perfectly synchronized with nature and its needs.

Italy’s dry stone walls have recently been elected World Heritage Site by the Unesco. They’ve been inserted in the list as elements that are able to incorporate the harmony between man and nature, moreover they are work to prevent hydrogeological instability. It is a true form of art, for which is necessary a mix of scientific specific knowledges in geology, architecture and engineering. The project is particularly widespread in Valtellina, Apulia, Pantelleria and Amalfi Coast, where the collaboration between the wine cellars, workers from other fields and school projects too has shown, again, how the wine bottle is only the top of a much more complex ensemble rich in history, culture and emotions.

Maybe everybody don’t know that extra virgin olive oil, as it is for wine, is subject to good and bad vintages, low or high in quantity, according to the different area too. This year for the Garda olive trees have produced evo oil in great quantity, that hasn’t altered the quality though, on the contrary the latter one is truly exceptional this year and it is proved by the acidity level (which is normally low in the Garda evo oil yet) at the lowest levels in its history. Leali Monte Acuto has been one those who benefitted from this great vintage, the company olive trees in Puegnago del Garda have rewarded the a work based on natural techniques without any chemical intervention. Garda Casaliva Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Leali is a monovarietal Garda DOP evo Oil, obtained by the namesake local olive typical of the Garda area, the color is a very intense green, in the mouth it is very soft due to the low acidity, lightly bitter with artichoke and almond aromas and a final light hot note.

NA.mA is a company with a centuries old long history, the name (in Italian) indicated the only two essential ingredients for the activity: Nature and Almonds (Natura e Mandorle). Nama Mandorle is placed in a truly privileged area as it concerns almonds, indeed it’s located in Avola, native country of one of the finest and renowned varieties: the Pizzuta di Avola almond. Own production, careful selection of the raw materials and preparations that conciliate tradition and innovation are what characterize the company activity , which, during the years have introduced apart from the Sicilian almonds other products as Sicilian pistachios and Sicilian hazelnuts. Nama products, in addition to being incredibly delicious snacks as the Sicilian peeled, roasted, almonds - Nama Mandorle, are endowed with incredible properties, which make them a natural anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, full of nutrients and perfect to recover energies.

In Calvisano, in the province of Brescia, rises the biggest sturgeons reservation of the world, an habitat where species that otherwise would be extinguished in this area are preserved. Here Calvisius Caviar produces its fine sturgeon caviar, a delicacy that has millenarian historical roots, following a company philosophy that applying as morals quality, craftsmanship and sustainability. Indedd, in the Calvisius breedings sturgeons natural growth rhythms are respected, inserting every different specie in an habitat as similar as possible to its natural one. This is one of the secrets of the different kinds of caviar strong personal characterization, which due to the breeding methods and the Malassol technique (that is to say low content of salt), exalting the differences and its true own flavour. The waiting to obtain a true Calvisius sturgeon caviar can vary from 7 (Ars Italica Calvisius Da Vinci - Calvisius Caviar) up to 20 (Calvisius Beluga - Calvisius Caviar) years, a product endowed with a unique history and taste to accompany special occasions.

Today there’s a new entry as it concerns the product, but not the producers: Pancetta - Salumificio Lovison from Spilimbergo, in the province of Pordenone. A reality that has been collaborating with us for many years, that still nowadays maintains an artisanal dimension, here only porks coming from Friulian breedings within 20km from the company are selected, nourished naturally with a non ogm vegetables and cereals diet. An hand made pancetta meat is work “at hot”, that means few hours after the butchering in order to have it as fresh as possible, preserving some of its best organoleptic properties. The pancetta is then tied by hand, seasoned and aged due to company secrets, that boasts a century old history. It is exactly this heritage paired with the continuous research, manual work and a sincere passion for the norcina (cold cuts making) art to be the secret for the high quality of this product.

Today we’re talking about a product which is often seen badly on the nutritional side, but it is always in the table throughout the world, salt. Not all the salts are the same, some are very refined and have a lower cost certainly, but a negative effect on our health, while others due to natural process are endowed with great properties, without the need of artificial processing as washing, drying and chemical additions. The last one is the case of Cuor di Sale, the Raw Sea Salt from Trapani salt pan, a self-sustaining open air tanks system, with a thousand-year old history, which is working still nowadays and is eco-sustainable. As it is a raw salt, cuor di sale contains “alive” magnesium and potassium, inorganic salts that are more precious than the ones sold at the pharmacies, but above all the alive iodine, which act positively on the thyroid gland without the problems deriving from the dead iodine (the one inserted artificially in the iodized salts). It has a stronger salt power compared to the normal kitchen salt, so smaller quantities of salt will be needed with benefits on health, moreover the packaging is designed in order not to let slip the posit element of salt, which are volatile and photosensitive. Available in two formats Raw Sea Salt Picked by Shoulder - Cuor di Sale - Salinagrande and Thin Raw Sea Salt Picked by shoulder - Cuordisale - Salinagrande.

Pecorino is one of the most well known and appreciated cheese in Italy, indeed it has a millennial history as the ancient Greek and Roman manuscripts testify, and there are many interpretations of this product according to the region where it is realized. Today we're introducing you the Pecorino Siciliano. The milk is obtained only from sheeps that are feed naturally gazing in order to preserve the real local aromas, than it ages in osier baskets at least 4 months. The result is a cheese with a very rough crust given by the osier baskets where it ages, while inside it is white or straw yellow compact without many holes. What distinguishes the Pecorino Siciliano DOP from the other regional varieties is the lightly hot taste and the strong perfume, you will completely find these characteristics the Sicilian Pecorino del pastore produced the the Sicilian bio organic agricultural company Adamo.

This is the Prosecco week, indeed we're making a 20% DISCOUNT on all the bottles of the kind of wine. The history of Prosecco began several centuries ago among the hills of Conegliano Valdobbiadene, during the Romans empire, this valley has always been a sort of wine paradise, where famers and wine producers have been working with passion and have been constantly improved their techniques during the passing of the years. The Prosecco nowadays is a D.O.C.G wine and the Valdobbiadene hills are even candidates to become part of the UNESCO heritage. The prosecco is the ideal for a perfect Italian style aperitif, but also adapt for being paired with delicate taste and recipes with raw materials maintaining the original taste.

The Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio DOP is available again from yesterday, but what does make this little tomato special and different from every other variety? Let's discover it together! The origin an history of this product has its root in the past and there are a lot of documents proving it. One of the most famous proof can be found the book "Degli ortaggi e la loro coltivazione preso la città di Napoli" published in 1858 by the writer Achille Bruni, in which the author wrote about these very flavorful cherry shape tomatoes that keep well until spring, as long as they are tied in bunches and and suspended in the air. The Pomodorino del piennolo DOP production area includes the entire Vesuvio volcanic complex, from the volcano slopes nearly to the sea level. The characteristics of the product for being part of the P.D.O. category are: the typical oval shape with a final tip, but the skin is what mostly differentiates this variety from the others. In fact as it is much more thick than the average, this allows the tomato to keep well for a very long time, also as a consequence of the long period of maturation too that leads to a longer endurance. Due to its skin thickness this tomato has to be cooked, so it is the ideal in dishes of pasta and many more Neapolitan recipes.

Sandwiches are one of the most ancient dishes of the human culinary history. They've been making all around the world for thousand years in infinite variants, one of the most ancient has its origin in Italy as it was made by the Romans. The historians say that the Romans were so fond of "Panis ac perna" (sandwich with prosciutto crudo) that there was plenty of open air cold cuts markets and a street too called "Panisperna" was dedicated to that delicious food. As nowadays sandwiches have become a true art representing a country gastronomy heritage, today we want to honor the historical tradition giving you an ancient recipe with a touch of new representing the past and present of the Italian gastronomy. The sandwich we're giving you is simple, fresh and tasty, what makes it exceptional is the choice of only genuine and high quality Italian products. - Stonebaked organic Pugliese type bread - Forno Astori: made with natural dough beginning with a natural starter and 100% Italian certified biologic flour without any additive and cooked a wooden oven. - Prosciutto San Daniele DOP (raw ham) on piece - Il Camarin: a top quality Raw Ham thanks both to the section of excellent meats and the processing which is mostly hand made. - Apulian Stracciatella - Caseificio Voglia di Latte: a typical Apulian cheese with donates an unique taste to your sandwich, impossible not to fell in love with it, it has to be as fresh as possible. - Pachino Cherry Tomatoes: cultivated in a Sicilian area famous for the quality of the tomatoes that grow on its ground, they have a sweet and pleasant taste. - A final touch of arugula to balance with a bitter shade.

1701 is the result of the meeting between friendship and the common passion for the territory and its products, as it concerns the Franciacorta the centre of the project could only be viticulture. The estate extends for 11 hectares within one of the most ancient viticulture areas of Franciacorta with a 300 years history. The company modus operandi is based on the biologic and biodynamic principles and methods, that is to say far away from every chemical process. This philosophy helps the producers in the real understanding and interaction with nature and the territory: a recovery of the ability to keep in touch with nature that the old farmers had, those who were able to seize the signals from the ground choosing the best moment for every process. The dunging is made using rigorously natural biodynamic formulations containing compost; the grape harvest is exclusively hand made; for the pressing the "gentile" (soft) method is used in oder to get only the nectar from the pulp. SULLERBA VINO SUR LIE- 1701 Franciacorta is a wine obtain from the vinification of chardonnay grapes in iron urn using local yeasts, re-fermented in bottle but the must of the same grapes, embattled without micro filtration , for this reason it keeps suspended a good percentage of yeasts. The result is a sincere, natural, and drinkable wine as the low percentage of sugars doesn't get the palate bored.

Principato di Lucedio can praise an almost thousand-year old history. It was funded in 1123 by the Cistercensi monks who were the first in Italy to introduce the cultivation of rice. The production process is full low environmental impact method and the packaging under protect atmosphere guarantee the freshness and quality of product. As the carnaroli rice is the fittest for risotto, we're giving you a recipe of a quite summer taste risotto: Risotto with shrimps, zucchini and burrata. Ingredients: Carnaroli Rice Principato di Lucedio, shrimps, Burrata pugliese - Caseificio Voglia di Latte, zucchini, onion, cherry tomatoes, white wine, Butter - Az. Agricola Frascio, Organic extra virgin olive oil - Adamo. First shell the shrimps, clean them putting out the intestines, and use the remaining heads to make a fish broth (bisque). Make the shrimp heads stop fry with some chopped onion and some cut cherry tomatoes, after 1\2 minutes add cold water. Cut the zucchini in small cubes and make them stir fry with some evo oil. In a pan, after browing some some chopped onion with, make the rice toast, when the rice will be toasted simmer with white wine utile reduced and then add the bisque. Add 1 \2 spoonful each time not covering the rice at all and add it until the risotto will be ready. In the end add a knot of butter, the shrimps and cook until creamy. Put the risotto with shrimps in a plate, then add the zucchini and some burrata.

One of the principles of our company philosophy is always use what nature gives you without forcing it, because eating and cooking seasonal vegetables is fundamental in order to have the healthiest and best tasty diet as possible. So we're giving you a recipe whose protagonist a typical Italian summer vegetable: the courgette flower. Courgette flowers have been cooking as a summer delicacies for centuries, mostly in the central-southern regions of Italy. They are considered one of the first street food of the history, they're cooked in different ways from region to region but all of them were fried. Today we're giving you our recipe for delicious stuffed courgette flowers fried in batter. Ingredients: courgette flowers; 110 g of Organic flour soft wheat type 0; 100 ml of ice-cold Blonde Beer Ale Tavolara - CONTE DE QUIRRA or Sparkling water and a pinch of yeast, 100g of Ricotta di Bufala (Buffalo Ricotta) - Caseificio Artigianale Esposito, some Extra anchovy fillets in oil Extra virgin olive oil - Mare Puro, Organic extra virgin olive oil - Adamo, black pepper, Raw Sea Salt Picked by Shoulder - Cuordisale - Salinagrande First let's make the batter: amalgamates in a bowl the flour and the beer\water and yeast using a whisk. For the stuffing cut the anchovy fillets in rough and not too small pieces and mix them with the buffalo ricotta and season with some black pepper and e little EVO oil. Then stuff the courgette flowers, immerge them in the batter, deep fry them in frying oil, when they will be ready dry them and season with some sea salt.

Wine is not only something to drink during your meals, wine is culture, history, a tale about the land where it comes from and people who makes it. Wine is also something do add value to food, you have to choose the right wine in order to elevate you recipes at the highest level, but it isn't an easy matter, so how can you select the perfect wine according to what you're eating and your personal taste? OIP has invented the first online sommelier for helping you in this choice, only 5 clicks and our experts will give you the best Italian wine to pair for each Italian recipe or food among a selection over than 5000 great Italian wines completely for free. So what are you waiting for? Let's try it in our home page!