PLANETA
Deux Roches (Collovray et Terrier)
Maison Roche de Bellene
Hamilton Russell Vineyards
Kellerei BOZEN
PLANETA
Sicily, Italy
About PLANETA
PLANETA is a producer of wine, the heritage of seventeen generations. An extensive voyage through time but also through Sicily – a true continent of wine – and present in five of its most representative regions: Menfi, Vittoria, Noto, Etna and Capo Milazzo. In each of them PLANETAhas carried out careful research, ranging from the adaptability of international grape varieties to indigenous vines, including some historic varieties.
The production of IGP olive oil, the development of hospitality and cultural ventures have been added to their activities in the field of viticulture; a veritable mosaic of projects devised to enliven ‘the Sicilian experience’. Ethical means of production and respect for the environment, the countryside and the culture of each area, including sustainable and lasting methods of agriculture, with wineries completely integrated within the landscape are the values which guide the company’s activities.
Representative Biography
Patricia Tóth, Winemaker
Patricia Tóth was born in Hungary where she grew up in her family home in the countryside. She received a degree in 2004 at the University of Corvinus in Budapest in Food Science specializing in wine, beer and spirits.
Having a particular love for grapes she began to work as a winemaker: in her working experience there are various known wine cellars such as Le Vigne di Zamò Friuli, Bava in Piemonte and Vylyan in Hungary.
Since 2005 she has collaborated with PLANETA first responsible for the production in Noto, after in Vittoria, later managing the setup of the estate in Capo Milazzo and also actually, on the Etna. Responsible for the sustainable farming program, and part of the Business Intelligence team.
In between time Patricia produces grapes in a 4 hectare vineyard near Lake Balaton, in Hungary.
Why We're Cool
PLANETA'S family's winemaking story started, and walks hand in hand with the Chardonnay's in Sicily. The biggest island in the middle of the Mediterranean sea, Sicily has temperate climate, with contiguous natural air movement, and extremely diversified geographical conformation, which factors are already providing numerous sites for keeping on the cool side our grapes.
Ulmo and Maroccoli, amongst our first vineyards, around where we grow the Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc grapes, have three plus factors to provide the freshness, being situated on, and above a lakeshore, being protected from an eventual sirocco effect from the seaside, and being situated between 250 and 500 meters asl.
Within the 35 years of experience from the first plantations we’ve managed to fine tune the vineyard cycle in a way to harvest great crispy grapes, improving every year on the canopy and cover crop management. In the last decades we are also observing a significant rise of the rain averages, which gave a shift to the weather conditions, moving towards the western direction.
Deux Roches (Collovray et Terrier)
Burgundy, France
About Deux Roches (Collovray et Terrier)
Our story is like a quartet theme: two friends who married twos sisters: Christian and Brigitte Collovray and Jean-Luc and Florence Terrier. Springing from our friendship and our common passion for wine, we have together over 30 years, forged a unique bond between Burgundy and Languedoc.
Deux Roches is located in Maconnais, in the heart of AOP Saint-Veran and Pouilly-Fuissé between the majestic rocks of Solutre and Vergisson.
Altugnac is in the foothills of the Pyrenees, where the vines grow amidst garrigue and woodland, where the days are sun-filled and the nights are cool, and the Atlantic and the Mediterranean winds meet, cooling and purifying the grapes.
Representative Biography
Romain Bourgeois, Sales Export Manager
Born and raised in Burgundy, Romain has developed his passion for the world of wine in his twenties and definitively joined the industry at aged 28. After he worked in different vineyards and cellars in Burgundy, he spent two years abroad on a French island off Newfoundland and in Oregon both selling and making wine. He came back in 2018 to become brand ambassador for the Collovray & Terrier family-run wineries. Specializing in the US and Canadian markets, the I4C celebration is a great opportunity for Romain to share his passion for cool climate Chardonnay.
Why We're Cool
The Macon region is renowned for its deep and active limestone originating from the two rocks of Solutré and Vergisson both culminating at 500 meters, giving the wines their great balance of minerality and fresh crispiness.
Burgundy weather is perfect for Chardonnay with sufficient amount of rain in spring and high temperature gaps during day and night in summer season, which is perfect for the maturation of the grapes.
The winemaking process follows the Burgundy tradition with a slow and gentle pressing, a cool clarification of the juice before alcohol and malolactic fermentation in oak barrels or stainless steel tanks.
The wines age on their thin lees until the next spring and can be stirred depending on the vintage.
We never use more than 15 % of new barrels as we only want the oak to bring some structure and texture to the wines rather than oaky notes that would break our cool climate Chardonnay profile.
Maison Roche de Bellene
Burgundy, France
About Maison Roche de Bellene
Groupe Bellene is composed of the wine trading company “Maison Roche de Bellene” and the winery “Domaine de Bellene”. Their companies are both located in Beaune.
Domaine de Bellene was founded in 2005 by Nicolas Potel after the purchase of various old vines in some of the best plots of Burgundy. This winery was created with a desire to control the entire production process, from the soil cultivation to the wine sales. They produce their wines following organic farming methods and they have always sought to cultivate their vines in the respect of the soil. They aim to yield very healthy grapes of the highest quality in terms of phenology and they want their wines to express the terroir from which they come. Here at the Domaine de Bellene, they truly act on environmental, nature and terroir preservation.
Maison Roche de Bellene wine trading company offers a complete range of wines. They select and age their wines with the greatest care, preserving the unique terroir of Burgundy. The wine is racked depending on the lunar and the biodynamic calendars. Then the wine is aged in very old cellars in order to benefit from the best ageing conditions.
Their wine trading company operates in 54 countries through a wide distribution channel, dealing with more than sixty appellations from several climates and vintages. Today, Maison Roche de Bellene is famous all over the world thanks to renowned journalists, wine tasting notes and reviews. Thus, our wines are sold in the most prestigious places and in the largest cities in the world.
Representative Biography
Alphonse Potel
Alphonse Potel, Cellar Hand
Starting the story at Bellene with a internship in parallel with school in 2019-2020, Alphonse has been working full-time at the estate since harvest 2020.
Alphonse already has a history with Ontario by completing an internship at Nicholas Pearce Wines in the summer of 2018 and has just returned to Burgundy after working harvest in Oregon at Abbott Claim Winery.
Nicolas Potel, Owner
In 1964 Françoise and Gérard Potel arrived in Burgundy in the village of Volnay. The Potel’s started producing high-quality Burgundy wines at the winery “Domaine de la Pousse d’Or”. In the beginning, the family estate stretched from the villages of Volnay and Pommard to Santenay. This estate quickly developed and became a renowned winery in Burgundy.
Before taking over the family run business, Nicolas Potel benefited from enriching experiences all over the world. He had the opportunity to learn from the most prestigious winemakers and to get a new approach of the vineyard work (Margaret River winery, Matrot winery, Georges ROUMIER winery, Yarra Valley winery, DEHLINGER winery, Leeuwin Estate).
Once back in France, he worked as a vineyard manager and developed organic agriculture at the family estate. After his first steps as winemaker in the family Estate “le Domaine de la Pousse d’Or”, he built up his own negoce in 1996 then, in 2000, Maison Potel-Aviron in Beaujolais region. In 2005, Nicolas built up his own Estate, Domaine de Bellene, in Beaune with 24 Ha of vines cultivated following the organic method.
In 2008, after the departure from SAS Nicolas Potel company, Nicolas Potel launches his new negociant business called "Maison Roche de Bellene". He decided to focus on offering the finest wines, in limited cuvées in order to be the only "Haute Couture" negociant in Burgundy.
Nicolas Potel has also launched a range of very rare older vintages, under the name "Collection Bellenum". These wines, dating back to 1959 to 2007 are the result of a very strict selection of old vintages exceptionally released from the wine cellars of some of the most famous producers of Burgundy.
Why We're Cool
Domaine de Bellene / Roche de Bellene is based in the motherland of "Cool Chardonnay", in the heart of Burgundy and in the city centre of Beaune. Burgundy needs no justification of Cool Climate Viticulture. Nicolas Potel, the owner/winemaker is known locally and around the world for his passion, knowledge, dedication to the wines of Burgundy.
Winemaking aside, it's Nicolas' infectious Joie de Vie and love of culture, gastronomy, humanity and ultimately "the art of celebration." The old-school philosophy in the vineyard and cellar are the epitome of "Cool". All the vines are grown with the biodynamic methods with old vines, mostly 50 to 110 years old. In the cellar with Nicolas and his team, the wines are made with minimal intervention in a natural way adding rarely any outside products to the wines; no acid, no cultured yeast, nutrients, enzymes, sugar.
If you get a chance to meet Nicolas Potel over the weekend and try his wines, you will understand exactly what it means to be "Cool".
Hamilton Russell Vineyards
Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, South Africa
About Hamilton Russell Vineyards
Owner, Anthony Hamilton Russell took over from the founder, Tim Hamilton Russell, in 1991, and bought the property from the family in 1994. Tim originally purchased the undeveloped 170 hectare property in 1975, after an exhaustive search for the most southerly site on which to make South Africa’s top cool climate wines from a selection of noble varieties. Anthony narrowed their focus to Pinot noir and Chardonnay only and registered Hamilton Russell Vineyards as an Estate, committing to work only with grapes from their terroir. Extensive soil research initiated in 1994 identified 52 hectares of stony, clay-rich, shale-derived soil as optimal for the individual, origin expressive style they aim for and all plantings have now been limited to this soil type.
Anthony with winemaker Emul Ross and viticulturist Johan Montgomery are completely dedicated to expressing the personality of the Hamilton Russell Vineyards terroir in their wines. Tiny yields and intense worldwide demand keep the elegant, highly individual, Estate grown Pinot noir and Chardonnay in very short supply.
Representative Biography
Anthony Hamilton Russell, Proprietor
Anthony Hamilton Russell was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1962, married to Olive and has four daughters. Schooled in Johannesburg and Cape Town, he completed a BSc in Biological Sciences at Wits University (Johannesburg), followed by an MA in Geography at Oxford University. He then worked as a financial analyst in Corporate Finance for Morgan Stanley International, London for two years prior to completing an MBA at Wharton where he graduated on the Dean’s list. Following this, he worked in London for the management consulting firm Bain and Company.
In 1991, with the likelihood of positive political change in South Africa, Anthony returned to take over the family farm, which he subsequently purchased from the family in 1994. He focused this property on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay alone and has devoted the last 20 years to building an international reputation for these two Estate grown wines as being among the most classically styled examples from the New World. Keen to work with South Africa’s unique red variety, Pinotage, Anthony founded Southern Right as a separate property in 1994 to specialize in the variety. In 1996, he founded Ashbourne as a Pinotage blend specialist. Properties were acquired on the eastern and western borders of Hamilton Russell Vineyards for these ventures.
A passionate advocate of expressing origin – and soil structure in particular – in wines and of aiming for more “classic” styling. He is also a strong believer in the importance of developing a clearer wine style identity for South Africa’s top appellations. Anthony has formally judged wines in South Africa, Argentina and Hong Kong. He has spoken at the MW symposium in Perth and has hosted a Cool Climate symposium for the MW’s in South Africa. He has been a wine panelist at conferences in Chile, Switzerland, Australia, the UK, USA and South Africa. Anthony is a Commandeur de Bordeaux (South African Chapter) and Chevalier du Tastevin.
"I love cool climate Chardonnay for its nervous intensity and complexity without ponderous weight. A dry tension and minerality, with a lively acidity makes for a far better food companion than a plump, round, weighty sweetness." – Anthony Hamilton Russell
Why We're Cool
Hamilton Russell Vineyards at 34 degrees, 23 minutes South, is very close to being as far South as you can get in Africa. At 1.5 kilometres from the sea at the closest point, the property is about as close to the sea as you can get in South Africa without planting in disadvantageous soils. Proximity to the South Atlantic Ocean, with the cold Benguela current which flows up the Southwest coast of South Africa from Antarctica, is the principal cooling influence in the vineyard. The altitude - at highest 300 meters above sea level, and at lowest 30 meters above sea level, does not contribute significantly to cooling. The estate is advantageously situated in the direct path of the prevailing summer wind - the Southeaster - off the cool Walker Bay.
If it is maximum temperatures in the build-up to harvest and during harvest that have the most potential for reducing acidity, raising pH and creating wines with less finesse and fine fruit, then the strong marine influence of the nearby Walker Bay is extremely beneficial to Hamilton Russell Vineyards. If the average maximum temperatures for the crucial 4 hottest months, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar are taken, the estate's long-term average is 25 Centigrade. This same average for the equivalent months in Burgundy, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, is 24.77 Centigrade.
Soil research conducted in the early 1990's indicated that the most significant influence on the style of Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay - and its uncanny resemblance to Burgundy - is the extremely high clay content of its Shale-derived soils. At 35% to 55% clay, the clay contents approximate those of the Cote de Nuits. Chardonnay planted on very low clay-content Sandstone-derived soils on the same property, is fundamentally different and much more "New World" in style (rounder, sweeter, more tropical. less tight and mineral). Unlike Burgundy, there is no limestone in the clay and regular applications of small amounts of lime are necessary to keep an optimal soil pH.
The 18 individual Chardonnay vineyards on the estate's 52 hectares of clay-rich soil are largely orientated North to Northeast - equivalent to South to Southeast in the Northern Hemisphere. This is an advantageous orientation for early cooler sunlight and a little less warm later sunlight.
A combination of moderate temperatures, low vigour, fairly marginal soils and older more marginal vines for South Africa, enable phenolic ripeness at around 13% Alcohol. This is unusual for South Africa and much of the New World. It has also resulted in naturally tiny yields, which average around 25 Hl/Ha.
Winemaking is very close to that in Burgundy, with the difference that it may include a small percentage of tank fermented Chardonnay and stoneware amphorae fermented Chardonnay in the otherwise barrel fermented wine. Wooding is also a little shorter at 9 months in 300 litre tight grained French oak barrels - 1/3 new, 1/3 second fill and 1/3 third fill, with a preference to 3 or 4 year seasoned oak. Our longstanding relationship with Francois Freres has given way to an own design toasting level, what we refer to as Hamilton Russell Vineyards. Malolactic fermentation is based on each vintage’s expression.
A mix of natural and cultured yeasts is used - up to six different yeasts, for different characteristics. A proprietary yeast endemic to the property and found in 1993 is used for a significant percentage of the final wine.
Kellerei BOZEN
Alto Adige , Italy
About Kellerei BOZEN
Kellerei BOZEN, whose history begins in 1908, is today one of Italy’s leading enterprises in terms of quality and originality.
The city of Bolzano and Kellerei BOZEN are located in the midst of a wide, sunny valley bowl. The winegrowing areas are situated between 200 and 950 metres (656-2952 feet) above sea level around the town, where 220 farmers of Kellerei BOZEN cultivate 350 hectares (864 acres) of excellent vineyards by hand.
With their native grape varieties and unique growing conditions, Kellerei BOZENo is today the leading producer of St. Magdalener and Lagrein wines.
The close collaboration between our winemaker and our agronomist permit us to select the right grape variety and growing technique for each location.
The remarkably wide range of varieties is also reflected in the different varietal wines.
“Making good wine is a skill, making great wine is an art” - this motto perfectly sums up our attitude to creating wines that will delight connoisseurs and wine-lovers alike.
Rebuilding of Kellerei BOZEN
In mid-October 2016, with the laying of the foundation stone, Kellerei BOZEN symbolically brought to a close the efforts of many years to build a new winery in Moritzing and embark upon its new future there. This will be a major advertisement for the wine city of Bolzano: work is progressing briskly and, if everything goes to plan, we will be able to age the 2018 vintage in the new Bolzano winery.
Representative Biography
Matthias Messner, Managing Director
Representing Kellerei BOZEN at i4C 2024, Matthias Messner was born in 1991 in Bolzano and raised in South Tyrol -Italy. After his studies in Verona ( Italy) and Sydney ( Australia), he was Managing Director at the Consortium of Speck Alto Adige, a well-known smoked ham of Alto Adige and Director of the cheese factory Capriz, a local cheese producer in the premium range.
Since mid-November 2022 Matthias Messner has been running the cooperative in collaboration with chief oenologist Stephan Filippi and chairman Philipp Plattner. “We have a duty to our 224 members, who do the work out in the vineyards every day,” he says, and he adds: “With the new winery building, we have created a landmark for Bolzano that underlines the importance of winegrowing for the province of Alto Adige.” The earlier generations, “our fathers and grandfathers laid the foundations for success,” says Messner. “Teamwork, growth, making the most of market opportunities and leading our premium product into a successful future – these are my goals.
Stephan Filippi, Winemaker
Born in 1964 in Bolzano, into a typical winemaker family, his father – enologist at Winery Santa Maddalena inspired him and transmitted the passion of winemaking through his life. In 1985 he received the diploma from Edmund Mach Foundation of San Michele all' Adige (“Istituto agrario di San Michele all'Adige”) and started his first job experience at Winery Lageder. After a short period of military service, he started to work as a cellar worker at the Winery Santa Maddalena in 1987.
Only some time later he followed in his father’s footsteps and became chief winemaker of Winery Santa Maddalena.
In 2001 when the merger of Winery Santa Maddalena and Winery Gries took place, Stephan Filippi consecutively became the chief winemaker of the new formed Bolzano Winery.
He was elected in December 2004 as president of the Regional Enologist Association, before he was elected vice-president of the National Enologist Association in 2012.
Since 2016 he is part of the commission of The Central Italian DOCG and DOC Control System - “Commissione di appello esami organolettici vini DOCG e DOC Italia centrale”.
Wines of Bolzano Winery are regularly awarded high ratings in national and international awards. Some of the wines have been receiving highest appraisal for quite some time and are consequentially winery’s signature wines:
Until today 27 wines were decorated with the highest ratings of Tre Bicchieri -Gambero Rosso: 18 times for the Lagrein Riserva Taber, 3 times for Cabernet Riserva Mumelter, with the Lagrein Riserva Prestige Line, 1993 was the first Lagrein in History that received Tre Bicchieri by Gambero Rosso.
Since 2016 the Kellerei BOZEN winery remains the winery with the highest number of awards at the Vernatsch CUP with the following wines: Santa Maddalena classico, Santa Maddalena classico Huck am Bach and Santa Maddalena classico Moar.
“We are proud to present our wines and to invite Canadian connoisseurs and wine-lovers to explore the unique region and territory of South-Tyrolian Chardonnays. I believe our Chardonnays reflect in a perfect way the South Tyrol attitude to life. These wines are characterized by a joyful freshness, with a beautiful intense nose. As I might say, they are “good temper” wines, elegant and at the same time quite cheeky with a good structured body. We believe such wines are the best opportunity to transmit the sunshiny South Tyrol attitude to life and happiness.” Stephan Filippi
Why We're Cool
Kellerei BOZEN's Cool Climate Chardonnay Program is all about taking full advantage of our unique terroir and our high altitude growing zones between 250 and 650 m a.s.l. (820 and 2.130 feet) in elevation.
The grapes of the most prestigious vineyards lay on sunny southward facing slopes at Renon – Bolzano between 500-600 m a.s.l. (1.650-2.130 feet) and grow on porphyry-rich, warm and frost-protected soils. The altitude and the location bring a large diurnal shift and temperature fluctuations from day to night. These extraordinary circumstances allow the Chardonnay grapes to preserve a natural fine acidity and an elegant interplay of flavor and fruity aromas.
Over the last few years we were able to find new vineyards neighboring our already most important Chardonnay growing area, from which we expect very promising results.
Even though we can already call many of the top Chardonnay sites our own we are always in search for new top vineyards to take our Chardonnays quality to an even higher level.
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