The wines and vineyards of Abbeys and monasteries, witnesses of history and a scent of the future

Today, more than ever, since division is the norm, discussing wine and spirituality where a glass of wine symbolizes conviviality and unites many different cultures, peoples, and religions, too, is not a trivial exercise. It is even more important if the discussion is held in a “spiritual place” of Italian wine, such as the Convent of the Santissima Annunciata, in Rovato, founded by the Order of the Servants of Mary in 1449 on Monte Orfano, in Franciacorta. It is one of the many monasteries that have preserved and transmitted Europe’s ancient culture and often forgotten values, such as hospitality, listening, good energy, the pleasure of accomplishing a task, silence for meditation and prayer, and respect for nature. It is a place, entrusted to the Friars, which has always been a cultural and spiritual reference point for believers and laypeople who desire a dialogue rich in humanity. The Friars recently hosted meetings, in addition to theologians and philosophers, colleagues from other locations around Italy, steeped in beauty and spirituality, as well as landscapes, where great wines are created. The Fondazione Vittorio e Mariella Moretti has opened these places of the soul and spirituality, in every sense, to visitors and wine enthusiasts, and has kept their spirit alive. This dream has been supported by the unforgettable journalist and writer, Gianni Brera, the Master of Italian food and wine criticism Luigi Veronelli, and the founder of the global Slow Food movement, Carlo Petrini.
The Convent is a place of the soul, and since 1991, the Terra Moretti Group’s brand, Bellavista, has cultivated the oldest vineyard in Franciacorta, a bit more than five hectares, where wine has been produced since time immemorial. Bellavista produces a pure Chardonnay called “Convento della Santissima Annunciata”, which captures its magnificent history in the organoleptic characteristics as well as providing significant resources to the Convent, home to an especially prestigious historic vineyard (certified since the year 1000). Bellavista has enriched this unique space of beauty and memories even more since the 1990s, by investing in hospitality but not altering its characteristics, thereby anchoring it ever more firmly in the Franciacorta region. It is a place that Carlo Petrini has described, “a place of community, a space where beauty and goodness coincide. A common good, returned to the region through the vision and generosity of those who care about it”. It will become the setting for the winter edition of “Vini d’Abbazia”, the event created by Vittorio Moretti, founder of Bellavista in Franciacorta (one of Italy’s most prestigious sparkling wine and winemaking brands). We reported the event on October 4th, at the preview “Come in famiglia” by the Vittorio and Mariella Moretti Foundation. It was an open day - from 8:00 a.m. to midnight - including nature trails, music, workshops, readings, and meetings. For instance, the meeting focusing on the history and culture of wine that the Abbeys have preserved over the centuries, explained in a speech by one of the greatest “wine humanists”, Professor Attilio Scienza, which we have received and are very pleased to publish.