Category: Uncategorized

VENISSA WINE RESORT | TRAVEL & WINE

Posted on July 16, 2026 By Layne Randolph

Haute Living
In 2002, Gianluca Bisol of Bisol 1542, a 21-generation Prosecco dynasty, stumbled upon a handful of gnarled vines in Torcello, a nearly island garden. Against all warnings about saline soil, he replanted Dorona behind the medieval former monastery’s walls on Mazzorbo, 40 minutes from Venice by vaporetto (boat). In 2010, the first harvest arrived, producing a few thousand bottles. Bisol put immense attention to detail into each bottle. Fitting for its location, each is made with Murano glass, but the pièce de résistance is the label — a sheet of 24-karat gold leaf, individually signed and numbered. The bottles represent what many consider Venice’s eternal trinity — wine, gold, and glass.

Uncategorized

SUSANA BALBO: ARGENTINA’S WINE COUNTRY LUXURY | TRAVEL & WINE

Posted on July 16, 2026July 16, 2026 By Layne Randolph

Haute Living
In Chacras de Coria, the artistic heart of Mendoza, Susana and her daughter Ana Lovaglio have brought their holistic vision to life at the SB Winemaker’s House & Spa Suites. This boutique property isn’t just a luxury hotel—it’s an extension of Susana herself.

Every detail reflects her refined sensibility. Natural stone and handwoven textiles set the stage, while dramatic contemporary art lines the walls—most notably the work of artist Sergio Roggerone, a close friend and collaborator. His “Tree of Life” creation, which greets guests at the entrance, is more than decor—it symbolizes grounding and growth, much like Susana’s legacy.

Uncategorized

MERLOT BEYOND BORDEAUX: BOLGHERI, BLUE CLAY, AND MASSETO | WINE

Posted on July 16, 2026 By Layne Randolph

Forbes
Masseto’s greatest advantage has always been Bolgheri’s terroir. Legendary wine consultant André Tchelistcheff recognized that the blue clay soils on the Masseto hill were unusually well-suited to Merlot. Today, those soils are central to the wine’s structure and character. They did not plan to make a standalone Merlot, but the site’s quality led to a separate bottling in the mid-1980s.

Uncategorized

FORTE’S SECOND ACT | TRAVEL

Posted on July 16, 2026July 16, 2026 By Layne Randolph

Jetset Magazine
Sir Rocco Forte has seen a few things in his life. As a man now in his early eighties—born in Britain to an Italian father—he carries the long arc of European hospitality in his bones. He grew up inside one of the continent’s great hotel dynasties, worked his way from the ground up, and became an emblem of British hospitality, knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to the industry. And then, in the 1990s, he lost the entire family empire in the crushing blow of a hostile takeover.

Uncategorized

NEWTREE RANCH: A NATURE STATE OF MIND | WELLNESS

Posted on December 4, 2024 By Layne Randolph

Newell believes in the transformative power of nature and the unique ‘nature state of mind’ concept. “It’s a state of being and a natural state you get when you’re in nature. To me, wellness is when you start bonding with nature and getting into the flow with it. I call it a nature state of mind.’”

Art

500 YEARS OF HISTORY AT SICILY’S VILLA TASCA | TRAVEL

Posted on August 28, 2024August 28, 2024 By Layne Randolph

Haute Living, August 2024
Over the centuries, the Palermo estate has been a haven where royalty, artists, and intellectuals sought inspiration and respite. The villa’s opulent interiors have welcomed luminaries such as German opera composer Robert Wagner, Italian violinist Niccolò Paganini, and Former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, each leaving their mark on its storied halls. Wagner, for instance, stayed on the property in 1927 while he was writing the third act of Parsifal, and 60 years later, at 85, he composed “Villa Tasca” based on his visit.

Sonoma (US)

THE INK HOUSE: JEAN CHARLES BOISSET AND GINA GALLO’S LABOR OF LOVE | TRAVEL

Posted on May 16, 2023March 30, 2024 By Layne Randolph

Napa Valley Life Magazine
The Ink House represents the Boisset’s first Napa Valley restoration project together, but the couple has restored many buildings from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, including Chateau de Pierreux, La Maison in Vougeot, Louis Bouillot, and their family winery Jean-Claude Boisset in Nuits-St-Georges.