The bond between Leonardo and Milan is known: the Last Supper, the Codex Atlanticus, the locks of the Naviglio Grande, its vineyard and the many drawings that the Genius left in the twenty years that he worked there. For this reason, we have brought our project to the city that, after Vinci, most represents him, with a special event dedicated to Leonardo wine Genius.
For five days – from 25th to 29th September – Villa Necchi Campiglio hosted the story of Leonardo and wine explored through his different souls: the one of wine, with the presentation of the collections of wines inspired by the Genius and produced according to the Metodo Leonardo®; the cultural one, with a temporary exhibition of works by the Leonardo Museums; and also the most contemporary and research soul, with a special event in which gastronomy and science merged to witness the contribution that Leonardo continues to give, even today, to the world of wine and food.
Villa Necchi Campiglio, in the center of Milan, is a place with unique characteristics: a 1930s residence, now protected by the FAI, designed by architect Piero Portaluppi and surrounded by a private garden with a swimming pool and tennis court. The inaugural event was hosted on September 25th in the most significant rooms of the Villa reserved for the press and customers: an afternoon full of inspiration and study on Leonardo and wine and followed by an evening of music, food and conviviality.
The conference held by SimonPietro Felice (general manager of Caviro and managing director of Leonardo da Vinci Spa), Luca Maroni (sensory analyst) and Alessandro Vezzosi (director of Leonardo Museums), illustrated various aspects of Leonardo’s bond with wine, agriculture and oenology and the relevance of his thought. The conference was followed by a technical tasting by the sommeliers of AIS Milan involving some of the most representative labels of the five wine collections of Cantine Leonardo da Vinci.
The guests of the event were able to admire the interiors of the villa and participate in the guided tour of the exhibition ‘The World of Leonardo and the Wine’, hosted on the third floor. The exhibited works included Bacco by Guido Reni, the Madonna con bambino e grappolo d’uva (Madonna with child and bunch of grapes) by Desiderio da Settignano, and the faithful reproduction of the Gioconda Nuda whose original copy, now on loan at the Castle of Chantilly, will be exhibited at the Museo Ideale Leonardo Da Vinci starting October 10th.The evening ended with an aperitif by the pool accompanied by live music, and then, on the villa’s tennis courts, a dinner created and curated by star chef Cristina Bowerman – testimonial of Cantine Leonardo da Vinci – who designed the exclusive menu Visioni culinarie dal future with dishes like risotto of pigeon, marzolino cheese and rosemary, or gnocchetti with black garlic, fava beans and candied lemon.
During the five days of opening, the exhibition hosted numerous visitors who were able to appreciate the contemporaneity and versatility of the timeless genius figure in the best way: tasting a glass of Chianti Riserva (recently awarded with the gold medal at the Mondus Vini competition) produced by the Cantine Leonardo following the oenological indications dictated by the Genius, recovered and preserved in the Metodo Leonardo®.
