FIRST DECEMBER 2022 ISSUE No339

ISSUE 339 DECEMBER 2022 A CAPSULE OF THE WORLD

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

“Night is always darker before the dawn and life is the same, the hard times will pass, every thing will get better and sun will shine brighter then ever.”

Ernest Hemingway

“

strength of a person's spirit would then be measured by how much 'truth' he could tolerate, or more precisely, to what extent he needs to have it diluted, disguised, sweetened, muted, falsified.”

Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil

HAPPY CHRISTMAS UNFORGETTABLE

Unforgettable, that’s what you are Unforgettable, though near or far. Like a song of love that clings to me How the thought of you does things to me Never before has someone been more

Unforgettable in every way And forever more, that’s how you’ll stay.

Tat’s why, darling, it's incredible Tat someone so unforgettable Tinks that I am unforgettable too.

Irving Gordon, Composer

THiS IS WiNE 13th chapter in this issue

EXCLUSIVE SERIES: THIS IS WINE. The Brunello Generation I. Val d'Orcia Tuscany.Photography Aangelo Casto

LA DOLCE VITA. Where George Bernard Shaw learned to Tango –Reid’s Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Madeira. Photography © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila

The Nativity. The Original Christmas Story in Paintings. Doni Tondo (detail), Michelangelo, Uffizi, Florence. Source Wikipedia Commons.

it Before.

CONTENTS

[ISSUE 339.

6

LA DOLCE VITA

Travel: Madeira. Where George Bernard Shaw learned to Tango –Reid’s Palace.

17

CHRISTMAS

The Nativity. The Original Christmas Story in Paintings. Caravaggio. Leonardo da Vinci. Sandro Botticelli. Rembrandt. Paul Gauguin.

28

INTERIORS

Milan as You've Never Seen it Before. 42

THIS IS WINE

The 13th Chapter in This is Wine: Its Storied Place and Taste. The Brunello Generation I.

55

DINNER FOR TWO

Quiet Dinner with Mediterranean Culinary Academy. 61

TREATS

Gluten Free. Sensational Desserts and Bakes.

DECEMBER 2022]

71

28 86

HEALTH & FITNESS

New Years Resolutions and Food For Thought. Get Moving: Muscle and Ageing. Alzheimer's: Protecting the Brain as We Age. 76 ENVIRONMENT

Biodiversity. National Biodiversity and Action Plan. Farming and Biodiversity. 86

ICONIC IMAGES

Timeless Salvator Mundi.

INTERIORS. Milan as You've Never Seen

Photography Guido Taroni, courtesy Vendome Press

Sensational Gluten Free Desserts and Bakes. Photography Prchi Palwe.

ENVIRONMENT. Battle for Survival –Biodiversity. Photography Jonathan Borba, Caracol Waterfall, Brazil.

“Please write soon about Madeira in January. Query warm, paintable, bathable, comfortable, flowery, hotels etc. We are revolving plans. Keep all secret.” Winston Churchill, telegraph to Bryce Nairn, the British consul in Madeira, November 1949

THE ISLAND OF ETERNAL SPRING

Tango in Madeira

Madeira is located about 700km off the coast of Africa, and about a one-and-a-half-hour flight from Lisbon. Subtropical, lush, and with warm year-round temperatures, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in Hawaii. Indeed Madeira sits at the top of a massive shield volcano that rises about 6 km from the floor of the Atlantic. Discovered by two Portuguese explorers in 1419, Madeira soon became an important stopping point on major trade routes. Fast forward to the 19th and 20th centuries and Madeira’s balmy climate and exuberant botanical gardens would attract thousands of Europeans. Some came to escape Northern winters, while others had more entrepreneurial aims. Among the latter was the Scotsman William Reid who was advised, for health reasons, to seek a warmer climate. In 1836, at just 14 years of age, William arrived in Madeira with just £5 to his name and secured a job in a bakery. By the time he was 25 he had moved into the wine trade, building a successful import and export business. He married an Englishwoman, Margaret Dewey, with whom he started a house rental business before going on to open a simple hotel. In the late 1800’s William dreamt of building a majestic hotel to attract the island’s wealthiest visitors who were chasing the sun. This dream would turn into reality with the building of Reid’s Palace, now a Belmond Hotel. Many illustrious politicians, royalty, and celebrities have stayed at Reid’s throughout its long history. Empress Elizabeth I of Austria was one of the first guests to arrive at the newly opened hotel, as was writer George Bernard Shaw, and several members of the British Royal Family. Winston Churchill visited in the early 1950s to work on his memoirs and to paint, the poet Rainer Maria Rilke composed while sitting on his balcony, and Gregory Peck stayed while filming Moby Dick. Photography courtesy Belmond.

Tis page: Reid’s Palace, hugging the coast with dramatic views across the Atlantic. Photograph © Belmond/ Henrique Seruca.

This page: Embracing the ocean view from the exclusive pool terrace at Reid’s Palace. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila.

In the late 1800’s William Reid was ready to realise his dream of building a luxurious hotel in a unique location and purchased land known as Salto do Cavalo (Horse’s Leap) on a rocky cliff, an imposing position looking out over the Atlantic Ocean on which Reid’s Palace still stands today. He began by ordering tons of rich soil for the lush sub-tropical gardens of bougainvillea, geraniums, orchids and palms that envelop the property today. Building began in 1887, but William died in 1888 before his dream was realised. Construction continued and on 1st November 1891, the hotel opened its doors managed by William’s two sons, William (Willy) and Alfred Reid. This was the golden age of the Belle Époque, an era characterised by optimism, economic prosperity, and technological and scientific progress in both Europe and the United States. Indeed the glamorous Edwardian hotel promised first-class service and latest comforts of the day, including large public entertainment and sitting rooms, several tennis courts and a tidal pool. The hotel remained in the hands of the Reid family until 1925 when they sold their interest to an English company, Reid’s Palace Hotel Ltd. In 1937 The hotel was bought by the renown Madeira wine making Blandy Family, who wereto remain as proprietors for nearly 60 years. It was bought by Belmond (previously Orient-Express Hotels) in 1996.

Top: One of the balconies of the Churchill Presidential Suite looking out at the ocean. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila. Above right: Presidential Suite.

Photograph © Belmond/ Henrique Seruca. Above left: Main bathroom of the Churchill Presidential Suite. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila.

Throughout its history, the hotel has welcomed many distinguished guests, including royalty, presidents, politicians, actors and artists. Two historic figures left their mark with suites named after George Bernard Shaw, who learnt to tango here, and Winston Churchill, who came to write his memoirs. In December 1924 Irish playwright George Bernhard Shaw landed on Madeira in search of a sun cure, and stayed at Reid’s Palace. “This is one of those unnaturally lovely hells of places where you bathe amid innumerable blossoms in midwinter,” he wrote. While at Reid’s Shaw famously took tango lessons with the hotel’s dance instructor Michael Rinder. News of his lessons made it across the Atlantic to the New York Times headlines: ‘Shaw Admits Learning the Tango at Madeira, But Has Neither Time Nor Youth for It Now’. “What Mr. Rinder says is literally true,” said Shaw. “He was the only man who taught me anything while I was on a holiday in that land.”

Top: Detail of a Deluxe Junior Suite. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila. Left: View of the ocean from a Deluxe Suite. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila.

In November 1949, Winston Churchill telegraphed Bryce Nairn, the British consul in Madeira, and enquired about “warm, paintable, bathable, comfortable, flowery, hotels etc.” He arrived in Madeira on 1st January 1950 to recover from a stroke, write his war memoirs, prepare himself for the upcoming 1950 Election, and above all, to paint. On 8th Januaryhe went to Câmara de Lobos and at the village entrance set up easel and canvas, and painted the bay and the islet–the location is still known as the Winston Churchill Viewpoint.

Top: Flooded with natural light, the lobby of the Reid’s Palace looking out at the iconic Afternoon Tea terrace. Photograph © Belmond/ Tyson Sadlo. Above: The iconic Afternoon Tea terrace. Photograph © Belmond/ Tyson Sadlo. Left: Poolside at Reid’s Palace overlooks the ocean. Photograph © Belmond/ Tyson Sadlo.

Today Reid’s Palace is regularly voted one of Europe’s Top 30 resorts by readers of Condé Nast Traveller magazine. It offers 158 rooms, including 47 suites, with balconies or terraces that boast expansive views of the Atlantic Ocean or Funchal Harbour. Think crisp, embroidered bedspreads and luxurious marble bathrooms, with wicker chairs and tables in which to settle down and enjoy the views. There are three swimming pools, two of which are heated, plus one tidal, seawater pool. For nature and garden lovers there are many spectacular walks and visits to estates and grand homes. The hotel underwent a stunning multi million euro renovation project in 2006, with interiors overseen by designer Graham Viney.

New additions included two suites in the main house with sweeping views over the Bay of Funchal and a beautiful spa with treatment rooms and a deck overlooking the ocean.A stay here is not complete without afternoon tea on the terrace – one of the oldest and finest traditions dating back to the hotel’s earliest days – with views over the ocean. Showcasing local, seasonal cuisine, Reid’s Palace boasts some of the best restaurants in Funchal, including the Michelin-starred William; the informal Ristorante Villa Cipriani; and the glitzy Gastrobar.

According to Ciriaco Campus, General Manager at Reid’s Palace “Madeira offers an incredible number of experiences, from mountains, to the sea, to the city. There are three things that, in my opinion, should not be missed;

watching the sunrise from Pico do Areiro, Madeira’s highest peak, where you’ll see a unique show of colours and light, a boat trip to see whales and dolphins, and a walk along the levadas to discover how truly unspoiled Madeira is.”

ABOUT BELMOND: Belmond has been a pioneer of luxury travel for over 45 years with a portfolio of one-of-a-kind experiences in some of the world’s most inspiring destinations. Since the acquisition of the iconic Hotel Cipriani in Venice in 1976, Belmond has continued to perpetuate the legendary art of travel. Its portfolio extends across 24 countries with properties that include the illustrious Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train and Italian hideaways such as The Grand Hotel Timeo in Taormina.

Top: A trek at Sao Lourenco Peninsula. Photograph © Belmond/ Tyson Sadlo. Above left: Swimming pools at Reid’s Palace include two heated swimming pools, one filled with fresh water, the other with salt water, a tidal pool for direct access to the sea, and a children’s pool. Photograph © Belmond/ Tyson Sadlo. Above right: Surrounded by the raw, rugged beauty of the Atlantic Ocean, Madeira is perfectly situated for a wide range of watersports. Photograph © Belmond/ Tyson Sadlo.

THE NATIVITY

The Original Christmas Story in Paintings

The Nativity of Jesus is one of the most iconic Christmas symbols. Either the Annunciation to the Shepherds by the angel, or the Adoration of the Shepherds, which shows the shepherds worshipping the infant Christ, have often been combined with the Nativity proper and the visit of the Magi, since the 4th century. Here's a look at six of the most beautiful depictions.

ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS, CARAVAGGIO, 1609, MUSEO REGIONALE, MESSINA.

Te Adoration of the Shepherds was commissioned for the Capuchin Franciscans and was painted in Messina for the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in 1609, just one year before the artist's death. Te focal point of the scene is Mary in the centre. Te central theme of the painting is humility. By seating the Virgin on the ground, Caravaggio implies that she is not a heavenly queen, but rather a simple young mother. Tis painting is a representation of the majority. Te response of the shepherds is to admire rather than to venerate. Tere is a calmness and tranquility that is unmistakably conveying their worth as common folk for the people as the parents of the Saviour. Image source: Wikipedia Commons.

ADORATION OF THE MAGI, LEONARDO DA VINCI, C.1478–1482.UFFIZI, FLORENCE.

Te Adoration of the Magi, was commissioned by the Augustinian monks of San Donato in Scopeto in Florence in 1481, but Leonardo departed for Milan the following year, leaving the painting unfnished. Te Virgin Mary and Child are depicted in the foreground with the Magi kneeling in adoration. Te palm tree in the centre has associations with the Virgin Mary, partly due to the phrase "You are stately as a palm tree" from the Song of Solomon, which is believed to prefgure her. Te other tree in the painting is from the carob family; the seeds from this tree are used as a unit of measurement for valuable stones and jewels. It is therefore associated with crowns, suggesting Christ as the king of kings or the Virgin as the future queen of heaven, as well as that this is nature's gif to the newborn Christ. Leonardo used bright colors to illuminate the foreground fgures, painting the Virgin and Child in yellow, the colour of light. Te trees are painted blue, an unusual color for trees of any kind. Image source: Wikipedia Commons.

This page: Adoration of the Magi (detail), Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1478–1482. Uffizi, Florence. Image: Wikipedia Commons.

THE MYSTICAL NATIVITY, SANDRO BOTTICELLI, C.1500–1501, NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON.

Botticelli’s Mystical Nativity difers greatly from his Birth of Venus or La Primavera and flled with controversial and interesting symbols. Te painting depicts a scene of joy and celebration, with angels dancing at the top of the painting, but also apocalyptic and troubling words - the Greek inscription translates as: 'Tis picture, at the end of the year 1500, in the troubles of Italy, I, Alessandro, in the half-time afer the time, painted, according to the eleventh (chapter) of Saint John, in the second woe of the Apocalypse, during the release of the devil for three and a half years; then he shall be bound in the twelfh (chapter) and we shall see (him buried) as in this picture'. Botticelli believed himself to be living during the Great Tribulation, possibly due to the upheavals in Europe at the time, and was predicting Christ's millennium as stated in the Book of Revelation. At the top of the painting twelve angels dressed in the colours of faith, hope and charity dance in a circle holding olive branches, and above them heaven opens in a great golden dome, while at the bottom of the painting three angels embrace three men, seeming to raise them up from the ground. Tey hold scrolls that proclaim in Latin, "peace on earth to men of goodwill". Behind them seven devils fee to the underworld. Image source: Wikipedia Commons.

THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS A NIGHT PIECE, REMBRANDT VAN RIJN, C.1657, RIJKSMUSEUM.

In this unusually nocturnal Adoration, tardy shepherds arouse the Holy Family. Rembrandt's adoration evokes the cold uncomfortable night, with the Virgin Mary and Christ Jesus bundled up trying to keep warm. Image courtesy Rijksmuseum.

NATIVITY WITH ST.FRANCIS AND ST.LAWRENCE,

CARAVAGGIO, 1609. Missing since 1969 when it was stolen from the Oratory of Saint Lawrence in Palermo. Te painting was completed in 1600 at the peak of Caravaggio’s career and features his dramatic chiaroscuro technique. Te central theme is the Christ-child himself, lying on a bed of straw, surrounded by saints and shepherds who worship the newborn. Te work currently ranks 2nd on the FBI's list of top 10 art crimes. If it still survives and is sold, has an estimated value of $20 million.

Image source: Wikipedia Commons.

TE TAMARI NO ATUA, THE BIRTH OF CHRIST, PAUL GAUGUIN, 1896, NEUE PINAKOTHEK, MUNICH.

Te Impressionist painter Paul Gauguin spent much of his life in the French Polynesian islands. He went to Tahiti in 1890 to spark his creativity and capture the island’s lush beauty and there created a number of his more iconic paintings. His Nativity painting, Te Tamari no Atua –Te Birth of Christ, is one of the most unique depictions and breaks away from the common portrayal of Mary and Jesus as Hebrew or European. Here they are Polynesian and Mary is portrayed just afer childbirth, lying at peace on a bright yellow bed with her eyes focused on a nurse holding the baby Jesus in her arms.

Image source: Wikipedia Commons.

John Ruskin

MILAN AS YOU’VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE

INSIDE MILAN

A REVEALING GLIMPSE INTO THE HOMES OF MILAN’S FOREMOST CREATIVE RESIDENTS

Nicolò Castellini Baldissera is an internationally acclaimed interior designer and decorator. Hailing from a celebrated Milanese family of architects and designers, he developed his own characteristic style defined by colour, collecting, and tastefully curated interiors. He divides his time between Milan and Tangier, and is the author of Inside Tangier, his first collaboration with photographer Guido Taroni. In his new book Inside Milan, Nicolò Castellini Baldissera’s carefully curated collection of interiors unveils the boundless creative energy that lies behind the city’s steely, cool facade, masterfully immortalized through Guido Taroni’s artful photography capturing each Milanese resident’s idiosyncratic style, interior designer. Photography Guido Taroni, courtesy Vendome Press.

“The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love colour the most.”

Inside Milan ventures behind closed doors in this trend-setting cultural capital renowned for being a world leader in fashion, industry, art, and design. In this beautifully photographed new book, icons like Veronica Etro, Martina Mondadori, JJ Martin, and Barnaba Fornasetti reveal why they call this notoriously elusive city home. From sophisticated clean lines and muted tones to rooms bursting with art and colour, the palazzos and apartments showcased in this stunning volume uncover the creative heart of this vibrant and cosmopolitan city.

“Iwas born in a city filled with luminaries yet characterized by an exceedingly dull exterior. In Italian, Milan is often described as minerale –literally “mineral,” meaning grey and cold. It is neither baroque and seductive like Naples, nor exotic like Venice and Palermo. There is none of Turin’s prim and presentable regularity and it completely lacks the delicious antiquity of Bologna”, writes Nicolò Castellini Baldissera in the introduction.

“M

ilan is Italy’s modern city –the only one I’ve known with mosquitoes hearty enough to withstand a winter’s frost. Each weekend, whole neighborhoods empty out as the denizens retreat north to the mountains, and south to the sea – to somewhere with charm… To Italy. Lacking natural beauty, Milan has to work for it. It is a city dominated by industrialists; here, even the aristocrats are entrepreneurial. It is a city of doers, where fairs for fashion and design engulf and interrupt daily life. Precisely because it is not the Eternal City – a place where the residents can relax into the upholstery –it often remains elusive to foreigners. To discover Milan, you must meet the Milanese – the creators of their own beauty.”

“A

s a young man I hated it, and fled as soon as I graduated high school. Life was claustrophobic and provincial. The city’s streets were haunted by successful ancestors, turning Milan into a feudal nest, and London soon became my city –a place where I could, for the first time in my life, arrive at a party that wasn’t filled with cousins.”

“W

hen I returned to Milan many years later – first dipping my toe in, by coming back to my childhood home, then eventually finding my own apartment – I discovered that the city had blossomed in my absence. Or maybe I had just grown to appreciate it. Over the years I had paid regular visits to my family back home, keeping track of Milan’s slow but constant evolution. But it was when visiting for the World Expo in 2015 that I recognized how far Milan had come, and I found myself

confronted by a new reality: a modern, dynamic, and vibrant city, built on a human scale that made it easy to move around without being stuck in traffic for hours. I felt the urge to reacquaint myself with my roots.

The Milanese make way for commerce, especially when it comes to art and design, and the ease of finding artisans to help realize my every whim made work much simpler. These days, Milan is bursting with excitement and creativity, and it reminds me of Tangier, Morocco, where I spend several months each year.”

“In 2019, Guido Taroni and I published our first collaboration, Inside Tangier. It was an exhilarating process – and one that called for a follow-up. As we began working, visiting a variety of Milanese homes belonging to leading names

in spheres ranging from the arts, design, architecture, and fashion, to music, business, and charity, we began to see how each character in our book invented their own Milan style. They are each the protagonists of a city built on the endless energy and creativity of its residents.”

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER.

Guido Taroni is a leading photographer specializing in fashion and interiors. Inspired by his uncle, renowned fashion photographer Giovanni Gastel, Taroni forged a characteristic style which has seen his work regularly exhibited as well as featured in iconic design publications such as Cabana. His books include Inside Tangier and Safari Style. He lives in Milan.

Inside Milan by Nicolò Castellini Baldissera. Photography by Guido Taroni. Published by Vendome Press. Hardcover, 352 pages, 250 colour illustrations.

The thirteenth chapter in This is wine: its storied place and taste.

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO –TUSCANY –ITALY

THE BRUNELLO GENERATION I

“Fruit of the earth, work of human hands, blessed be God forever”

This page: Sunrise at San Quirico d’Orcia. The land around Montalcino is typified by a thick covering of forest, clearing at times for the traditional cultivation of vines and olive trees on the hillslopes that have helped fix the Val D’Orcia in the world’s imagination. Photograph Giuseppe Mondi.

runello di Montalcino sings in my mind because it plays its cards well sticking to one grape with tenacity and elegance. The terroir of varying clays and limestone; the elevation and exposure; become all important in conferring individualistic nuances otherwise less pronounced. Over and above winemaking style, choices in blending different plots, and decisions made in the vineyard; Montalcino does a Burgundy on Tuscany by sticking to its varietal guns.

Brunello has never been so good as technology, culture, history and innovation have come together in a style of wine that is both more approachable in its youth and still cellarworthy. But equally has all the finesse and nuances of a wine beholden with pinpoint expression of both terroir and vintage. This could be said of a lot of famous wine regions and will only be more the case in years to come, but we fortunate enough to be alive today are symbolically the Brunello generation, writes Kris Bonavita.

Brunello is essentially 100 percent San Giovese grape grown on relatively high altitude varieties of soil with good sun exposure in pretty arid conditions and barrelled for upwards of three years before being bottled and stored in perfect cellaring conditions for another two to three years. Upon release Brunello has the body and structure for a good few decades of soaring complexity as it matures into one of the most loved and well-prized wines of the world.

The typical profile is a dry tannic surfeit of red to darker cherries and forest berries with well-integrated secondary flavours ranging from patent leather, black olives, fennel, and molasses to sun-dried figs and

violets kept together by a distinct savoury silhouette of gravy notes, tomato pulp and Provençal herbs. The age of the wine in tandem expresses to a higher or lesser degree the fruit, wood and undergrowth reaching the apex of complexity after two or three decades. Patience is thus as much in order as dipping in from the start as a good way of appreciating each vintage and winery and goes a long way to explain its popularity over and above the gorgeous Tuscan landscape and picturesque hamlets which make up its lands, many of us have visited and enjoy contemplating over with fond memories. A fun fact is one of three Brunello bottles is drunk at a restaurant table in the United States, so nostalgia is certainly a part of its celebrity status.

THE LAND OF FOUR VINTAGES

The name Brunello is the local name of the Sangiovese varietal grape grown in the Montalcino region at the southern end of Tuscany from at least the 14th century. Perhaps while not the origins but the beginnings of its fame are set in the mid-19th century when a farmer in the region, Clemente Santi, chose to pick plantings of Sangiovese and produce a 100 percent varietal wine that was ageworthy (an innovative practice at the time when wines such as Chianti were vinified as a blend of grapes). The wine would receive accolades in Italy and recognition even in Paris and Bordeaux. His grandson, a soldier fresh from campaigns under Garibaldi, would pick up the vigneron reigns and go a step further, aging the wine in large wooded barrels for over a decade to

produce the first modern version. Ferruccio Biondi Santi was of the opinion that ten years in oak would be just about right to come out with his first cuvee in 1888 and behold Brunello as we know it today was born. Judiciously to be followed by only three other vintages –1891, 1925, 1945; to bring us to the end of the Second World War when the fame of the wine was such that it was of a rarity and calibre few Italian labels have ever achieved.

Even with just four vintages, such was its prestige, it inspired other producers to go down the single varietal route within the Montalcino region, having 11 producers by the 60s, 25 by the 70s, 50 by the 80s, to end up with the Goldilocks period of today where close to two hundred producers, mostly farmers and family estates, churn out around 330,000 cases every year.

The name Brunello is the local name of the Sangiovese varietal grape grown in the Montalcino region at the southern end of Tuscany from at least the 14th century.

This page: One of the many beautiful views in the hills of Val d’Orcia, southwest of Montalcino. Photograph Fabrizio Lunardi.

The typical profile of Brunello is a dry tannic surfeit of red to darker cherries and forest berries with well-integrated secondary flavours ranging from patent leather, black olives, fennel and molasses to sun-dried figs and violets kept together by a distinct savoury silhouette of gravy notes, tomato pulp and Provençal herbs.

page: The Abbey of Sant’Antimo, Montalcino. Photograph Clay Banks.

This

HIGH, DRY AND SUNNY SIDE UP: THE BRUNELLO CODE OF ETHICS

Nestled amongst hills to the south of Siena, the village of Montalcino and its surrounding terrain enjoys the warmest and driest climates, ripening the earliest with the least rainfall, around 700mm in contrast to the 900mm of the Chianti regions further north. In this fervid setting, sun exposure and inclination of vineyard holdings take on a stronger nuance in expressing different Brunello styles, with the north-facing slopes having fewer hours of sunlight and a cooler disposition leading to racier more aromatic and structured wines, in contrast to the south and west oriented slopes and valley deeps known for their concentrated power and mid-palate complexity. In practice large producers owning various plots tend to blend grapes or wines from varying exposures and soils to procure the best of both worlds, while some stick loyally to one signature holding style. Altitude is also a distinct characteristic of the region with the town sitting around 500 metres above sea level and vineyards ranging between 500 and 150 metres, creating the right atmospheric conditions for nighttime temperatures to drop enough to preserve signature high levels of acidity, even during the peak ripening season. In addition, the comparatively small denomination of around 1200 hectares to the 17000 hectares of Chianti is ensconced in dense woodlands and hilly terrain, lending itself to a tempering influence on the summer heat and winter cold.

This may all seem like Brunello in its setting calls for a singularly homogenous wine, but in practice, in addition to winemaking style, the diversity of soils in the region ensures that each producer, despite their signature hand in the vineyard, char and cellar, has grapes which in the case of Sangiovese is singularly adapted at growing on a range of soils and expressing those differences in the multitude of flavours, aromas and textures they impart to the wine, not to mention structure and body. At least twenty types of soils can be safely distinguished even within some wineries’ holdings from a predominance of limestone and clay outcrops, to gravel schist slopes, volcanic soils, sands and silts in the deeper valleys, and crumbly marls known as galestro in the flatter fields.

DOCG

Notwithstanding the multitude of raw element differences, what holds the region together is a stringent code of laws dictating the outer parameters of what is least expected for wines to be given the accolade of Brunello di Montalcino. Indeed the consortium was the first to receive the superior wine accolade of DOCG (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin) due to its high standards. The wine can only be Sangiovese grown in the Montalcino region with an extended maceration to extract flavour and colour from the skin, following fermentation, in oak for a minimum of 28 months made up of either larger Slovenian casks that impart little flavour and allow for more austere wines, or French barriques adding a touch of warm spice torrefaction before a longer period in bottle. The Brunello Normale is released 50 months from harvest with the Reserva a year after that.

However, the key appreciative factor of Brunello’s stellar rise in quality, and unfortunately price, is the winemaker’s attention to detail, not just in the vineyard with biodynamic and organic practices becoming the norm, but in the process of vinification where loyalty to terroir, almost with a Burgundian spirit, has led to a precision and transparency in expressing the exact terroir and strengths of the grape leading to a calibre of wines that across the board have never been this exactingly delicious. Today Brunello is considered one of the top wine regions with its wines often having worldwide highest rankings according to critics and popular ratings.

To be continued.

Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Santa Caterina D’Ora 2015, 1.5Lt

Ciacci Piccolomini Riserva Santa Caterina d’Oro 2015 is ripe dark stone fruit and rose petals on the nose. The entry is a string of ripe and preserved fruit; mulberries, blackcurrants, red cherries, even plum with a midbodied elegant dry kirsch feel and some sweetness ending in a baked spice, nutmeg and vanilla bean finish. The finish is actually much more complex, sporting a toast brioche torrefaction, tobacco leaf, leathery molasses, roast nuts, iron filings to name just a few. The full-bodied but satiny textures with good hedonistic levels speak of bon ton clays and galestro marls with a mid slope and valley generosity and shape.

Upon further breathing the wine lifts up a tier to reveal fatter more ripe corpulent fruit flavours with well-integrated savoury and spice aromas, all held together by a bold fine boned needle structure that shows this is a big graceful wine in many ways.

The bouquet further evolves in the glass to show raw fresh figs, sweet red geraniums, even strawberries; certainly gravel plays a part in the wines’ making. Accompanying the flavours are seductive contours with decadent layers that will only become more readily available with good cellaring. This particular cuvee comes from southeast of Montalcino near the beautiful abbey of Sant Antimo from the Santa Caterina Painrosso holding. The vintage of course had near-perfect weather with a dry sunny summer finished off with a cool September adding lift and optimum ripening conditions. 2015 comes through with a soft-powered decadence and magnanimous textures. This is sweet, silky and delicious. Give a good decant or cellar for decades.

Supplier details: Attard & Co. Wines has a good range of Italian wines. Attard & Co. Wines, Canter House, P. Felicjan Bilocca Str., Marsa. Tel 00356 2123 7555 (Gozo 00356 2156 4570). Web attardcowines.com

Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2012

Donatella Cinelli Colombini Riserva 2012 opens with feisty savoury aromas of undergrowth, musk, dark forest berries and shitake mushrooms. The secondaries are in full swing with the tertiaries creeping up. A strong entry of tart and ripe black maraschino cherries with a dry mid-palate boldness ending in a mahogany and embers leather finish. There is a Raw Sienna limestone savouriness with some clay adding corpulence and woods showing this is a mid-slope and valley clay blend with heartwarming precision.

Upon breathing a Burgundian feel comes through with a stemy heart and mineralized notes of cedar and ash, showing that some sand and schist is also in the making. More damson plums and dark cherries with a sous bois gameyness in the making resolve themselves in a baked fennel, oregano, guinea fowl, balsamic vinegar and rose petal perfume toast finish.

Stellar 2012 is albeit a vignerons’ vintage requiring skill to navigate the drought conditions leading to small berries with reduced yields and certainly the potency and splendid character of this wine is a feather in this winery’s hat. The vineyards’ northern slope location helped with a cooler overall climate to create a big wine with a lot of depth and flavour. The Galestro marls and sandstones give a consistently powered exoticality which is a signature of this soaring Riserva.

Supplier details: Vini e Capricci has a vast selection of Brunello and Italian wines. Vini e Capricci by Abraham’s, Gozitano Agricultural Village, Mgarr Road, Xewkija Gozo. Tel 00356 2156 3231. Web viniecapricci.com

Tenuta Luce’s Brunello 2016’s bouquet is walnut, vanilla, blackcurrants, blackberries and menthol. The attack is tart currants and cranberries with wild visciole cherries in quick succession, with a rich mid-bodied savoury wooded tomato pulp (think osso buco), musk, fennel and sage finish. The forest fruit and soft potent tannins speak of limestone and clay marls, with some schist gravel and sand volcanics giving all the floral and spiced richness and complexity.

Upon breathing damson plums with more chew, touch of dried fig with dark olive, tobacco and roast hazelnuts for good measure. This is broad-shouldered, concentrated and reserved in equal measure, a good reflection of the stellar 2016. The vintage is characterised by a vigneron’s dream-perfect weather conditions across the board with well-timed rains and good diurnal temperatures resulting in wellstructured cellar-worthy wines with balance and acidity being the key notes to be enjoyed for decades to come.

The south-facing high-altitude fields in the Val D’Orcia neighbourhood is a further positive in having both a warmer mesoclimate and cool nights enough to make sure the best of 2016 is represented here. However, the star of the show to me are the soils with an accurate expression of the schist and sand overlying galestro marls so typical of Montalcino’s finest, the signature note of which is the balance or equal weighting between the entry body and finish and silky approachable tannins at any stage of drinking.

Supplier details: Charles Grech hasa vast selection of Brunello and Italian wines. Charles Grech, Palazzo Ca’ Brugnera, Valley Road, B’Kara. Tel: 00356 2144 4400 (Sliema 00356 2132 3731, Ibragg 00356 2137 8609, Ta’XbiexSeafront0035621315064).

Web charlesgrech.com

Marchesi Antinori Pian delle Vigne Vignaferrovia

2015

Pian delle Vigne Vignaferrovia Riserva 2015 has a bouquet of dark cherry, touch of plum, antique wood polish, vanilla and cinnamon. The attack is dulcet ripe dark fruit and berries with a wellwoven secondary profile of sun dried fig and spices. A mid-bodied weighting with silky textures and good corpulence speak of clay and limestone with some gravel in the mix, ending in a fruit and wood reserved finish. Upon breathing, a more perfumed bouquet of violets, maybe sandalwood, forest fruit flavours, and a more lasting and complex finish of burnt caramel toffee, cocoa nibs, orange rind and resinous cedar textures says a lot about this big vintage and beautiful cuvee.

Upon further decant a third richer and lush layer of undergrowth shows that this is very much on its way to a beautiful maturity to be enjoyed in years to come.

Vignaferrovia is only produced in the finest vintages from a 4-hectare parcel adjacent to a railway station belonging to the Antinori portfolio with ample sun-exposure west of Montalcino, hence the name. The stony calcareous and gravel soils do their part in creating a wine of intense flavour, peak fruit notes helped by a very strong secondary profile in the bouquet and textures revolving around spice, wood and undergrowth.

My only caveat is 2015 is an incredibly strong year producing wines bigger than their bottle but they need more time in the cellar or a very patient decant to gain expression and balance. The vintage is characterised by healthy winter rainfall followed by a perfect summer capped by a cold spell in September which, in this part of the world, offered a welcome reprieve in giving the wines a racy edge, structure and boldness to complement the ripe and mulled fruit, transparent power and hidden reserve. This is a big beautiful wine with underrated scorings but not in the immediate pop and pour category, so be patient.

Supplier details: S. Rausi Trading has the full portfolio of Marchesi Antinori Wines. S Rausi Trading Ltd, Empire Stadium Str, Gzira. Tel 00356 2131 6210. Web srausi.com/shop

Gaja Brunello di Montalcino Pieve 2017

88, exclusively represented by Mirachem

Gaja’s Pieve Santa Restuita 2017 is walnuts, dark currants, forest, leather and mint on the nose. The attack is reserved blackcurrants, wild cherries and bramble with a Provençal herb and dry sherry finish. There is a racy tension to the ripeness which talks of a cool night harvest, and an arching restraint that speaks of hard limestone, chalk, some schist and a touch of clay with a mid-slope subtlety to the primaries and upper rock aromatic richness giving this an elegant streak throughout both in shape and volume. Upon good breathing peaked cherry kirsch, musk leather, dash of smoky tar and broader fruit and nut midpalate flavours, ending in a juniper berry, coffee grind tart tingling liquorice molasses and savoury rabbit gravy finale.

The vintage comes through in the dry concentrated yields allowing an approachability and powered reserve for further keeping or decanting. However the highlight of this wine is the terroir-dominated Gaja precision.

Pieve in 2017 is a blend from the prized Sugarile and Rennina vineyards known for their elegant vivacity and tannic strengths due to their chalk and limestone-rich soils and to a lesser extent the Torrenier northeastern holding. The blend of all three gives a complexity and balance roundedness with a competing tension between structure and potent content which makes this fun and in a class of its own.

Supplier details: Mirachem has a vast selection of Brunello and Italian wines. Mirachem, Mira Building, Triq Kan K Pirotta, B’Kara. Tel 00356 2148 8590. Web wine.mt

DINNER DATE FOR TWO

While the Christmas holidays can get hectic meeting family and friends, some quiet time and a dinner date for two can be a welcome treat. Here Mediterranean Culinary Academy's Tonio Micallef shares a stunning Rabbit Tortellaci recipe and decadent Chocolate Brownie Baked Cheesecake for a dinner for two. The recipes were developed to be prepared and enjoyed by couples - so whether it's for a romantic dinner with your significant other or even with a close friend, enjoy the process together from beginning to end.

“Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with complete abandon or not at all.”

Harriet

Van Horne

Cooking and recipes by Tonio Micallef at Mediterranean Culinary Academy. Photography Jessica Zammit.

FOR TWO

RABBIT TORTELLACI WITH BRAISED RADICCHIO IN STOUT AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE

FOR RABBIT FARCE FILLING

150g rabbit (deboned) 5 mushrooms, diced 1/2 onion, diced 1 garlic clove, diced 1tsp grain mustard 1tbsp dehydrated porcini salt as needed 1/2 cup malt beer 2tbsp grated Parmesan

1. Sautee onion, garlic and mushroom in some oil.

2. Hydrate porcini mushrooms in some hot water.

3. Add rabbit meat to onion mix.

4. Once hydrated chop porcini mushrooms and add to mixture.

5. Add liquid from the hydrated porcini mushrooms.

6. Cook mixture until nearly all liquid has evaporated.

7. Mix in mustard.

8. Add malt beer and cook gently until liquid reduces again.

9. Add parmesan and allow to cool.

FOR BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE

500g butternut squash, peeled and diced 150g vegetable stock 1 garlic clove, diced salt as needed

1. Place butternut squash in a pot with garlic and stock.

2. Cook until squash is tender. 3. Allow to cool. 4. Blend to a smooth puree.

FOR RABBIT TORTELLACI

200g rabbit farce pasta dough 1/2 radicchio, sliced into thick strips 1/2 onion, sliced into thick strips 100ml red wine 150ml stout/ malt beer 100g sugar (use if using stout) 50g butter 75g butternut puree salt and extra butter as needed

1. Cut 6 squares plain pasta dough approx 11cm x 11cm. Cut 6 smaller squares with beetroot dough approx 8cm x 8cm.

2. Roll out 6 balls of farce approx 25g each. Place in centre of each pasta round.

3. Lay beetroot square in centre and on top of plain pasta square brushing with a little water to seal together.

4. Using your fingers apply a little water to outer rim of pasta square and close to form a triangle. Wet one corner and press corners together to form a Tortellaci.

5. Place prepared pasta sheets into a bowl with a little semolina and toss to

coat evenly.

6. FOR BRAISED RADICCHIO Add radicchio and onion to a sauté pan on a low heat, add Stout or malt beer, red wine and sugar if needed. Once radicchio is soft and liquid nearly completely evaporated add butter and check for seasoning.

7. FOR SERVING Heat butternut squash puree in a pan and add a small knob of butter to give a little shine. Spoon puree to centre of plate and add braised radicchio on top. Cook tortellaci in salted boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove from water and toss in garlic butter. Place neatly onto radicchio. Drizzle with melted butter.

FOR PASTA DOUGH

200g fine ground semolina 1 whole egg 3 egg yolks 5ml olive oil 2g salt 10ml water

1. Place semolina in a mixing bowl, create a well for eggs.

2. Into well add yolks, whole egg, water, salt and olive oil. Mix well with a fork.

3. Using your fingers, slowly incorporate flour into egg mixture, by using flour on inner side of well.

4. When a dough starts to form and all liquid is incorporated, transfer mix onto a flat surface. Knead until the dough is smooth and allows for some stretch, approximately 10 minutes.

5. Cover in cling film and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.

6. Uncover and roll out dough using a rolling pin until dough is thin enough to pass through the lowest pasta machine setting.

7. Pass rolled-out dough through lowest setting - repeat twice.

8. Continue feeding dough through pasta machine, each time reducing thickness until reaching desired thickness. In each setting pass dough through twice to ensure an even consistency.

FOR BEETROOT PASTA DOUGH

Same ingredients as above, plus 30g beetroot powder. Repeat process as above, adding beetroot powder with semolina in first step.

SUNKISSED IN CRETE, HARVESTED BY HAND

This olive’s “natural juice” has all its ingredients intact thanks to the diligent process it undergoes from cultivation to pressing. Cultivated in Sitia, on the island of Crete, in an area world-famous for the quality of its olive oil, the olive trees grow in excellent soil conditions and in a special microclimate. Obtained through cold extraction and solely by mechanical means a few hours after harvest, this Extra Virgin Olive Oil is produced exclusively from the superior “Koroneiki” variety which offer a superb balance between bitter, spicy and fruity flavours and a distinct emerald shade.

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE BAKED CHEESECAKE

this recipe gives four chocolate brownie baked cheesecakes. The question is –will two survive the dinner date?

1. BROWNIE MIX. Melt dark chocolate in a bowl on a pan of boiling water and leave to cool slightly. Meanwhile cream together butter and sugars. Gradually beat in eggs and then melted chocolate. Sift cocoa powder and flour and fold into mixture. Fold in mixed chocolate chips and hazelnuts. 2. CHEESE CAKE MIX. Cream egg and sugar to a thick pale yellow. Add vanilla and fold in cream cheese. 3. Line 4 ramekins with butter and parchment paper. 4. Spoon in brownie filling to fill up to half of ramekins. 5. Tap filling down and spoon cream cheese filling on top leaving 1cm from rim for rising. Sprinkle with chopped almonds. 6. Bake in a preheated oven at 170C for 25 minutes. 7. Cool and serve. (Here shown served with a light berry compote and dried orange slices for decoration.)

SERVES 4

FOR

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE MIX

50g dark chocolate 70%

65g salted butter

75g caster sugar

25g brown sugar

2 eggs

30g cocoa powder

20g all purpose flour

25g dark chocolate chips 70%

25g white chocolate chips

25g milk chocolate chips

100g toasted blanched hazelnuts

roughly chopped almonds for topping

FOR BAKED CHEESE CAKE MIX

150g cream cheese

1 egg

1/4cup granulated sugar

1tsp vanilla essence

Recipes are from The Mediterranean Culinary Academy’s collection. For more recipes, or to book a cooking class visit www.mcamalta.com or email contact@mcamalta.com.

Share your creations by tagging @mca_malta or sending MCA a photo on their socials.

“Mrs Forrester... sat in state, pretending not to know what cakes were sent up, though she knew, and we knew, and she knew that we knew, and we knew that she knew that we knew, she had been busy all the morning making tea-bread and sponge-cakes.”

Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford

GLUTEN FREE Sensational Desserts and Bakes

Julia Child famously said: “This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook - try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all have fun.” These recipes bring together classic desserts and treats - the only twist is that they are all gluten free, and so can be enjoyed by all invited to your Christmas meal or when entertaining over the holidays. And remember, keep Julia Child's wise advice in mind when rolling up the meringue for the roulade - be fearless. If it cracks or crumbles, just push it all together and dust it with icing.

Main photography Diliara Garifullina.

GLUTEN FREE GINGERBREAD

Christmas baking is not just about food - it's also about memories. This recipe is fun to make with family or friends. Roll up your sleeves, make a cup of tea and get decorating together.

100g salted butter

3tbsp golden syrup

100g dark muscovado sugar

1/2tsp baking soda

1 1/2tbsp ground ginger

1tsp ground cinnamon

225g gluten-free plain flour

50g icing sugar

1. Heat butter, golden syrup and sugar in a pan until dissolved - stir occasionally. Set aside to cool slightly.

2. Sieve baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and flour to a large bowl. Pour in melted butter mixture and combine. Bring together to a soft dough with your hands. Refrigerate dough to set firm –about an hour.

3. After dough has set, remove from fridge and roll out on a surface lightly dusted with flour to 1/2cm thickness. Cut shapes desired. Bake on a lined baking tray in a preheated oven at 190C for 10-15 minutes depending on shape size. Remove from oven and cool.

4. For icing, combine icing sugar with 1-2 tbsp hot water and a drop of lemon juice to a thick pipeable (but not runny) consistency. Pipe and decorate cooled gingerbread as desired.

Photography this page Diliara Garifullina.

ROULADE

In a heatproof bowl over a pan of hot water (bowl should be placed above water, not touching) add eggs, sugar, zest, juice, salt and whisk. Add butter and cook until smooth and thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove bowl and allow to cool. Once cooled cover with clingfilm touching surface to prevent skin forming, and refrigerate.

Photography this page Diliara Garifullina.

HOMEMADE HOT CHOCOLATE

Photography this page Christiann Koepke.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

This classic French dessert, with just 5 ingredients, is quite simple to make –the secret lies in using the best quality ingredients you can get. It's the perfect light finish to a heavy meal.

SERVES 6 180g chopped good quality dark chocolate

7. Divide mousse into 6 serving dishes or glasses. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Chocolate mousse should not be stored for more than 24 hours in the refrigerator. 8. To serve garnish with lightly sweetened whipped cream, your choice of nuts, grated chocolate, or a fancy gluten free biscuit.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS AND FOOD FOR THOUGHT

GET MOVING: MUSCLE AND AGEING

Muscle is important for good health –here’s how to maintain it after middle age

While it’s almost unnoticeable to begin with, nearly every cell, organ and biological process gets a little bit worse every year we’re alive starting from age 30 or so. The sum of these processes is what we know as ageing. For most of us, loss of muscle strength and mass are some of the first and most obvious age-related changes we see. While this might only start out as a couple of extra little aches and pains, over time a lack of muscle mass can lead to a number of issues –including poor balance, frailty and loss of independence. It’s also associated with a myriad of health problems, including higher risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease and even dementia, says Bradley Elliott, Senior Lecturer in Physiology, University of Westminster. Photography Milo Weiler.

While researchers aren’t entirely sure why muscle mass decreases so much as we get older, the good news is that we do know regular exercise can help lessen this impact – and can even delay some of this inevitable muscle loss. Regular physical activity is also shown to lower risk of preventable diseases, maintain physical function well into old age, and even improve immune function.

GET MOVING

Given how important muscle is for our health, the best way to maintain it after 30 is to keep moving. But let’s say you’re someone who hasn’t regularly exercised in a few years, or has never done muscle-building exercises before. First and foremost, remember that ageing doesn’t mean you need to avoid heavy exercise. Our research suggested that younger and older men recovered in a similar manner to heavy muscle-building resistance training, so long as the training was tailored to each participant’s fitness level.

However, it’s important to consider your abilities before you begin exercising. A common mistake people make after being off training for years (or even decades) is trying to do what they used to do, or doing too much too quickly in those first workouts. This may lead to injury, so it’s important to build your workouts up gradually.

Realistically, the best workout plan to follow (for example) is the NHS’s physical activity recommendations for 18-65-year-olds. This says people should aim to be physically active most days, and do muscle-building exercises at least two days per week.

But what kind of muscle-building exercises should you do? Well, there’s actually a myriad of different types of resistance exercise to choose from, and all are more or less equally as beneficial as the other. The cliché people immediately think of is large, muscular people lifting heavy weights in a gym, but there many more options out there.

So if you prefer doing bodyweight exercises such as pilates, using resistance bands, or hard work while gardening over lifting barbells, that’s what you should aim to do twice a week. Enjoyment counts for a lot, especially if it means you’ll keep doing your new exercise routines. Endurance-based exercise (such as walking, running and cycling) are also very good for you in multiple ways, beyond just building muscle and improving heart health. There’s also a very clear relationship between

longevity and doing light physical activity daily.

However, it’s important not to do too much of a good thing - especially high-intensity, resistance-based training. Research shows that doing more vigorous high intensity physical activity than recommended isn’t associated with substantial benefits to longevity. For clarity, this data doesn’t suggest the high intensity is negative in terms of health, just that more isn’t necessarily better.

From a dietary point of view, many older people don’t eat enough protein. Sufficient protein intake is necessary to increase and maintain muscle masseven more so if you’re regularly exercising. Current guidelines recommend a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein per kg of body mass per day for all adults.

But you’ll need to double this to 1.6 grams per kg of body mass if you’re looking to build muscle. So for a person who weighs 70kg, they would need to eat around 112g of protein per day to build muscle. This would be the equivalent of eating approximately one large chicken breast, a protein shake, three eggs and a can of tuna (though it will vary depending on what products you use, so be sure to check the labels).

This seems to be especially important for physically active older people (over 60 years of age). It’s also good to spread the protein you consume evenly throughout the day to help your body absorb so much protein as it can per meal.

While muscle will still inevitably decrease with age no matter how much you exercise, being physically active often is still one of the best ways we know of when it comes to maximising both good health and fitness and lifespan. And the earlier you make exercise a habit, the better off you may be in old age.

This article first appeared on The Conversation.

ALZHEIMER’S: EXERCISE MAY REDUCE BRAIN INFLAMMATION, HELPING TO PROTECT US FROM THE DISEASE

PROTECTING THE BRAIN AS WE AGE

Physical activity is very important for a number of reasons - including that it helps to protect the structure and function of our brain as we age. This may be key in reducing the risk of developing certain neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Though researchers have known about the protective effect of exercise for many years, exactly why it has this effect on the brain has remained a mystery. But a recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience might shed some light on this puzzle. According to its findings, physical activity alters the activity of the brain’s immune cells, which lowers inflammation in the brain, says Áine Kelly, Professor in Physiology, Trinity College Dublin.

The brain contains a class of special immune cells known as microglia, which constantly survey the brain tissue for damage or infection, and clear away debris or dying cells.

Microglia also help direct the production of new neurons (nerve cells in the brain which communicate and send messages to other cells) via a process called neurogenesis, which is linked with learning and memory.

But in order for microglia to step up and do their job, they need to switch from a resting state to an activated state. Signals from pathogens (such as a virus) or from damaged cells will activate the microglia. This changes their shape and causes them to produce proinflammatory molecules - allowing them to resolve and repair damage or infection.

However, microglia can also be inappropriately activated as we age, causing chronic brain inflammation and impairing neurogenesis. This inflammation has been suggested as a reason why brain function often declines with age, and these changes can be even worse in the case of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

Studies in laboratory mice and rats have shown that exercise can counteract some of the damaging effects of microglial activation. But this latest study has revealed for the first time a link between physical activity, reduced microglial activation and better cognitive function in the human brain.

The study’s researchers looked at 167 men and women who participated in the Rush Memory and Aging Project. This is a longterm project at Rush University in Chicago which seeks to identify factors that contribute to brain health in older people.

Participants completed annual assessments of their physical activity, which was monitored by a wearable activity tracker, alongside assessments of their cognitive function and motor performance (such as muscle strength and walking speed).

Participants also donated their brains for post-mortem analysis as part of the study. This allowed the researchers to analyse the brain tissue for evidence of activated microglia, and for signs of disease in the brain - such as unhealthy blood

vessels, or the presence of plaques containing the protein beta-amyloid (a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease). The researchers also looked at the levels of synaptic proteins in participants’ brains. Synapses are the tiny junctions between nerve cells where information is transmitted, so the levels of these gives a broad indication of healthy brain function.

On average, the participants were 86 years old when their physical activity began to be monitored and around 90 years old when they died. About a third of the participants had no cognitive impairment, a third had mild cognitive impairment and a third had been diagnosed with dementia. But post-mortem analysis revealed that around 60% of participants actually had signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain (such as amyloid plaques). This shows that the presence of typical signs of Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t necessarily mean a person will show major symptoms of cognitive impairment while they’re alive. Unsurprisingly, the younger the participants, the more physically active they were and the better their motor function. Overall, being more physically active was associated with lower microglial activation in certain brain regions (such as the inferior temporal gyrus, which is involved in memory and recall) which are typically affected early on when Alzheimer’s begins developing.

This was true even when signs of Alzheimer’s were present in the brain. This suggests that physical activity can reduce the damaging effects of inflammation in the brain - even when a disease has already started to develop. The study also showed that more microglial activation was linked with greater cognitive decline and lower synaptic protein levels. Not only do these findings indicate that inflammation in the brain can significantly affect cognitive function, and may be a risk factor in developing Alzheimer’s disease, they also show that physical activity may help us to develop resilience in the brain to effects that would otherwise be damaging.

While these findings are promising, there are some limitations to the study. Postmortem analysis can only reveal one single snapshot in time of the status of the brain. This means that we can’t tell exactly when signs of disease developed in participants’ brains - and at what point physical activity could have made a difference.

The study was also only observational, meaning it observed changes in participants going about their lives – as opposed to an interventional study in which different people would be randomly assigned to two different groups where some exercised and some did not. We therefore cannot conclude with certainty that physical activity directly caused the observed changes in brain tissue and cognitive function. These findings also don’t explain the mechanism by which exercise induces these effects.

But this study still adds weight to the growing body of evidence that physical activity can protect brain health and functioneven into old age. Being active throughout our lives is likely to give us the best chance of preventing Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative conditions from developing, helping us to live long, healthy and independent lives.

This article first appeared on The Conversation.

Caring for the Elderly

It is good to note the importance of maintaining muscle and mobility to help beat problems that can arise in middle age. Ageing can result in different concerns such as lack of muscle mass which can lead to a number of issues –including poor balance, frailty and loss of independence –as well as a higher risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and even dementia. One should be aware and keep physically fit for a number of reasons, including to protect the structure and function of our brain as we age, which may be key in reducing the risk of developing certain neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, writes the team at St Vincent de Paul Long-term Care Facility. Photography Milo Weiler.

PHYSIO

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour influence the health of older adults. Engaging in physical activity and achieving the World Health Organization’s physical activity guidelines prevents disease, whilst excessive sitting behaviour increases the risk of ill-health, disease and decline in functional activity. Physical activity happens differently throughout the day during work, travel, and leisure time. In older adults, light-intensity physical activity has been found to be beneficial to maintain daily function. Light-intensity physical activity includes doing house work, going out with friends and doing errands. More importantly, decreasing the risk of frailty and falls in older adults is done by engaging in balance and strength training twice a week. This type of exercise is less strenuous, less timeconsuming and can be carried out in a person’s home. Engaging in regular physical activity will help your well-being. Avoiding prolonged sitting behaviour will help to decrease your health decline. A physiotherapist can advice you on the best type of exercise you can engage in with your current health conditions. Carrying strength and balance exercises can seem to be a difficult task at first but with the right guidance can be integrated in your daily routine. Speak to a physiotherapist for advice.

DEMENTIA

The main role for nurses working with people who have been diagnosed with dementia is to build a therapeutic relationship with them. Getting to know the residents' past is part and parcel of a dementia care plan and aides in providing person-centred care. Nurses do this by meeting with the residents' relatives and through an informal interview record the person's background, important life events, as well as their preferences and routines. This is kept in the resident's medical file and used by all members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) as required.

Nurses observe and assess their wards' residents on a daily basis and liaise about

their observations with their wards' Charge Nurse and Medical Consultant. Residents are later referred to the appropriate member from the MDT according to their particular needs. The most common referrals are those to Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists, Dementia Practice Nurses, and Psychiatrists.

The care environment can have a big impact on the lives of persons with dementia. Nurses and the caring team have the responsibility to keep the place tranquil, free from clutter, and safe from items that can be hazardous (to some more than others).

Good communication skills are paramount for persons with dementia. Nurses observe both verbal and nonverbal cues in order to provide a good quality of life. Especially in the early afternoon hours when sundowning is most experienced by persons with dementia, nurses manage symptoms of agitation by engaging with persons with dementia through meaningful activities and non-pharmacological approaches with the help of visuals and sounds such as music whenever possible.

PODIATRY

Whilst we spend a large portion of our days walking, our feet are normally overlooked. By 80 years of age, the average person would have walked around 160,000km. As one can imagine this leads to a good amount of wear and tear on our feet. Foot problems tend to be of concern to elderly patients with injuries or complications affecting their quality of life and reducing general wellness. Ageing affects the circulation of the feet and reduces one’s immune response thus making the elderly more prone to infection and increasing the time for lacerations, blisters or ulcers to heal.

Podiatrists play a key role in assessing foot health. If foot care is ignored this could lead to more serious problems such as infections, ulcerations and even amputations.

Mobility is crucial in maintaining independence and quality of life.

Podiatrists can give advice in order to

help manage foot pathologies that can affect mobility, such as choosing the right footwear for each situation, prescribing offloading devices, removing hyperkeratotic lesions, as well as nail care. Elderly living with dementia can benefit from attending podiatric services at St. Vincent de Paul. During the appointment, patients are assessed and treatment is given. Our aim is to make sure our patients remain mobile and active as long as possible.

SPEECH

The Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) at St. Vincent de Paul is involved in identifying whether there are difficulties in swallowing and communication, or whether such changes are a part of normal ageing. As people grow older, the skills of communication and swallowing may change, therefore affecting the quality of life. In light of this, the role of the SLP is to provide therapy with respect to communication and swallowing, aiming at maintaining a good quality of life.

Communication difficulties may consist of difficulties with thinking of the right words to say, speaking clearly in such a way that other people can understand, and having a healthy voice, amongst others. These difficulties may occur due to a number of reasons, such as stroke or a brain injury, or more progressive disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease and Dementia.

With swallowing, the SLP assesses the safety of the swallow on different types of foods and liquids, giving recommendations to minimise risks of choking on food and chest infections resulting from food or liquids in lungs. In such cases, the SLP may recommend altering the consistency of the food, or providing strategies for the individual to swallow more safely.

“Humanity has a choice – cooperate or perish”, said United Nations Secretary General António Guterres at the start of the UN Climate Climate Change Conference –COP27 –this past November in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where heads of State, ministers, and negotiators, along with climate activists, mayors, civil society representatives and CEOs met for the largest annual gathering on climate action. Now this December, hot on the heals of COP27, COP15 is taking place in Montreal Canada. WHAT IS COP15? ‘COP’ simply stands for the Conference of the Parties of an international convention and, this year, there are three – one for biodiversity (COP15), one for climate change (COP27) and one for world wildlife (COP19). The numbers simply indicate how many times the parties have met. COP15 – or the United Nations Biodiversity Conference – is the fifteenth meeting of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), bringing together countries to agree on targets to ensure the survival of species and stem the collapse of ecosystems across the world. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic countries had not met for several years, making COP-15 more pressing than ever, with renewed pressure to put in place the financial and political support needed, especially since previous targets, agreed at COP10 in Aichi, Japan had not been met.

Biodiversity and ecosystems play an essential role for climate regulation. Peatlands, wetlands, soil, forests and oceans play a crucial role in absorbing and storing carbon, and thus helping to protect us from climate change. Currently, terrestrial and marine ecosystems absorb roughly half of the CO2 emissions humanity generates. Terrestrial ecosystems store about 2100 Gt of carbon in living organisms, litter and soil organic matter: almost three times as much as is currently present in the atmosphere.

Oceans and coastal ecosystems are important in managing carbon, with the deep ocean storing the largest amounts. Therefore the maintenance of existing natural carbon reservoirs

worldwide is essential if carbon capture and storage is to make a major contribution to climate mitigation. There is significant potential for cutting future emissions of greenhouse gases through maintaining healthy ecosystems and restoring degraded environments, in particular by restoring peatlands and wetlands, replanting forests, and reducing other pressures on nature. In addition, semi-natural and managed ecosystems, including those used for agriculture, offer many opportunities for active carbon sequestration and reduction of emissions.

Working with nature brings multiple benefits. Working with nature (ecosystem-based approaches for climate change adaptation and mitigation) while helping to conserve

nature also reduces the vulnerability of people and their livelihoods in the face of climate change.

For example, coastal ecosystems like wetlands, mangroves, coral reefs, oyster reefs, and barrier beaches all provide natural shoreline protection from storms and flooding in addition to many other services. Ecosystembased approaches are costeffective, ready for use and accessible to rural and poor communities, so they can help relieve poverty and support sustainable development strategies. For example, restored natural shorelines with seagrass beds or mangroves form a buffer against storm surges and create nurseries for fisheries.

Protecting groundwater recharge zones, or restoring flood plains, secure

Biodiversity

So what is biodiversity? Quite simply biological diversity –or the variety of life on Earth in all forms, from forests and coral reefs to genes and bacteria. We depend on biodiversity for food, water and medicines, economic growth, a stable climate – the list is endless. Over half of global gross domestic product depends on nature while over over 1 billion people rely on forests for their livelihoods. But nature is in crisis, with up to one million species threatened with extinction, several within decades.

water resources so that entire communities can cope with drought. Ecosystems already provide natural carbon traps at very little cost. Developing and applying new technologies is important. Investment in preserving the natural systems the Earth has in place for mitigating climate change and helping us to adapt are equally important. Natural systems have been doing the job for millions of years. Amongst the measures to reduce emissions there are priority “low cost co-benefit” options that simultaneously contribute to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. They include preservation and restoration of degraded land, forests, peatlands, organic soils, wetlands, reduction in conversion of pastureland, less slash

and burn practices, and improved grassland management.

Climate change has an impact on biodiversity and ecosystems and often exacerbates other pressures such as pollution, over-exploitation, invasive species, habitat fragmentation, degradation and loss. Rainforests cover only 6% of the Earth’s surface but are home to half of our land-based species. They are disappearing at a rate of some 13 million hectares per year.

Deforestation activities alone release an estimated 20% of global CO2 emissions.

Loss of or damage to ecosystems reduces their capacity to capture and store carbon. The climate system has tipping points, where feedbacks from ecosystems become

unpredictable and ecosystems lose resilience, so that carbon sinks turn into carbon sources. While we do not know exactly how much time we have before reaching these tipping points, we know that we must do all we can to prevent this happening. One example is the melting of the permafrost in the northern regions, which leads to increased greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn may also accelerate climate change.

Healthy resilient ecosystems have a greater potential to mitigate and adapt to climate change and therefore to limit global warming. They resist and recover more easily from extreme weather events and provide a wide range of benefits on which everyone depends.

Photography Kiyoshi, Ecuador.

Information source: NATURE’S ROLE IN CLIMATE CHANGE –ec.europa.eu/environment © European Commission, 2009.

Key drivers of the nature crisis include changes in land and sea use, climate change, pollution, direct exploitation of natural resources, and invasive species.

The biggest driver of biodiversity loss is how people use the land and sea. This includes the conversion of land covers such as forests, wetlands and other natural habitats for agricultural and urban uses. Since 1990, around 420 million hectares of forest have been lost through conversion to other land uses. Agricultural expansion continues to be the main driver of deforestation, forest degradation and forest biodiversity loss. The global food system is the primary driver of biodiversity loss, with agriculture alone being the identified threat of more than 85 per cent of the 28,000 species at risk of extinction.

Reconsidering the way people grow

and consume food is one way of reducing the pressure on ecosystems. Degraded and disused farmland can be ideal for restoration, which can support protecting and restoring critical ecosystems such as forests, peatlands and wetlands.

Since 1980, greenhouse gas emissions have doubled, raising average global temperatures by at least 0.7C. Global warming is already affecting species and ecosystems around the world, particularly the most vulnerable ecosystems such as coral reefs, mountains and polar ecosystems. Ecosystems such as forests, peatlands and wetlands represent significant carbon stores globally. Their conservation, restoration and sustainability are critical – by working with nature, emissions can be reduced by up to 11.7 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year by 2030, over 40

per cent of what is needed to limit global warming.

Delegates at COP15 will be looking at how marginalized communities, including Indigenous Peoples, can benefit from a subsistence economy –a system based on provisioning and regulating services of ecosystems for basic needs. Indigenous Peoples play a vital protection role as guardians of biodiversity. Despite comprising less than 5% of the global population, Indigenous peoples protect an estimated 80% of global biodiversity, which makes up about 20% of the world’s land, and their role is under discussion by world leaders this week. “We need to work side-by-side with the most effective guardians of biodiversity - Indigenous Peoples,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said to the press during his opening remarks on the first day of negotiations at COP15.

ambition to limit global warming to below 2 degrees and mitigating climate change.

WHY THE FUSS ON BIODIVERSITY? WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS IT?

We’ve all heard the fuss about biodiversity –but what is it and why is it important? Biodiversity has many definitions, but in a nutshell, it includes all the forms of life that surround us in the various habitats our country hosts - be it in the water, land or air. Over the years, biodiversity has had its fair share of pressures and threats leading to a global loss in biodiversity - meaning that we have lost several species (be it plants or animals) from our habitats, writes the team at the Environment and Resources Authority.

This page: Agave Americana (American Agave). Introduced as an ornamental plant, the Agave Americana became invasive in several wild places The plant flowers once in its lifetime, after 10 to 100 years and then dies.

Globalisation, climate change, urbanisation and other human activities have all had their toll and contribution to the global decay in biodiversity - directly or indirectly. But how does this happen? Let’s explain this through an example - Invasive Alien Species (IAS).

Globalisation, commercial activities, human interactions and movements have led to a situation where certain species (be it animals or plants), which do not belong to a particular region, end up there - either by mistake - say a seed stuck in the soles of your shoes - or intentionally - say a turtle pet released into the wild in a bid to provide it with a second life. Depending on the habitat and the species - these creatures may either die, or thrive, and it is this thriving that sometimes leads to grave concern!

Species that thrive in an environment that is not their original environment (hence alien) might lead to a situation where the “foreign” species have no competition (or predators in terms of food chain), hence they will thrive at the detriment of the other “local” species, killing them off, and therefore leading to a situation of biodiversity loss.

Malta has several such situations that threaten local species, ranging from freshwater turtles to plants - but this concern is global. In fact, the European Commission developed a mobile app that can be used by the public to report Invasive Alien Species called Invasive Alien Species Europe. ERA is working hand in hand to address this situation and has also been issuing several policy documents to guide stakeholders on what can be done to reduce the impacts of biodiversity loss through IAS.

However, biodiversity can also be affected by other means - climate change, pollution, urbanisation and many other factors, often still unknown, can lead to biodiversity loss. But why the fuss?

Biodiversity is our food, our air, and our seathe reduction in biodiversity will lead to a reduction in our basic needs - food varieties and volumes, clean water, and healthy air quality will all suffer if we lose biodiversity. Our environment can be considered as a circular cycle that, when hindered at a single point, will lead to a profound impact overall on other elements of this same cycle, leading to big changes which are often undesired.

Nonetheless, ERA is working hard on the various measures and policies which are being developed to address the specific situations we face locally. Several restoration projects have already been implemented successfully around several sites in Malta proving that the situation can be addressed and reversed if expert opinions and guidelines are adhered to.

Top: Acacia Saligna (Blue-leaved Acacia) - Acacia species are highly invasive. Middle: Carpobrotus Edulis (Swaba tal-Madonna) is one of the worst invasive alien species. Native to South Africa, this flat evergreen succulent was introduced to stabilise embankments and was planted regularly as an ornamental plant due to its rapid cover and bright flowers. Above: Red Eared Slider (Trachemys Scripta). Included in the 100 most invasive species of the world list.

FARMING AND BIODIVERSITY

A new milestone was set last month when the world population reached 8 billion people. Today, we humans have a disproportionate influence on life on Earth not only through sheer numbers but also due to the pervasiveness of our activities on natural systems. On its part, Malta is committed to help reverse this trend through the support of sustainable farming, enhancing ecosystem services and encouraging the preservation of habitats and landscapes, writes Dr Anton Refalo, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights.

Ecosystems that evolved over millions of years are taken for granted and abused. Whether through lack of knowledge (about the importance of what appeared to be insignificant forms of life, such as insects and bacteria) or due to our having other priorities (primarily the commercial exploitation of natural resources), we are negatively impacting on natural habitats and species, resulting in the fast degradation of biodiversity and ecosystems.

Fortunately, a changed mindset is emerging, as more of us are realising the importance of breathing clean air and eating healthy food for our well-being. The need to continue informing public opinion about the loss of biodiversity, and how climate change is driving this degradation, led the World Climate Foundation to organise the World Biodiversity Summit. The Foundation hopes that the Summit will encourage public private partnerships to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

On its part, Malta is committed to help reverse this trend through the support of sustainable farming, enhancing ecosystem services and encouraging the preservation of habitats and landscapes. This is the focus of Strategic Objective 6 within the Strategic Plan proposed by Malta as part of the Common Agricultural Policy 2023-2027. This Plan was officially adopted by the European Commission last month.

Malta’s Strategic Plan emphasises the need to provide

farmers with information on the value of biodiversity and giving them the skills to protect it through training and advice. One of the ways in which our farmers can contribute to the protection of biodiversity and local ecosystems is through organic farming and the reduced use of fertilisers and pesticides. Maltese consumers are increasingly asking for the better quality and safer crops provided through organic farming.

The Integrated Pest Management eco-scheme is expected to lead to more targeted pesticide use while farmers are being encouraged to use mechanical means for weed removal so as to reduce the use of herbicides on holdings.

The Strategic Plan proposes to offer financial assistance to encourage more Maltese and Gozitan farmers to take up organic farming. This besides the investment incentives available for the modernising holdings, the purchase of machinery and the construction of greenhouses. This last measure is also intended to help reduce cross contamination from neighbouring conventional holdings.

Apiculture too is deemed to have a central role in the enhancement of local biodiversity. The beekeeping sector will be supported through the provision of training and information, investments related to varroosis, restocking and transhumance and support for laboratories.

Left and right: Malta is committed to support sustainable farming, enhancing ecosystem services and encouraging the preservation of habitats and landscapes. The off-farm non-productive investments intervention is expected to support the restoration of rubble walls and other rural landscape features.

Left: Malta’s Strategic Plan emphasises the need to provide farmers with information on the value of biodiversity and giving them the skills to protect it through training and advice. Apiculture has a central role in the enhancement of local biodiversity and the beekeeping sector will also be supported through the provision of training and information.

Farming practices can also have an impact on bird species. Given the decline in farmland bird species populations, the Priority Action Framework seeks to promote and develop farming guidelines which will support the adoption of practices that are conducive to the aims of the Birds and Habitats Directives.

The removal of alien species and the planting of native species remains another priority in protecting Malta’s biodiversity landscape. Support will be offered for the introduction of newly planted trees as per guidelines issued by the Environment and Resources Authority as well as for farmers who are committed to safeguarding trees on their holdings.

The off-farm non-productive investments intervention is expected to support the restoration of rubble walls and other rural landscape features including existing terrace walls, the creation and/or restoration of different types of terrestrial habitats, including inter alia garigue, steppe, maquis,

woodland, rock pools, valleys and watercourses, saline marshlands and sand dunes. Similar investments can also be supported under the nonproductive on-farm investments intervention.

Preserving local agricultural genetic resources, especially those tree and livestock species that are vulnerable to genetic erosion, is essential for protecting habitats and environmental sustainability. Financial support will be available for this purpose through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

The eco-scheme intended to have land parcels dedicated for biodiversity will provide support for agricultural land on which biodiversity can flourish. This will have a positive impact on pollinator populations and on other natural flora and fauna.

Information about the financial assistance available for the new eco-schemes being proposed in Malta’s Strategic Plan has been distributed to all farmers and applications for assistance are to be submitted by 13th January 2023.

MAKING MEMORIES AT ESPLORA THIS CHRISTMAS

Most of us tend to have fond memories of past Christmases. A house full of decorations, planning dinner or parties with family and friends, wrapping Christmas gifts, drinking a warm cup of cocoa or a glass of mulled wine, and watching a romantic Christmas movie on TV. The festive season is all about making memories with our loved ones. This year we invite you to add to these warm memories by visiting Esplora Interactive Science Centre and enjoying a fantastic day with your family or friends at the science centre.

Between Saturday, 17th December 2022 and Sunday, 8th January 2023, Esplora will be buzzing with activities as the science centre will explore science and technology through the wonders of Christmas. Visitors will be able to participate in various fun and dazzling science shows and workshops all related to the Christmas cheer!

In Once Upon a Christmas, young children will go on a journey with Santa Claus in an interactive storytelling workshop that explores how families in Malta and Gozo celebrate Christmas. This wonderful workshop is ideal for children of ages between 3 and 6 years.

At Esplora there is an activity for everyone this Christmas and the amazing science show Lights, Camera, Action will be loved by adults and children alike. Everyone loves a good movie and during this show visitors will join Esplora’s film crew as they recreate classic elements from famous Christmas movies by using science and technology. Some of the astonishing effects which will be reproduced during this science show are the Green Screen Technology as well as the Foley sound effects.

For children who are a bit older, Esplora has redesigned Santa’s sleigh to include autonomous driving. During this workshop, participants will be able

to build a sphero-powered sleigh using K’NEX and drive it around to deliver gifts. This fantastic workshop is ideal for children aged 7+ years and who are coding enthusiasts.

And if you have not yet had the chance to visit the Esplora Planetarium, now is the time! For the festive season, Esplora has introduced a new Planetarium Film – Dinosaurs, A Story of Survival; a lovely story about Celeste, a young child who is fascinated with dinosaurs. Celeste joins her friend Moon as they journey through time to see how these incredible animals underwent transformations over millions of years until the day that a cataclysmic impact caused a mass extinction on Earth.

This Christmas, Esplora is giving one free child entrance with every paying adult. This offer is valid for children aged 15 years and under. Entrance tickets for Christmas at Esplora can be bought online from www.showshappening.com or else at the door on a first come first served basis. The tickets cover the entrance to Esplora only. A science show or workshop or a planetarium film/show can be booked per visitor at an extra charge of €1 at the Esplora Reception only.

Contributed by Esplora Interactive Science Centre. For more information, opening hours and terms and conditions please visit https://esplora.org.mt/

ICONIC IMAGES

TIMELESS

SALVATOR MUNDI.Iconic images crystallizing an era and its aesthetics, such as this Salvator Mundi painted after Leonardo da Vinci, are highly prized on the international art market. Painted over a century after his famous original piece, this battered late copy –described as “Italian School around 1600, after Leonardo da Vinci” –sold at an online Old Masters Sale by Christie’s Paris on 28th November for a staggering €1,062,000 (reaching just over 70 times its high estimate of €15,000), trailing on the footsteps of the Mona Lisa replicas that have achieved very strong results at various auctions in recent years. There is an increasingly important market for works after Leonardo da Vinci, as illustrated by several Mona Lisa copies that achieved very strong results at auction in the last few years, demonstrating the strong fascination exerted by these timeless images. Indeed the original Salvator Mundi by Leonardo was sold by Christie’s at auction for US$450.3 million on 15th November 2017 by Christie’s in New York to Prince Badr bin Abdullah Al Saud, setting a new record for the most expensive painting ever sold at public auction.

This page: Italian School around 1600, After Leonardo Da Vinci, Salvator Mundi, Oil on panel, 63.2x51cm, Price realised: €1,062,000. Estimate: €10,000-€15,000. © Christie’s Images Limited 2022.