Nestled in the rolling hills of Tuscany in Italy, a new vineyard is using the ancient Chinese art of feng shui to make its wine in harmony with nature, and give it an extra marketing zing.
“We have created a feng shui cellar in order to retain a bond with nature,” Solene Genot, who manages the Caiarossa vineyard with her husband, Dominique, told AFP on a visit to the picturesque area in central Italy.
“The cellar is located in a place where the energy is highest — half way between the top of the hill and the bottom of the alley,” she said.
PHOTO: AFP/FABIO MUZZI
“Even the colors of the building — red on the outside and yellow on the inside — are the colors of nature, the sun and the earth.”
The vines are spread out over 16 hectares and annual production is around 70,000 bottles, with 70 percent going for exports, Dominique Genot said.
“It’s a young vineyard, it’s still expanding,” he said.
“We wanted a wine that is an expression of the territory. I think that this could be the future for independent vineyards, while larger companies that cover hundreds of hectares would have difficulty implementing it,” he added.
The cellar is on three levels, with a conveyor bringing in the grapes.
“Feng shui is used in our case so that we feel as good as possible when we work in the cellar. It has large spaces, large volumes and a lot of natural light,” he said.
His wife added: “It’s true that technically the large windows in the cellar are not practical since it is cold in winter and hot in summer. But the light brings a positive energy.”
(AFP)
有個新葡萄釀酒莊園安穩地坐落於義大利托斯卡尼山丘上，應用中國古老的風水知識，使釀酒與大自然和諧共處，並作為刺激行銷的手法。
跟丈夫多明尼克一塊經營凱亞羅莎酒莊的索蓮‧吉諾，在一趟於義大利如詩如畫的中部之旅上告訴法新社，「我們依照風水做了這個與自然界香連的酒窖。」
她說，「酒窖的位置正好是能量最高的地方─就是山丘頂跟山谷底的一半距離。」
「就連建築物的顏色─外紅內黃─都是大自然的顏色，就是太陽與土壤。」
多明尼克‧吉諾表示，葡萄園面積廣達十六公頃，年產量約七萬瓶，有百分之七十外銷。
他說，「這葡萄園還算新的，且正在擴張中。」
他又說，「我們要的是一款能代表這個地方的酒。我想這應該是獨立酒莊的未來趨向。但是葡萄園涵蓋數百公頃的大公司恐怕就做不到這一點。」
酒窖有三層，葡萄由輸送帶送進來。
他說，「我們之所以採信風水，是為了讓我們在酒窖中工作起來感到順暢。酒窖空間很大，容納量足，且有大量自然光線。」
他太太又說，「酒窖的大窗戶確實不切實際，因為這讓室內冬天更冷夏天更熱。但光線可以帶來正面能量。」
（法新社／翻譯：吳岱璟）
A: And how about the other star signs? B: Libras can benefit from multiple perspectives, Scorpios will be tough as steel and Sagittariuses may travel around. A: Cool, what’s next? B: Capricorns may take the lead, Aquarius may start a new life and Pisces should be well prepared for action. A: I hope we’ll have a lot of good fortune in the Year of the Snake. A: 其他的星座運勢如何？ B: 「天秤座」左右逢源、「天蠍座」百煉成鋼、「射手座」志在四方。 A: 還有呢？ B: 「摩羯座」一馬當先、「水瓶座」脫胎換骨、「雙魚座」蓄勢待發。 A: 希望大家在蛇年能好運旺旺來！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
Despite advancements in bicycle security, millions of bicycles are stolen every year. A revolutionary bicycle lock, called “SKUNKLOCK,” takes a proactive approach to deterring thieves. __1__, SKUNKLOCK releases a noxious chemical that could cause would-be thieves to vomit and effectively discourages them from continuing their efforts to steal the bicycle. While conventional locks can be defeated by determined thieves using specialized tools, SKUNKLOCK’s dual approach of physical resistance and chemical deterrence is highly effective, making it a formidable __2__ against bike theft. The U-lock is made of high-tensile carbon steel, which can withstand attempts to break it using brute
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