FIRST JUNE 2022 ISSUE No 334

ISSUE 334 JUNE 2022

A CAPSULE OF THE WORLD

“NOT KNOWING WHEN THE DAWN WILL COME I OPEN EVERY DOOR.” EMILY DICKINSON

EDITORIAL

“Wake up!

Be yourself, not a bad copy of something else!”

“The little boy nodded at the peony and the peony seemed to nod back. The little boy was neat, clean and pretty. The peony was unchaste, disheveled as peonies must be, and at the height of its beauty.(...) Every hour is filled with such moments, big with significance for someone.”

Robertson Davies, What's Bred in the Bone This page: A dramatic summer flower, peonies are native to Asia, Europe, and Western North America. Early in Chinese history, the peony was considered the national flower and in the 7th century BC they were bred in the imperial courts. ]By the early 11th century their popularity had spread to Japan, and to France and England in the 18th century.

Photograph Michelle Tresemer.

ON THE COVER: Queen Elizabeth II, digital artwork © Sean Gabriel Ellul. The artwork incorporates the St. Edward's crown, orb, and ampulla, with the regional emblems for England (Tudor rose), Scotland (thistle), Northern Ireland (shamrocks), and Wales (daffodil). The source image is a photograph by Phillip Oliver Hobson, c April 1952, source: The Australian War Memorial, Australia.

EDITORIAL CONTENT AND SALES MANAGER SEAN ELLUL SELLUL@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT DESIGNER CONRAD BONDIN CBONDIN@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT PRODUCTION MANAGER ANDRE CAMILLERI ACAMILLERI@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT PUBLISHER STANDARD PUBLICATIONS, STANDARD HOUSE, BIRKIKARA HILL, ST JULIAN’S. TEL: 00356 2134 5888, WEB: WWW.INDEPENDENT.COM.MT FACEBOOK FIRSTMAGAZINE INSTAGRAM FIRSTMAGAZINEMALTA PRINTER PRINT-IT. FIRST IS PUBLISHED AS A COMPLIMENTARY MAGAZINE WITH THE MALTA INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY AND IS NOT TO BE SOLD SEPARATELY. NO PART OF THE PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PRIOR AGREEMENT OF THE PUBLISHER. FIRST MAGAZINE SINCE 1993. ISSUE NUMBER 334.

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CONTENTS

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LA DOLCE VITA. A Day in Paradise. Amalfi Coast and Belmond’s Villa Margherita. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila.

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WINE FROM BURGUNDY: BABETTE’S CHOICE OF CLOS DE VOUGEOT. Photograph Domaine Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot 2014, FIRST Magazine.

THiS IS WiNE 8th chapter in this issue

EXCLUSIVE SERIES: THIS IS WINE. VOSNE-ROMANÉE IN A NUTSHELL. From left to right: Domaine Roux Vosne-Romanée 2016, Domaines Albert Bichot Vosne-Romanée 2019, Domaine des Perdrix Vosne-Romanée 2017. Photograph FIRST Magazine.

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PLATINUM JUBILEE SPECIAL. The Queen’s Personal Recipe for Drop Scones.

Photography Nati Melnychuk.

CONTENTS

PLATINUM JUBILEE SPECIAL. Magnificent jewels from Her Majesty The Queen’s personal collection.

Photograph: Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021.

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PLATINUM JUBILEE SPECIAL. Diamond Dusted. Warhols at auction.

Photograph © Christie’s Images Limited 2022.

CONTENTS

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[ISSUE 334. JUNE 2022]

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LA DOLCE VITA

The Summer Villa.

Amalfi Coast and Belmond’s Villa Margherita.

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BEAUTY

CHANEL – Les Beiges Summer in Grand Style.

PLATINUM JUBILEE

THIS IS WINE

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VOSNE-ROMANÉE IN A NUTSHELL The 8th Chapter in This is Wine: Its Storied Place and Taste.

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Babette’s Choice of Clos de Vougeot.

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ANTIPASTI

Summer Cooking and Entertaining with Mediterranean Culinary Academy.

Urban Greening. Photograph FIRST Magazine.

INSIDE THE QUEEN’S HANDBAG?

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Active Ageing and Retirement Planning.

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Queen Elizabeth and Paddington Bear.

HEALTH & FITNESS

WHAT’S COOKING UNCLE SAM?

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Small Green Spaces Can Help Keep Cities Cool During Heat Waves.

Queen Elizabeth’s Recipe for Drop Scones.

JUBILEE JEWELLERY FEVER

URBAN GREENING

Magnificent jewels from Her Majesty The Queen’s personal collection.

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DIAMOND DUSTED

Open Spaces as a Means to Promote Healthier Lifestyles and Psychological Wellbeing.

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Andy Warhol’s Royal Edition screenprints on auction.

OPEN SPACES

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ART AUCTION

Jeff Koon’s BALLOON MONKEY (MAGENTA).

Art and Life in Urgent Times.

Summer Cooking and Entertaining with Mediterranean Culinary Academy.

Photograph Robert Pace.

LA DOLCE VITA

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LA DOLCE VITA “They say that when Judgement day comes, the people of Amalfi will have no change in life, for they are already living in paradise...”

Melissa Hill, The Summer Villa

A DAY IN PARADISE

The Summer Villa The Amalfi Coast has always been irresistible. Indeed wealthy Roman patricians built seaside villas and some of the first settlements along the coast. But after centuries of being a sleepy fishing village it would be the 18th century and the great and almost fabled 'Grand Tour' that would bring the Amalfi Coast back – and back with a bang. It has been a popular jet-set destination ever since. For visitors wishing to travel a bit higher – literally - Ravello, 365 meters above the Tyrrhenian Sea by Italy’s Amalfi Coast, is home to iconic cliffside gardens. Visitors flock to the Ravello's belvedere to get picture perfect shots of the rocky coastline and clear blue waters below. And while beautiful places tend to attract people in droves, the opening of Belmond Villa Margherita, a standalone house set on a spectacular patch of prime hillside property beyond the citrus groves at Belmond Hotel Caruso is noteworthy if you are trying to escape the crowds and enter into your own private world.

Photography Mattia Aquila, Richard Powers, Joanne Dunn, courtesy Belmond.

This page: Private views from the gardens at Belmond Villa Margherita. Photograph © Belmond/Mattia Aquila.

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malfi was of little importance until the mid-6th century under the Byzantines, and as one of the first Italian maritime republics in the 9th century, it rivaled Pisa, Genoa, Venice, and Gaeta as a naval power in trade with the East. By the time it Declared itself a Republic in 839, Amalfi traders were navigating and trading throughout the Mediterranean, reaching as far as Egypt, Syria and Constantinople in the Byzantine Empire. Amalfi even had its own gold currency, called the Tarì, which was used throughout the Mediterranean, Northern Africa, the Greek Empire, and the East.

This page: The tranquil gardens of Villa Margherita. Photograph © Belmond/Mattia Aquila.

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LA DOLCE VITA

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malfi remained rich and powerful until it was subdued and annexed by King Roger II of Sicily in 1131. After it was sacked by the Pisans in 1135 and 1137 Amalfi rapidly declined in importance.

However it thrived creatively, and by about the 1230s, Amalfi became one of the first places in Europe to produce paper, a trade that would continue to be important throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

After succumbing to the plague in 1306 and 1348, and a devasting sea storm in 1343, the town slowly returned to a sleepy backwater and fishing village.

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Top: Bathroom of a Deluxe Sea view room. Photograph © Belmond/Mattia Aquila. Left: Front terrace of Villa Margherita with a stunning view over the coastline. Photograph © Belmond/Mattia Aquila. Right: View from the bedroom of the Belvedere Suite at Villa Margherita.

Photograph © Belmond/Mattia Aquila.

LA DOLCE VITA

Above: The garden at Belmond Villa Margherita. Photograph © Belmond/Richard Powers. Below left: The villa's lush gardens create an irresistible hideaway.

Photograph © Belmond/Mattia Aquila. Below right: The hotel terrace overlooking the Church of Saint John the Apostle of the Toro. Photograph © Belmond/Mattia Aquila.

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T

hen in the 18th-century things would change and Amalfi would bounce back with a bang. Enter the Grand Tour, when Amalfi was a frequent stopover for rich Europeans traveling through Italy. It has been a popular jet-set destination ever since. Ravello, 365 meters above the Tyrrhenian Sea by Italy’s Amalfi Coast, is home to iconic cliffside gardens. Visitors flock to the belvedere to get clear shots of the rocky coastline and clear blue waters below.

The recent opening of Belmond Villa Margherita, an elegant standalone summer house set on a spectacular prime hillside property is noteworthy if you are trying to escape the buzzing coastline and enter into your own private world.

Located close to Ravello's main strategic points of interest and surrounded by lush fragrant gardens with lavender, rosemary, thyme, and olives, the villa emulates the feeling of a private residence and emanates a Mediterranean charm, with characteristic interiors, enhanced by antique 19thcentury tiles, Vietri ceramics and stunning views. The entrance to the villa used to be the portal to the ancient church of Villa Margherita, still in use today, which had the horse stables on the lower floor for the pilgrims coming to pray - and the current garden in front of the hotel was a hazelnut field suspended on the infinity of the coast below. If you relax on top of the Villa rooftop, you are literally sitting in one of Ravello's highest spots (1050 feet above sea level).

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Top left: Belvedere Suite at Belmond Villa Margherita.

Photograph © Belmond/Richard Powers. Left: Living room of the Belvedere Suite at Belmond Villa Margherita. Photograph © Belmond/Richard Powers.

LA DOLCE VITA

Top: Living room of the Miramare Suite at Belmond Villa Margherita. Photograph © Belmond/Richard Powers. Above left: Belvedere Suite at Belmond Villa Margherita.

Photograph © Belmond/Richard Powers. Above right: Bedroom of the Miramare Suite at Belmond Villa Margherita. Photograph © Belmond/Richard Powers.

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M

ilan-based American interior designer Eric Egan designed the interiors with personalisation in mind.

The Villa comprises 2 fully equipped suites (Belvedere and Miramare) featuring custom hand-painted murals, antique terracotta, hand-scraped hardwood floors alongside with a collection of traditional furnishings including 1800's Neapolitan pieces, Fortuny fabrics and vintage textiles. Each suite features a master bedroom, spacious living room - easily transformed into a second sleeping area - and two bathrooms.

The Villa offers the ideal setting to experience the best of the territory pampered by the attention of a private butler - who with a full day service is ready to take care of all the needs of guests and a personal chef.

Both the suites can be reserved to have Belmond Villa Margherita on an exclusive basis, making it the perfect setting to host outdoor intimate receptions, dinner parties and apertifs with a barman, an afternoon tea overlooking the Amalfi bay, or a special dinner on the rooftop under the moon with one long table that fits all - and with a view that you get all to yourself. And don't forget a personal Chef is available.

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 and Splendido in Portofino.

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Top: Dining under the stars and olive trees in the private garden.

Photograph © Belmond/Joanne Dunn. Left: Small banquet in the private garden. Photograph © Belmond/Joanne Dunn.

BEAUTY

#lesbeiges #ChanelMakeup #ChanelBeauty

LES BEIGES SUMMER IN GRAND STYLE For 2022, LES BEIGES line embarks on an OVERSIZED summer. The extravagance of head-to-toe makeup. The radiance of a naturally luminous complexion. CHANEL is thinking BIG this summer. Freer, lighter, more enjoyable.

XXL product formats, multiple uses, and ultrasensorial textures for the face and body. Simple, sweeping, generous makeup application. For a fresh, luminous, and effortlessly natural look.

Photography CHANEL.

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BEAUTY

LES BEIGES OVERSIZE HEALTHY GLOW SUN-KISSED POWDER in 3 summertime shades: Sunshine Light – Light satin shade, Sunkiss Medium – Medium satin shade, Sunbath Deep – Deep matte shade. The new OVERSIZE KABUKI BRUSH.

A CREAM THAT OFFERS AN INSTANT HEALTHY GLOW. The new Soleil Tan Medium Bronze shade of the must-have HEALTHY GLOW BRONZING CREAM delivers a delicate velvety glow.

WITH LES BEIGES, CHANEL CREATES ITS BIGGEST, BOLDEST POWDER YET

A CREAM THAT OFFERS AN INSTANT HEALTHY GLOW

The OVERSIZE HEALTHY GLOW SUN-KISSED POWDER warms the skin, giving it the radiance of a summer day spent by the sea. It offers the freedom to wear it on the face, but also on the shoulders and décolleté. This exclusive creation features a rounded square shape – emblematic of the LES BEIGES line – and its pearly, lightly creamy powder formula comes in three ideal summertime shades.

Warm up the complexion with a touch of sunlight. The new Soleil Tan Medium Bronze shade of the must-have HEALTHY GLOW BRONZING CREAM delivers a delicate velvety glow.

The new OVERSIZE KABUKI BRUSH completes the experience, for flawless application to the face and body.

Chanel is distributed by Alfred Gera & Sons Ltd. 19

PLATINUM JUBILEE “The things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep. So help me God.” Her Majesty The Queen, from The Queen’s Coronation Oath, 1953

SO NOW WE KNOW WHAT’S INSIDE THE QUEEN’S HANDBAG

A Marmalade Sandwich?

“Perhaps you would like a marmalade sandwich?”, asked Paddington Bear, taking off and reaching into his red hat. “I always keep one for emergencies.” “So do I,” the queen replied before opening her bag and declaring: “I keep mine in here... for later.”

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n April 21, 1926 Princess Elizabeth was born in Mayfair, London as the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York. On November 20, 1947 she married Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and just 5 years later, on February 6, 1952, Elizabeth became head of the Commonwealth and Queen Regent at 25 years old. On June 2, 1953 she was crowned as Queen of England and in 2015 she became the longest reigning English monarch in history.

This June Queen Elizabeth celebrated 70 years on the throne, and to the surprise and joy of many, kicked off the Platinum Jubilee Concert at the Palace by making the second star turn of her career, appearing in a mini-movie with Paddington Bear. The sketch featured the unlikely duo having a chaotic cream tea at Buckingham Palace. After

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PLATINUM JUBILEE

drinking all the tea and destroying the cakes, the duffle-coat wearing bear from deepest Peru told Elizabeth how he always had a reserve supply of marmalade sandwiches with him, lifting up his red hat to reveal his favorite treat. “So do I,” the queen responded before opening her bag and declaring: “I keep mine in here.” Paddington continued by congratulating the Queen saying: “Happy Jubilee Ma’am. And thank you. For everything.” The modest Queen replied: “That’s very kind.” The two-and-a-half-minute film ended with both using their spoon to tap out the beat of Queen’s We Will Rock You on their china cup for opening act Queen fronted by Adam Lambert. The film shows that at 96 the Queen still knows how to tap into the hearts of audiences - both young and not-soyoung.

This page: Queen Elizabeth II and Paddington Bear have cream tea at Buckingham Palace, in London, taken from a film that was shown at the BBC Platinum Party at the Palace.

Photograph: Buckingham Palace/ Studio Canal / BBC Studios / Heyday Films via AP. 21

PLATINUM JUBILEE WHAT’S COOKING, UNCLE SAM?

Queen Elizabeth’s Recipe for Drop Scones In late summer 1959, the Queen entertained President Dwight D Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower at Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands. President Eisenhower must have fallen in love with the Queen’s drop scones (Scotch pancakes) – five months later she belatedly sent him a letter with her personal recipe. In a handwritten letter, dated January 24, 1960 the Queen explains her recipe in more detail and recalls his visit to Balmoral. The letter is on Buckingham Palace notepaper and signed “Elizabeth R”.

This page: Balmoral has been one of the residences of the British royal family since 1852, when the estate and its original castle were bought from the Farquharson family by Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Soon afterwards the house was found to be too small and the current Balmoral Castle was commissioned. The architect was William Smith of Aberdeen, and his designs were amended by Prince Albert. Balmoral remains private property of the Queen and is not part of the Crown Estate. Photograph Rico Meier.

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D

wight David “Ike” Eisenhower was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. In 1957, five years into her reign Queen Elizabeth II made her first state visit to the US as a guest of President Dwight D Eisenhower. He was the first serving president she met during her reign. The Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, arrived in Washington, D.C. on October 17 and stayed with the President and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower at the White House. Queen Elizabeth II stayed in the Rose Bedroom while Prince Philip stayed in the Lincoln Bedroom. The visit was in part to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607.

Two years later in August 1959, the Queen entertained Eisenhower and the First Lady at Balmoral Castle. President Eisenhower must have fallen in love with the Queen’s drop scones - five months later she belatedly sent him a letter with her personal recipe. In a handwritten letter, dated January 24, 1960 the Queen explains her recipe in more detail and recalls his visit to Balmoral. The letter is on Buckingham Palace notepaper and signed “Elizabeth R”.

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ear Mr. President, Seeing a picture of you in today’s newspaper standing in front of a barbecue grilling quail, reminded me that I had never sent you the recipe of the drop scones which I promised you at Balmoral.

I now hasten to do so, and I do hope you will find them successful.

Though the quantities are for 16 people, when there are fewer, I generally put in less flour and milk, but use the other ingredients as stated.

I have also tried using golden syrup or treacle instead of only sugar and that can be very good, too.

I think the mixture needs a great deal of beating while making, and shouldn’t stand about too long before cooking.

We have followed with intense interest and much admiration your tremendous journey to so many countries, but feel we shall never again be able to claim that we are being made to do too much on our future tours!

We remember with such pleasure your visit to Balmoral, and I hope the photographs will be a reminder of the very happy day you spent with us.

With all good wishes to you and Mrs. Eisenhower.

Yours sincerely Elizabeth R

Facing page: Queen Elizabeth’s handwritten letter, dated January 24, 1960, to President Eisenhower, sharing her personal recipe for drop scones – Scotch pancakes. Image source: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. This page: BREAKFAST AND TRADITIONAL AFTERNOON TEA INSPIRATION. The Queen begins every day in a quintessentially British way with a cup of Earl Grey Tea, with milk and no sugar. High tea in the afternoon calls for more tea and crustless tea sandwiches. Her favourite version is said to be smoked salmon with cream cheese. Photograph Nati Melnychuk.

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PLATINUM JUBILEE PERFECT FOR AFTERNOON TEA

Queen Elizabeth II’s Recipe for Drop Scones “Though the quantities are for 16 people, when there are fewer, I generally put in less flour and milk, but use the other ingredients as stated. I have also tried using golden syrup or treacle instead of only sugar and that can be very good, too. I think the mixture needs a great deal of beating while making, and shouldn’t stand about too long before cooking.”

ENOUGH FOR SIXTEEN PEOPLE 4 teacups* flour 4 tablespoons caster sugar 2 teacups* milk 2 whole eggs 2 teaspoons bi-carbonate soda 3 teaspoons cream of tartar 2 tablespoons melted butter *one teacup equals approximately half a cup Beat eggs, sugar and about half the milk together, add flour, and mix well together adding remainder milk as required, also bi-carbonate and cream of tartar, fold in the melted butter.

The Queen’s recipe ends here, but since these are similar to pancakes, the batter would need to be dropped onto a pan by the spoonful and flipped when bubbles started to appear on the surface.

According to Mary Berry’s recipe from Classic Mary Berry “heat a large non-stick frying pan and grease with a little oil. Drop the mixture in dessertspoonfuls onto the hot pan, spacing the mixture well apart to allow for them to spread.

When bubbles appear on the surface, turn the scones over with a palette knife or spatula and cook on the other side for a further 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until they are lightly golden brown.”

Above: Drop scones or Scotch pancakes are perfect for breakfast, brunch or an afternoon tea. Serve right away with butter, honey or maple syrup, yoghurt, berries or other seasonal fruits. Photograph Nati Melnychuk. Right: Queen Elizabeth’s personal recipe for drop scones. Image source: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.

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PLATINUM JUBILEE

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DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

Jubilee Jewellery Fever Magnificent jewels from Her Majesty The Queen’s personal collection will go on display this summer as part of special displays celebrating the Platinum Jubilee at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Each display explores a historic occasion in Her Majesty’s 70-year reign - the Accession, the Coronation and previous Jubilees - through photographs, paintings, works of art, and items of The Queen’s dress and jewellery.

Photos courtesy Royal Collection Trust.

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ueen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne on 6 February 1952. Twenty days later, the first official photographic sitting with the new Queen was granted to the photographer Dorothy Wilding. In 1937 Wilding had become the first official female royal photographer when she was appointed to take the portraits at the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The series of photographs taken of The Queen in 1952 are remarkable for their modern, emblematic approach.

Now at the Summer Opening of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace, which can be visited this year for the first time since 2019, portraits of The Queen taken by Wilding will be on display, alongside items of Her Majesty’s personal jewellery worn for the portrait sittings. These include the Diamond Diadem, one of Her Majesty’s most widely recognised pieces of jewellery. Wilding’s photographs were used as the basis of The Queen’s image on postage stamps from 1953 until 1971, as well as providing the official portrait of Her Majesty which was sent to every British embassy throughout the world, making the Diadem instantly recognisable to millions of people across the globe.

The Diamond Diadem was created for the famously extravagant coronation of George IV in 1821. It is set with 1,333 brilliant-cut diamonds and consists of a band with two rows of pearls either side of a row of diamonds, above which are diamonds set in the form of a rose, a thistle and two shamrocks, the national emblems of England, Scotland and Ireland. The Diadem was inherited in 1837 by Queen Victoria, who was frequently painted and photographed wearing it, including on several early postage stamps such as the Penny Black. The Diadem passed to Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and then to Her Majesty The Queen, who wore it on the day of her Coronation and has worn it on her journey to and from the State Opening of Parliament since the first year of her reign.

Facing page: Dorothy Wilding, HM Queen Elizabeth II, 1952. Photograph: Royal Collection Trust / © All Rights Reserved.

This page: Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, Diamond Diadem, 1820-1. Photograph: Royal Collection Trust / © All Rights Reserved.

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This page: Dorothy Wilding, HM Queen Elizabeth II, 1952. Photograph: Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021.

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This page: Cecil Beaton, Queen Elizabeth II on her Coronation Day, 1953. Photograph: Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021.

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ICON OF CONTEMPORARY DESIGN

WWW.JOSIES.COM

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Right: Garrards, Delhi Durbar Necklace, c.1911.

Photograph: Royal Collection Trust / © All Rights Reserved. Below: Dorothy Wilding, HM Queen Elizabeth II, 1956. Photograph: © William Hustler and Georgina Hustler / Royal Collection Trust.

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he spectacular Delhi Durbar necklace will also be on display at Buckingham Palace. The necklace incorporates nine emeralds originally owned by Queen Mary’s grandmother, the Duchess of Cambridge, as well as an 8.8 carat diamond pendant cut from the Cullinan diamond – the largest diamond ever found. The necklace was made for Queen Mary as part of a suite of jewellery created for the Delhi Durbar in 1911.

Her Majesty The Queen inherited the necklace in 1953 and wore it in a portrait sitting for Dorothy Wilding in 1956 – thought to have been their last sitting together before Wilding’s retirement in 1958.

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Above: Her Majesty The Queen’s Coronation Dress, designed by Sir Norman Hartnell, and Coronation Robe by Ede & Ravenscroft, 1953.

Photograph: Royal Collection Trust / © All Rights Reserved.

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t Windsor Castle, the Coronation Dress and Robe of Estate worn by The Queen for her Coronation at Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953 will be displayed. To recognise the importance of her role as Head of the Commonwealth Nations, Her Majesty asked for the emblems of the seven independent states of which she was monarch to be incorporated into the design of her Coronation Dress, together with those of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. The emblems were embroidered in gold and silver thread and pastel-coloured silks, encrusted with seed pearls, sequins and crystals.

Her Majesty’s Robe of Estate (see page 31) was made by the royal robe-makers Ede and Ravenscroft of purple silk velvet woven by the firm of Warner & Sons, and was embroidered at the Royal School of Needlework. The goldwork embroidery design features wheat ears and olive branches, symbolising prosperity and peace, surrounding the crowned intertwined EIIR cipher. It took 12 embroideresses, using 18 different types of gold thread, more than 3,500 hours to complete the work between March and May 1953.

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Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee

This year, Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her Platinum Jubilee as queen of the United Kingdom. To celebrate this anniversary, the Royal Dutch Mint, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Malta, has minted two commemorative coins. Queen Elizabeth II has a special bond with Malta. As a princess, she lived in Malta from 1949 until 1951, when her husband, Prince Philip, was stationed there as a naval officer.

The Central Bank of Malta is offering for sale the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee coin-card, which can be purchased from www.maltacoincentre.com or from the Malta Coin Centre at the Central Bank of Malta, in Valletta.

• • • • • •

Quality Brilliant Uncirculated Metal Cupro-Nickel Weight 15.5g Diameter 33mm Minting limit 15,000 pieces Mint Royal Dutch Mint

•

Price €12.19 inclusive of VAT

For further information phone us on 25506006/7/8

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Above left: Australian Wattle Brooch, 1954. Photograph: Royal Collection Trust / © All Rights Reserved. Above right: Sri Lanka Brooch, 1981. Photograph: Royal Collection Trust / © All Rights Reserved. Bottom: A & Sidersky & Son, Flame-Lily Brooch, 1947. Photograph: Royal Collection Trust / © All Rights Reserved.

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he Queen often wears brooches that represent the emblems of Commonwealth countries while visiting or meeting their representatives. Visitors to the Windsor Castle display will see brooches including: the Canadian Maple-leaf Brooch, worn by Her Majesty (then Princess Elizabeth) on her first visit to Canada in 1951; the Flame-Lily Brooch, the emblem of Zimbabwe, which was pinned to The Queen’s mourning clothes when she returned to Britain from Kenya after the death of her father in 1952; the New Zealand Silver Fern Brooch, presented by the Women of Auckland on Christmas Day, 1953; the Australian Wattle Brooch, presented on Her Majesty’s first visit to Australia in 1954; and the Sri Lanka Brooch, presented to The Queen during a State Visit to Sri Lanka in 1981.

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t the Palace of Holyroodhouse, visitors will see a display of outfits worn by Her Majesty on occasions to celebrate the Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees. In 1977 for The Queen’s Silver Jubilee, the royal couturier Sir Hardy Amies designed a striking ensemble of dress, coat and stole in pink silk crepe and chiffon with a matching hat designed by Simone Mirman with flowerheads hanging from silk stems. The ensemble was worn at the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on 7 June 1977 marking the 25th anniversary of The Queen’s Accession.

PLATINUM JUBILEE: THE QUEEN’S ACCESSION will be at the Summer Opening of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace from Friday, 22 July to Sunday, 2 October 2022. PLATINUM JUBILEE: THE QUEEN’S CORONATION will be at Windsor Castle from Thursday, 7 July to Monday, 26 September 2022. THE PLATINUM JUBILEE DISPLAY at the Palace of Holyroodhouse will be from 3 July to 25 September 2022.

Each display is included in the price of a general admission ticket.

Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse are currently open to visitors Thursday to Monday, remaining closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Palace of Holyroodhouse will open to visitors seven days a week during July and August. For advance tickets and visitor information: www.rct.uk, T. +44 (0)303 123 7300.

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“I want to be as famous as the Queen of England.”

Andy Warhol 38

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REIGNING QUEENS AND ROYAL EDITIONS

Diamond Dusted In 1985 Andy Warhol created his largest portfolio of screenprints, entitled ‘Reigning Queens’. The Reigning Queens series brought together four ruling monarchs of the time, including Queen Elizabeth II. Based on official or media photographs, Warhol incorporated abstract blocks of colour that, although screenprinted, appear collaged. The series was issued in two editions, a standard edition of forty, and a Royal Edition of thirty with diamond dust. Now two ‘Diamond Dust’ Royal Edition screenprints of Queen Elizabeth II are coming up for sale at Christie's .

Photography courtesy Christie’s.

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ndy Warhol is very much in the news of late, following the recent record-breaking sale on 9 May this year at Christie’s New York, where his Shot Sage Blue Marilyn sold for $195 million from The Collection of Thomas and Doris Ammann Evening Sale, establishing it as the most expensive 20th-century artwork to sell at auction.

In 1985 Andy Warhol's Reigning Queens series brought together four ruling monarchs, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Queen Margarethe II of Denmark, Queen Ntombi Twala of Swaziland and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. The series was issued in two editions, a standard edition of forty, and a Royal Edition of thirty with

diamond dust, a by-product in the manufacture of industrial-grade diamonds. This dust gave a sparkly, extravagant effect to the prints.

Now in the year of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee two Andy Warhol screenprints of Queen Elizabeth II will be offered in the PostWar and Contemporary Art sale on 1 July at Christie’s London – (Red Screen Print), Queen Elizabeth II, from: Reigning Queens (Royal Edition), 1985, (estimate £250,000-350,000) and (Blue Screen Print), Queen Elizabeth II, from: Reigning Queens (Royal Edition), 1985, (estimate £200,000-300,000), both from the ‘Diamond Dust’ Royal Edition. The source image for Warhol’s celebrated portrait of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II was the official photograph taken by the Royal photographer Peter Grugeon (1918-1980), released for the Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977.

Facing page: Red Screen Print), Queen Elizabeth II, from: Reigning Queens (Royal Edition), 1985, (estimate £250,000-350,000).

This page: (Blue Screen Print), Queen Elizabeth II, from: Reigning Queens (Royal Edition), 1985, (estimate £200,000-300,000). Photography © Christie’s Images Limited 2022.

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THIS IS WINE

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

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

BURGUNDY – COTE D’OR – COTE DE NUITS – VOSNE-ROMANÉE

VOSNE-ROMANÉE IN A NUTSHELL Few subjects in European history have created more havoc than the phrase ‘all the burgundies’, one historian has famously lamented. Burgundy is complicated and so are its wines, writes Kris Bonavita.

This page: Harvest in Burgundy. Sketch for the ceiling of the Buffet de la Gare de Lyon (Le Train Bleu Restaurant). Albert Maignan.

Courtesy Paris Musées / Musée Carnavalet – Histoire de Paris.

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VOSNE-ROMANÉE ew subjects in European history have created more havoc than the phrase ‘all the burgundies’, one historian has famously lamented. Burgundy is complicated and so are its wines. Historically the region has spanned and fluctuated as an economic and cultural strategic heartland between the capital Paris and major trading routes across European realms. Its fragmented lands and climate have given way to winegrowing on a difficult and concentrated scale which no other region in the world can compare with. And yet nowhere is more fabled, nowhere more enigmatic than a strip of land known as the slope of gold or Cote D’ Or a 31 miles long by 2 mile strip at its widest with a small village, to the west of which lie famed Elysian fields that produce wine which the world over are considered the embodiment of the greatest expression of a wine’s ability to convey a sense of place, culture, and history.

The Pearl of Burgundy

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ithin a world of superlatives, the tiny commune of Vosne-Romanée with its 6 Grand Cru and 14 Premier Cru vineyards is the very definition of what the French mean by climat. A designated geographic region no matter how small and specific that grows grapes of such an intensity and individuality they cannot be replaced or mistaken for anything else. And within the appellation of Vosne-Romanée itself, six parcels of land are so unique they are distinct appellations in their own right. ‘Burgundy has produced nothing better than this

little corner where all her charms come together’ wrote Gaston Roupnel in his celebration of the French countryside. And within that crown the star jewel in the firmament is a postage stamp of a plot of land known as Romanée-Conti that has traded hands through the centuries for extortionate sums of money as the vineyard whose wines very few have been privileged to have tasted such is their rarity and expense. A single bottle from the tiny vintage of 1945 sold for over half a million dollars at the sound of the gavel; judiciously a vastly reduced harvest and wine made exclusively by women as the men were still at the battle fronts.

Velvet and Satin in a Bottle

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wo hectares of land have gone down through the centuries with moments of holy discovery and hedonistic fame as the place where grapes grow best; however its contorted history is a microcosm of the wider story of winemaking and its tribulations for Burgundy itself. The first mention of the vineyard is as an enclosure known as Le Cloux under the auspices of the Benedictine monastery of Saint Vivant nearby. The abbey controlled a number of vineyards in the region including that of the neighbouring hamlet of Flagey-Echezeaux and was instrumental in developing the land. The property was rechristened La Romanée due to Roman remains nearby and passed through several families including the Croonembourgs family and a Prince de sang of Conti, cousin of Louis XV, in 1764; whereupon his name was added to the title and the wine reserved for his own personal consumption and those of his palace guests including Mozart no less. Following the French revolution the property was seized and would eventually end up in the hands of the ancestor of the present owners under the management of a single Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, arguably the world’s greatest wine producer with several Grand Cru vineyards under its name.

But the wine itself is considered the most intense expression of a Pinot Noir possible, purely upon the excellent terroir and climate the vineyard enjoys; and the centuries old vine growing and winemaking skills; to be crowned the gold standard by which all other Burgundies and possibly all reds are to be compared to. This all comes down to the grape.

Upon the annexation of Gaul, the Romans were probably the first to plant vineyards in the region even if the local Celts were fond of drinking wine barbarously straight; where the Romans were known to genteelly water down their tipple, according to how raucous they wanted their symposia and banquets or not. A narrow strip of land was chosen as ideal for vine growing and would make up what today is known as the Cote d’ Or. Upon the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the Early Middle Ages the Burgundians, a Germanic people, moved into the region and gave it its name. The kingdom that emerged was eventually reabsorbed into the Holy

Roman Empire and became its own duchy in the mid-14th century under the youngest son of the French king of the time, Philip the Bold, who through his lineage would thrive as a powerful rival to the French throne itself, until the region was finally annexed and became part of greater France in the late 15th century.

During this time important churches and abbeys, such as Cluny, Citeaux and Vezelay, would be established that were centres of learning, culture and fortuitously vine growing and winemaking both for sacred and constitutional purposes. The Benedictines and Cistercians would be at the forefront of discovery; ground clearing and levelling and parcelling fields in identifying the best plots of land for vine growing and choosing the right varieties. In tandem with the patronage and political power of the Dukes of Burgundy of the House of Valois, the monks’ hard work would do much to foster the fame of the land-locked region and those of specific localities that were the precursors of the terroir and appellations of today. Both orders were extensive vineyard owners in the region, bequeathed to them as fallow fields of little value in inhospitable terrain, and were the first to discover that different parcels of land gave distinctly different wines. Philip the bold was instrumental in banning the use of any other grape than the low–yielding Pinot Noir and prohibited the use of manure or organic fertilizer as a means of increasing yields to the detriment of quality. In the first signs of protectionism other dukes would ban the import and export of foreign wines.

By the 17th century much of the churches land, due to taxation burdens on a now lucrative wine business, was sold off to the emerging wealthy upper classes until the French Revolution would see many of these properties seized and resold to enterprising growers and merchants that through strong Napoleonic hereditary laws still own albeit in minutely fragmented parcels most of the chequered vineyards that make up the Burgundy countryside today. It is this historical fragmentation and specificity that has allowed growers and wine makers to hone in, even more than ever on the distinct strengths of each plot of land or even row of vines in a way which nowhere else is logistically possible. But this is not without its tribulations.

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THIS IS WINE Callas in a bottle

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ed wine in Burgundy means simplistically Pinot Noir, and Pinot Noir is known for its extreme mutability in adapting to its specific soil and climate. Due to its long history of cultivation and ensuing ability to mutate due to its active transposable elements, there are hundreds of Pinot Noir clones. Even within metres of each other, vines react and grow differently with an ensuing difference in the wines produced. Yet for all its grandeur it is also a very difficult grape to grow that has small yields, even as little as four tightly clustered bunches of grapes per vine, and requires tender loving care on a vine by vine basis.

And even then can produce a gamut of wines that go from the sublime and ethereal to the underwhelming. Pinot Noir is a bit of a diva, like Maria Callas in a bottle, which either brings the house down roaring or breaks the party. No wine suits best the acclamation of vin d’ emotion or an emotional wine because regardless of expense or pedigree, one is either ready to wring the neck of the bottle in frustration or sit back and enjoy a rare treat of symphonic proportions. But this high maintenance attitude suits Burgundy well because as superb and varied as the soil and climate can be for growing grapes, it is also one of the hardest for winegrowers. It has taken millennia for wine to be made here and quite frankly it shows.

On the Roman Emperor Constantine's visit to the region in 312 AD, in a petition to pay lower taxes an orator lamented the difficulty of growers in a harsh cold environment, where vines could only be planted on a strip of land between marshy plains and infertile hilltops and yet the wines produced were the envy of the empire. Pinot Noir, an ancient variety once or twice removed from wild grape, thrives in cooler climates but the tight clusters and small leafs make it susceptible to rot and other hazards. The thin skins have low level tannins with light phenolic flavours meaning the

wine can go through uneven and unpredictable aging. The small berried grapes are also low in anthocyanins which are responsible for the wine’s pigment and when macerated with its stems the wine can be even more lightly coloured, yet can gain in aromatics and concentration. Younger vine wines and younger wines can be light and soft fruited in flavour where the older and more aged draw towards more complex savoury tones. Its ability to mutate makes it extremely sensitive to the terroir where it grows and the vine growing methods used; and the wines produced are probably the most distinct in expressing that specificity. It is also difficult to make wine from, requiring skill to extract the best out of the grape. It can have a broad range of aromas, flavours, textures and impressions allowing each wine to have a personality all of its own, almost transcendentally. Yet it can be unassuming, but it is this very equanimity which allows the wine to soar with an aromatic refinement, mid-palate complexity and arrested strength that makes it so popular and appealing when it performs.

Ultimately it all comes together according to climat and domaine.

Burgundy is a jigsaw puzzle of varied soils and geologies, elevations and exposures which have harsh continental and maritime climates vying for dominance and from year to year in unpredictable ways. Within that setting every parcel of vines however minute is cared for by different vine growers with different traditions applied to each vine as it adapts to its unique setting and also different winemaking skills and techniques that come together under relatively small domaines (the equivalent of chateaux in Bordeaux) to produce wines that are as different as there are vines, soils, vineyards, vine growers and wine makers. Nothing could be more enigmatic, nothing more sophisticated, and yet nothing so overly understated as a red Burgundy.

BURGUNDY GENERAL WINE CARD Geography: The Cote D’ Or – From Marsannay to Santenay

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urgundy a few hours drive southeast of Paris has several wine producing regions with the red wines coming mainly from the Cote D’ Or (Slope of Gold) due to its orientation towards the golden daytime sun and incredible wine. The golden slope is a narrow limestone ridge from the wine producing town of Marsannay just south of the regional capital Dijon to the most southern town of Santenay.

The northern half of the Cote D ‘Or is known as the Cote de Nuits from Dijon to the village from which it gets its name Nuits St Georges.

The other southern half of the Cote D’ Or is known as the Cote de Beaune. The Cote de Nuits, a stretch 25 miles long, is further divided into fourteen communes at the centre of which six produce grand cru wines. Namely the villages from north to south are GevreyChambertin, Morey-St Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée and Nuits St Georges. Some of these villages are separated from each other by dry valleys known as combes or tributaries of the Saone river which flows parallel to the Cote itself before joining the Rhone River and the Mediterranean beyond.

Geology

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urgundy is geology on steroids. A layered trifle of different ancient rocks broken along a fault line in staggered slopes to reveal different layers at the surface and eroded into different soils, some 400 are known, that have an elevation and exposure which allow vines and grapes to grow within a stone’s throw of each other on wildly different patches of land and all within a climatic environment that can be hostile or benign within feet apart. The entire region was a large inland lagoon during the Jurassic period 200 million years ago when the skeletal fragments of marine creatures became fossilized as the limestone sea bed predominant today. The formation of large mountain ranges of Europe 50 million years

ago would elevate and fragment along faults and slopes that through more recent erosion of glaciers and rivers would break down and shape into a mix of limestone marls, clays, sands, gravels and silt deposits which make up the soils of Burgundy. The break up of the escarpment and ridge with small valleys and rivers also mean patches of land have different aspects and orientations. Wines are uniquely different from each other in Burgundy not because of any sales hype but because Pinot Noir grows differently on such varied geology and soil. Generally Pinot Noir is grown on soil that has a limestone base with varying proportions of marl; itself a limestone and clay mix that often includes gravel and sand. Chardonnay is often grown on the more limestone rich calcium soils.

Terroir & Climat

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s such the classification system reflects the diversity of soils and their predisposition through elevation, sun exposure and good drainage to grow grapes. The plains themselves are too fertile and poorly drained, resulting in weaker wines. Further up the escarpment the villages give way to fields that often have the Village classification with soils that are increasingly less fertile and better drained with porous limestone soils with less clay and silt. At around a 250 metre elevation

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mid-slope the vineyards are often classified as Premier Cru with the better favoured parcels of land classified as Grand Cru forming a narrow golden band of first-rate lands that works itself up and down the Cote. These more favoured fields tend to have the most sun exposure with southeast facing slopes at a reasonably sharp gradient. In some places the Grand Cru are abutted further uphill by Premier Cru fields before the elevation at around 300 metres causes soils to be too thin to grow vines and are often taken up by woodland or bare rock at the top of the ridge.

VOSNE-ROMANÉE

This page: One of the Domaines owned by Albert Bichot, Clos de Frantin situated in Vosne-Romanée with coveted holdings of vines in the premier cru Malconsorts.

Photograph courtesy Domaines Albert Bichot © Flore Deronzier 43

THIS IS WINE

The Roux family, based in Saint-Aubin, is a specialist in wines from the villages in the hills above the Côte de Beaune. Here you can see the varying topography of the vineyards in relation to the village. Photograph courtesy Domaine Roux, © Serge Chapuis.

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Schematic diagram of the geological and related appellation divisions. Image courtesy Domaine Roux

VOSNE-ROMANÉE Classification

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he geology is to a certain extent enshrined in the classification system of Burgundy. Unlike Bordeaux the regional appellation is more important than the wine producer due to the specificity of the soils reflected in the characteristics of the wine. That is the location of where grapes are grown is of such a calibre that the winemaker is considered secondary to the terroir itself. Many vine growers go on to sell their grapes or even their wines to domaines or negociants who in turn market and sell under their labels. This is also evident in the labels with the appellation taking precedence over domain name. Albeit there are a hair-raising 600 hundred ways of labelling a Burgundy wine and there is the world’s most stringent but complex system of being allowed

to do so. Schematically, there are around 100 regional appellations, 33 of which or 2 percent of total production are Grand Cru climats (vineyards or regions in their own right), some of these are owned by a single domain and have the label monopole affixed. In second tier there are 640 Premier Cru climats or 12 percent of all Burgundy wines. Other parcels of land used in the production of grapes are designated Village of which there are 44 with some mentioning the particular vineyard or lieu-dit as being worthy of note. Lesser wines enjoy the general label of Burgundy.

While the fragmented system of grading may seem Byzantesque, it is functional for the most part but fortuitously not infallible to the gain of intrepid bounty hunters in search of great wine with less official hallmarks and often better value.

Climate

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urgundy has a continental climate during the growing season with very cold winters and hot summers. Unpredictable patterns of winter hail, spring frosts and cool wet autumns can wreak havoc to flowering, ripening and harvest; meaning vintages can vary considerably even from village to village, if not field to field. The term micro-climate literally has a bitter-sweet nuance to it in this region. Being the furthest north for red grapes to grow successfully on the 47th parallel as opposed to

the goldilocks 45th of Bordeaux; the location of specific vineyards is more precarious; with the best having an east to southeast facing elevation to get all that the sun brings, over and above gradient slopes at high altitudes for good drainage. While being landlocked, Burgundy is at a crossroads of climatic weather fronts vying with each other in their influence on the region from the mitigating effects of the nearby Saone River and the Massif Central highlands to the warm, hot or even torrential Mediterranean tempers; to the cooler or harsher weather of the Atlantic and Baltic waters.

ETHEREAL AND TRANSCENDENT, ELEGANT AND POWERFUL Vosne-Romanée Style and Characteristics

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osne-Romanée itself lies to the southern end of the Cote de Nuits and is made up of a tiny sliver of land 175 hectares large (the size of Comino) covered in hundreds of small vineyards or climats.

The neighbouring hamlet of Flagey-Echezeaux with 60 hectares forms part of this village appellation, so together they boast 8 grand cru and 15 premier cru climats. East of the village the vineyards being further down the ridge are entitled to the village appellation and are characterised by thin well drained clay soils with pebbles and stones producing wines which have a balanced depth and silky richness and develop well with aging. West of the village half way up the slopes of up to 15 percent gradient with east and south east sun exposure grand cru and premier cru vineyards lie. These have thinner soils of limestone mixed with clayey marls with a higher proportion of topsoil stones and pebbles allowing for better drainage and more concentrated fruit. Top soils range from a few centimetres to one metre deep and are essentially a varying mix of limestone marls and rocks on limestone bedrock. Each vineyard has exceptionally good wines but with marked differences in style even from one parcel of land to another, with winemakers utilizing differing techniques to exact a better expression of each parcel of land from year to year.

The Grand cru are Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, Richebourg, La Romanée, Romanée-St. Vivant, La Grand Rue, Grands Echézeaux and Echézeaux.

Amongst the Premier cru of Vosne-Romanée, wines are of a particularly high calibre each with their own distinct character. Worthy of note are Aux Reignots, Cros Parantoux, Beaux Monts, Brulees and Les Rouges due to their high altitude. Les Suchots is the closest one gets if not at times better than an Echezeaux style of wine which it borders. Aux Malconsorts is distantly similar to the sturdy Nuits appellation next door. Rather of more interest and at better value the Vosne-Romanée Village terroirs are where some truly amazing wines can be found at accessible prices, even of differing styles. Various wines are now produced with the name of the vineyard from which they provenance, as lieu-dit village cuvees, and in any other part of the world they would be premier cru in all but name. Worthy of mention are Les Hautes Maizieres, Clos du Chateau, la Colombiere, Le Clos Goillotte and Aux Reas. But even wines with only the village appellation of Vosne-Romanée are of a consistently high quality.

What separates Burgundy and Vosne-Romanée in particular from other regions is that winemaking is on a very small scale with a typical domain producing as little as 50 to 1000 cases of wine annually. Each vineyard or climat has multiple families of owners with their own vine-growing and winemaking techniques; Richebourg for example has 11 each vying to make the best wine possible with their particular parcel of terroir. Nowhere are

vines more carefully prodded and cared for on an individual basis with vignerons, sometimes having as little as two or three rows of vines, deciding how much to prune, green harvest and select which bunches to allow to reach maturity, and even then grapes go through a meticulous triage selection to ensure the best quality. Romani-Conti often allow only four bunches per vine requiring three vines worth of grapes to make one bottle (industrial-scale wine produces ten bottles per vine). Parcels of grapes are vinified separately and may either be bottled as a single wine in minute supply or blended. The true art of blending in Burgundy’s case is that between oak barrels of differing characteristics of grapes grown in different conditions either within the same vineyard or with grapes from other small holdings within the same climat or appellation. Some growers sell their grapes to larger winemakers to be included with similar lots of their own classifications.

Despite famously distinct and beautiful variations, Vosne-Romanée wines have been characterized as the equivalent of a Rubens nude in liquid form.

The wine comes in shades of fiery red from deep pure ruby to black tulip and crimson. The aromas can be overwhelmingly rich and distinctive enough that experts can recognize the very vineyard the wines come from.

The ripe fruit flavours most prevalent are those of strawberry, raspberry and blackcurrant with well-aged and refined wines evolving into the maraschino cherry and preserved fruit category, showing depth and complexity. Prized aromas of spice, leather and fur and gamey woodland also come through with time. As does a vein of minerality which gives the wine a freshness and vibrancy even after years of cellaring. Above all the wine is known for its velvety and opulent or concentrated palate with a purity and balanced elegance all of its own that may seem austere when still young due to powerful tannins but evolves a fleshier texture and voluptuous and full bodied structure with gracious aging.

Vosne-Romanée in good years has ideal weather conditions and climate for Pinot Noir to thrive but vintages do differ because the weather can be crucially different from year to year. For the most recent vintages they can be divided as follows. Strongest in their aging potential are 2019, 2018, 2015, 2010 and 2005. Most balanced and refined are 2016, 2014, 2012, 2009 and 2002. Above average or with promise are 2017, 2013, 2012, and 2011.

Difficult vintages due to uneven ripening which should be treaded with care are the trio of 2008, 2007 and 2006; even more so 2004, 2003, 2001 and 2000. However it is best to see the overall popular and critics’ ratings of an appellation and wine maker over and above the specific year and wine. As for Grand Cru; insider tip – if you are fortunate enough to be entertained with a bottle or a glass, any vintage will do, just nod demurely in approval and savour that other-worldly moment.

FOR OTHER TASTING NOTES ON WONDERFUL WINES JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM/FIRSTTHISISWINE 45

VOSNE-ROMANÉE

Domaines Albert Bichot Vosne-Romanée 2019 €92, exclusively represented by Mirachem

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omaines Albert Bichot is one of the oldest and largest owning a number of other domaines with vineyards throughout Burgundy. It originated as a merchant house before buying over a 100 hectares of grand cru and premier cru vines known for its distinguishable high calibre wine making hedonistic style.

Their Vosne-Romanée 2019 is almost neon cherry red. On the nose shitake mushroom, amarena cherries, bramble berries, white truffle, gunpowder and tonka. The attack is super sweet cherries, cassis and grenadine with a medium plus mouth feel of ripened fruit and high acidity leading to a Seville orange rind, crushed wild rose and peony petals and leaves mint finish. There are baked and raw spices along the way and a lingering minerality that stretches between cola drop gummy bears and poached lychees. With a few hours breathing a strawberry cheesecake creaminess comes through to tackle the energy.

As such this is as complex as one would hope for with a number of flavours and layers folded in to create a condensed version of 2019. There is an intensity to the wine almost verging on perfume tincture tinged in a Tyrian purple red and even if there is a modicum of effervescent youth nonetheless the calibre is pretty much premier cru.

Possibly the vintage has a lot to do with the quality since the bottom of the slope village level vines had a deep clay advantage in a hot dry year.

The flavour profile suggests this is a cuvee between the hedonistic exuberance of the upper middle slope Malconsort with the soaring roar of Nuits St Georges close by; possibly declassified grapes from the domaine’s holdings; and the velvety wrapped tannins and sweet baked spice of vines lower down the slope near the village south of Les Suchots.

The year 2019 brought in a mild winter and a frosty spring broken by a hot and very dry summer. The berries which survived were small and concentrated with low but luscious yields resulting in a multi-faceted fruit forward probably legendary year. Indeed the most baroque of vintages across the hierarchy of cru with marvellously high ripeness, high sweetness, high heat, yet equally high acidity surprisingly already approachable but with structure to age. Certainly this wine encapsulates all this quite tidily.

Supplier details: Mirachem has a vast selection of Burgundy wines from Albert Bichot.

Mirachem, Mira Building, Triq Kan K Pirotta, B’Kara. Tel 00356 2148 8590. Web wine.mt

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THIS IS WINE

Domaine Roux Vosne-Romanée 2016 exclusively represented by M. Demajo Wines & Spirits

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omaine Roux Pere & Fils is one of the largest and oldest vineyard holders in Burgundy based in St Aubin with over 70 hectares of vines including grand and premier cru run by brothers Mathieu and Sebastian. The Domaine style focuses on the purity of their fruit undergoing single vineyard vinification to highlight the specifics of each of their 52 lieu-dits (vineyards).

Vosne-Romanée 2016 is pure light garnet in robe.

The bouquet is wild strawberry, bramble berry, wood bark and slight clove. The attack is damson plums and raspberries with a mid palate lightness ending in a stronger finish of sun-dried cherries, spearmint, white pepper, coffee grind and tobacco smoke. Upon allowing the bottle to breath for five hours the mid palate opened up nicely with fleshier ribbons of flavours tinged in rose orchard, wild cherries, wood embers, veal and buttered mushrooms all making their mark. The wine is now much more forthcoming with a greater balance and strength between the palate and nose to make this very enjoyable and surreal on the classical side of the vintage.

The precise minerality and balanced classicism is the golden stamp of this beauty. There are no lieu dits on the label but my calculated guess is this is a cuvee of Pinot from two parts of Vosne. There is enough wind swept rose petals and dry leaves in the outer tannins to make me think some of these grapes are declassified from the upper slope domaine’s 1cru Les Beaux Monts holdings but equally there is enough tonka bean and button mushroomed umaminess in the mid palate to remind me of the fair vines further down slope south of the village proper. The vintage comes through in the calibrated balance between classical austerity and readied aromas all there to enthuse or age further.

2016 was a hair-raising vintage with a frosty wet spring drastically lessening yields saved by a hot late summer with cool nights all ending in a near perfect late September albeit small harvest. The result was a classic vintage with concentration and freshness good for the long haul, even if this is enjoyable now on the serene side.

Tonka Bean Disclaimer: I wouldn’t know a tonka bean if it took me out for dinner but from when a friend used it to describe a Vosne-Romanée wine it occurred to me that it was the signature flavour at the heart of what makes their wines delicious. An elongated legume with raisin-like wrinkles so delicious it is illegal in the US due to being slightly toxic.

The taste is a cross between cut grass, caramel, vanilla, liquorice, clove with a hint of warmth, magnolia and French polish; not coffee nor chocolate just tonka. An edible version of spicy tobacco with herby nutty and woody characters with dried hay, browned butter and crème brullee smoky comfort zones. The smell is so intoxicatingly good you can taste it without having too.

Supplier details: M. Demajo Wines & Spirits has a vast selection of Burgundy wines from Roux Pere & Fils.

M. Demajo Wines & Spirits, 103, Archbishop Street, Valletta. Tel 00356 2552 0000. Web demajowinesandspirits.com 48

VOSNE-ROMANÉE

Domaine des Perdrix Vosne-Romanée 2017 €70.12, exclusively represented by Charles Grech Ltd

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omaine des Perdrix has shot to fame upon its acquisition by the Devillard family owners of Mercurey’s prime domaine Chateau de Chamirey. Its flagship vineyard is the monopole Les Perdrix at the Premeaux western end of Nuits St Georges however they also have coveted grand and premier cru holdings in Echezeaux and Gevrey. They implement a 4 to 6 day whole cluster cold pre-fermentation for soft extraction before natural yeast fermentation and more intense fullbodied maceration.

This cuvee is from venerably old vines situated in three northern climats of Vosne: Les Hautes Maizieres bordering the grand cru level Les Suchots which it shares similarities to; and Les Quartiers de Nuits and Les Chaladins, in the Flagey-Echezeaux commune (which also fall under the Vosne-Romanée appellation), bordering Clos du Vougeot. The soils are mainly limestone with calcareous and marly layers (for the geologically inclined think mid-Jurassic).

Les Hauts Maizieres is one of the more interesting lieu-dits. Lavalle in 1855 considered it 2nd cru but may have been biased by its end of slope feel even if it is chiefly surrounded by premier cru vines. It may also have suffered from oblivion being located in both Vosne and Flagey neither of which felt much loyalty in pushing its cause. In some ways it is Vosne’s best kept secret at a fraction in price with comparable premier cru calibre wines. The flavour profile of this lieu-dit triangulate between the rich textures of Les Suchots; the minerality common to Flagey; and a touch of floral Vougeot or Chambolle.

Domaine des Perdrix’s Vosne-Romanée 2017 is dense scarlet in robe. On the nose strawberry syrup, raspberry, vanilla, walnut wood and dry rose petals and leaves. The attack is full ripened fresh berries with a medium rich palate ending in a minerally-precise crushed stone, saline dash pleasing finish. Upon allowing to breath for a few hours the filigree of rich flavours are more intimate with dulcet textures adding volume and wooded flesh to the fruit. A clayattesting blue flower violet and lilac, Chanterelle mushroom, soft earth, cocoa, white pepper and slight anise speak volumes of the terroir. However besides the satiny tannins this is already quite approachable due to the vintage. Overall 2017 had a dry and hot harvest perfect for ripening ending in a classic fresh style that can be drunk young due to the large yields. There is a levitating weight to the whole feel to this wine tempered by a complexity worthy of its origin. You get the florals and clay caressing textures typical of Clos du Vougeot next door but equally the minerals and dark spice and chocolate related to other Flagey heavy weights, however the soaring power is Vosne through and through with a regal finesse and elegant balance worthy of a ballerina’s poise.

Supplier details: Charles Grech has a vast selection of Burgundy wines from Domaine des Perdrix. Charles Grech, Palazzo Ca' Brugnera, Valley Road, B'Kara. Tel: 00356 2144 4400 (Sliema 00356 2132 3731, Ibragg 00356 2137 8609, Ta' Xbiex Seafront 00356 2131 5064). Web charlesgrech.com

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THIS IS WINE

BURGUNDY – COTE D’OR – COTE DE NUITS – CLOS DE VOUGEOT

BABETTE’S CHOICE OF CLOS DE VOUGEOT In the evocatively wonderous bijou of a film Babette’s Feast, a mondane Parisian refugee from the counter French revolution flees to the austere coast of Jutland and is taken in by two pious sisters as their housekeeper. A few years down the road, Babette, upon winning a lottery, wishes to reciprocate their generosity by treating them to a luscious Belle-Epoque French meal the likes of which only the top-tier restaurant in Paris where she was originally the chef could muster. Complete with several courses of incredible food, Babette impeccably pairs the piece de resistance Cailles en Sarcophages (Roast quails stuffed with truffle and foie gras buried in vol-au-vents) with an 1845 Clos de Vougeot to the utter delight of her hosts and patrons. Succinctly no other film could better evoke both the mystery and bijou charm of a wine as fabled then as it is now, writes Kris Bonavita.

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ugging two incredible grand cru in their own right Grand Echezeaux and Musigny, Clos de Vougeot in some way epitomizes the whole history and geography of Burgundy’s glorious wine world both in its physical attributes and calibre of wines it produces. This fabled vineyard was once part of a wall-enclosed monastery (hence the Clos) founded by the Cistercian monks in 1098 as an offspring to their main foundation, Citeaux, downstream of their water source, the rivulet Vouge. Ironically the monastery itself was founded as an offshoot in an effort to turn to a more austere practice of the monastic rule. Chosen for its ideal location and geology spanning a slight incline the vines were soon identified as producing wine of such high renown, one pope, Urban V, banned upon pain of excommunication the gifting of its wine to himself or any cardinal as a means of political umbrage. The entire Clos remained under the management of the church until it was disenfranchised in the French Revolution and bought by several owners to be subsequently divided through inheritance and resale to now be in the coveted possession of approximately 80 vignerons and negociants today.

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Clos de Vougeot is at once the smallest commune in the Cote de Nuits with the largest single holding of grand cru vines at 51 hectares. Even if all the vines from its fabled land are entitled to grand cru status (one of only 33 in the whole of Burgundy), its terroir, geology, sun exposure and flavour profile and quality of each vine’s grapes are far from homogenous, over and above domaine style. The monks of old would have judiciously blended grapes after treating the vines differently and vinifying their grapes separately depending on the whims of each vintage to come out with a wine with a layered complexity famed throughout the ages as at once hedonistic in character yet with an ethereal and floral cadence. In effect, the Clos is a microcosm of the typical Burgundian vinescape. From thin chalk and gravel soils on limestone rock in the northeastern end of the upper slope where the monastery is situated to softer limestone, deeper clays and higher elevations in the middle south western section to humus-rich alluvium and marls at the bottom of the undulated hill and slopes. Various patches of vines having different orientations and thus varying expressions and under the hands of skilled domains in effect accentuate these differences and blends within the bounds of their holdings.

As such, it is very difficult to ascertain quality linked entirely to location within the vineyard even if the vines closer to the upper end of the monastery are considered to have an advantage both in soil and climate in contrast to those at the base, and in contrast to vines on the mid-slope elevation which sometimes prove to be the best spot of all.

While quality is not so much location dependent, the aromatics and flavour profile do change according to where the vines are, however ultimately it is the domain itself and the size and variability of their holdings that allows Clos de Vougeot wines to span a whole range of attributes from the above-average to the soaringly beyond comparison.

Schematically wines have the baked spice and chocolate of Echezeaux, the floral aromatics and delicate filigree of Musigny and the calibrated and ethereal power with lush interiors of Vosne next door.

Top: The monastery itself. Photograph courtesy Domaine Louis Jadot, © B. Manière. Left: The vineyard holdings of Domaine Louis Jadot at Clos de Vougeot. Photograph courtesy Domaine Louis Jadot, © Armelle.

CLOS DE VOUGEOT

Domaine Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot 2014 €150.00, exclusively represented by Attard and Co. Wines

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omaine Louis Jadot is one the largest and most important wine producers and merchant houses in Burgundy having 270 hectares of holdings with an array of grand and premier cru down to village level high calibre wines. In Clos de Vougeot their holdings stretch south of the monastery proper from the highsloped middle west end to lower down the hillside in one large strip of east-facing vines grown on well-drained stony limestone soils with some clay.

Here we taste their Clos Vougeot 2014.

A clear garnet red in robe, the bouquet starts on the savoury side with black truffle, deep dried flowers aromatics, violet and hibiscus, and wood tones wrapped in dark berried fruit mulled in baked sweet spices of vanilla and tonka bean. The attack is a fine bevy of red currants, berries and cherries of gradated ripeness with a mid-palate softness and strength in equal measure all refreshingly surging towards a crescendo confectioner’s sugared almond and morello cherry bittersweet finish. Upon good breathing for three hours the aromatics open up profusely to a level of perfumed concoction that streams between old rose flower scent and French wood polish laced in bees waxed leather and Manuka honey. The palate is fleshier with ebonizing textures and mulled spices nicely woven into the primaries without losing touch of the well-preserved fruit with a now creamier roast hazelnut and cocoa ending.

To sum up, there is good extraction and a fine distinct minerality, a nod to Echezeaux just above; there is the finesse and floral filigree sporting the balance Vougeot is famous for short of the more feminine aromatics of Chambolle proper; and there are tertiaries in waves and droves attesting the Vosne-like clays. However the cherry on the cake is the distinct syncretism of the woods and spices which I think speak more of the vintage.

2014 had a wet summer with small concentrated but refined yields; where the well-drained midslope soils allowed a more classical rendition of the wine even if exotic earthy notes add a hedonistic depth to show off its grand cru status quite soberly, all this with an intensity and yet ethereally light hand that is hard to describe.

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

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ENTERTAINING

SUMMER COOKING AND ENTERTAINING The chefs at Mediterranean Culinary Acdemy have prepared a feast of dishes that can be made ahead and just need minutes to put together when guests are seated.

Photography Robert Pace.

“You should feel good about making your home nicer for your family and your friends. You should feel great about cooking a good dinner... creating a beautiful birthday party. It’s all part of life.”

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ENTERTAINING

FRESH SCARPINOCC PASTA WITH TALEGGIO Scarpinocc pasta originated in northern Italy and resembles the oldfashioned wooden shoes that are typical of the Lombardy region. These scarpinocc are filled with taleggio, a wonderful semi-soft cheese, and served with a simple sausage ragu, packed with flavour.

SERVES 2 FOR THE PASTA DOUGH 200g fine ground semolina 1 egg 3 egg yolks 5g olive oil 2g salt 10ml water 1. Place semolina in a mixing bowl and create a well.

2. Place egg, yolks, water, salt and olive oil into well and using a fork mix well.

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

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

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5. Once dough is fully formed cover in cling film and allow to rest, at least 10 minutes.

6. Uncover and roll out with a rolling pin till dough is thin enough to pass through lowest pasta machine setting ('0').

7. Pass rolled out dough through pasta machine twice.

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

ENTERTAINING

FOR THE KALE AND SAUSAGE RAGU 1/2 onion, minced 1/2 carrot, minced 2 celery ribs, minced 150g pork sausage, broken up 150g kale, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, minced 2tbsp butter 1tbsp olive oil salt as needed 1. Add olive oil to a pan over medium-high heat.

2. Add sausage and brown well.

3. Add carrot. Add a pinch of salt and deglaze bottom of pan. Cook for 2 minutes and then add celery and onion. Season with a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium.

4. Cook for 2 minutes and then add garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until softened.

5. Add kale to pan with a pinch of salt.

6. Add 500ml water and cover with baking paper. Cook over medium heat until kale is softened and most of water has reduced, roughly 30 minutes.

7. To finish, add cooked pasta to sauce with a splash of pasta water.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter to pan and stir to combine until sauce is nicely emulsified.

FOR THE TALEGGIO FILLING 300g Taleggio, remove rind, cut into cubes 120g cream 1. Add Taleggio and cream to food processor.

2. Blitz for 2-3 minutes until mixture has emulsified to consistency of very thick Greek yoghurt.

3. Refrigerate and reserve.

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ENTERTAINING

PAELLA MIXTA WITH RABBIT AND MUSSELS This recipe allows you to prepare a paella dish without the need for any special paella pans. The salsa verde recipe can be used to accompany this dish or a variety of other dishes such as grilled fish or meat.

SERVES 2-3 100g onion, finely minced 100g carrot, finely diced 50g red peppers, finely minced 10g garlic, crushed 100g Calasparra rice 1 pinch saffron 1 tsp smoked paprika 100g white wine water 300g 2 spring onions, halved 3 rabbit legs 15 mussels 12 clams 5-6 calamari rings 2 tbsp olive oil salt to taste 1. Add some olive oil to a pan over medium heat, add chopped onions, carrots and green peppers to make a sofrito.

2. Sweat down for 30 minutes or until translucent. Remove from pan and reserve.

3. Cut up rabbit into bite sized pieces.

4. Season with salt, then place into a medium hot pan. Sear till golden brown on all sides.

5. Add calamari, saffron and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 2 minutes till aromatic.

6. Add sofrito to pan with garlic and white wine.

7. Reduce till a muddy paste forms, then add rice and coat.

8. Top with water, season with salt and simmer on medium low for roughly 15-20 minutes.

9. Preheat oven to grill on the highest setting.

10. Taste the rice for doneness and seasoning. Once 95% cooked nestle in clams,mussels and spring onions, then place under grill for 2-3 minutes.

11. Remove from the grill and serve topped with dollops of salsa verde.

FOR THE SALSA VERDE 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 lemon, juiced 1 lemon, zest 40g almonds 80ml extra virgin olive oil salt to taste black pepper to taste 1. Preheat oven to 160C, toast almonds until lightly golden brown, roughly 10-15 minutes. Cool and chop.

2. Mix parsley, garlic, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, toasted almonds, salt and pepper.

3. Cover and chill.

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ENTERTAINING

CHICKEN TAGINE The preparation of the tajine was typically reserved for celebration days, weddings and highly-esteemed guests. This classic North African dish won't disappoint and delivers fantastic flavours, with ingredients and spices coming together.

SERVES 2 600g chicken leg, deboned 1 onion, thinly sliced 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 carrot, quartered 2 spring onion, halved ras el hanout to taste 6 dried apricots 6 black olives, pitted 1 preserved lemon salt to taste olive oil to taste

1. Season onion and garlic in a mixing bowl with salt, olive oil and ras el hanout. Place in the tajine.

2. Add carrot, spring onion and chicken to a mixing bowl and season with olive oil, salt and ras el hanout.

3. Layer chicken and vegetables into tajine, making sure lid closes comfortably on top.

4. Add dried fruit, olives and preserved lemon on top of chicken and close lid.

5. Place in a 160°c oven for 1.5 hours or until tender. Garnish with your choice of chopped herbs.

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ENTERTAINING

CHOCOLATE FONDANT Ever a show stopper, everyone loves a rich chocolate fondant with chocolate bursting as you break into it with your fork. These are perfect for entertaining as they need to be made ahead and set in the fridge. Just don't forget to switch on the oven ahead of a quick bake before serving. Serve alone or with a fresh orange salad and crisp nut thins. The question remains - will you share?

SERVES 2 75g unsalted butter 75g 70% dark chocolate 90g sugar 2 eggs 1 egg yolk 20ml Grand Marnier or Cointreau 75g plain flour 3g salt cocoa powder and butter to line ramekins 90g chocolate ganache

1. Preheat oven to 200C. 2. Bring medium sized pot of water to a gentle simmer. Place butter and chocolate into bowl and place over pot.

Melt over gentle heat, stirring occasionally.

3. In a separate bowl whisk eggs, salt and sugar until lightly aerated.

4. Stream in melted chocolate mixture and liqueur, mix to combine. Fold in flour with a rubber spatula until mixture is homogenous.

5. Coat inside of ramekins with whole

butter and dust with cocoa powder.

Rotate ramekins to coat well.

6. Pipe fondant batter into ramekin to cover base. Pipe along ramekin edge leaving space for chocolate ganache. Place chocolate ganache in indent and cover well with batter.

7. Allow fondants to chill well in fridge.

8. Place fondants into preheated oven and bake for 14-17 minutes.

9. Once cooked, turn upside down onto a plate and remove ramekin. Serve immediately.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE 150g Dark chocolate, chopped 150ml Cream

1. Bring cream to boil over high heat in medium sized saucepan.

2. Pour over a container with the chopped chocolate and allow to sit for 3 minutes.

3. Stir to combine until mixture is smooth and homogenous.

4. Use straight away or allow to cool and set in fridge.

Recipes are from The Mediterranean Culinary Academy's collection developed by their chef instructors. 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.

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HEALTH & FITNESS “Those who are physically active tend to live longer, healthier lives. Research shows that moderate physical activity – such as 30 minutes a day of brisk walking – significantly contributes to longevity. Even a person with risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes or even a smoking habit can gain real benefits from incorporating regular physical activity into their daily life.”

ACTIVE AGEING

FINDING YOUR MOTIVATION FOR EXERCISE Starting and sticking with an exercise routine can be very rewarding. Exercise brings a sense of accomplishment but provides many health benefits, too. Finding the motivation to begin exercising and keep exercising can be challenging. Photography Taylor Simpson.

A COMPLETE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROGRAM

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well-rounded physical activity program includes aerobic exercise and strength training exercise, but not necessarily in the same session. This blend helps maintain or improve cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness and overall health and function. Regular physical activity will provide more health benefits than sporadic, high intensity workouts, so choose exercises you are likely to enjoy and that you can incorporate into your schedule.

The American College of Sports Medicine’s physical activity recommendations for healthy adults, recommend at least 30 minutes

of moderate-intensity physical activity (working hard enough to break a sweat, but still able to carry on a conversation) five days per week, or 20 minutes of more vigorous activity three days per week.

Combinations of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity can be performed to meet this recommendation.

Examples of typical aerobic exercises are: walking, running, stair climbing, cycling, rowing, swimming.

In addition, strength training should be performed a minimum of two days each week, with 8-12 repetitions of 8-10 different exercises that target all major muscle groups. This type of training can be accomplished using body weight, resistance bands, free weights, medicine balls or weight machines.

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HEALTH & FITNESS

Past experiences, competing priorities and unrealistic expectations can get in the way of leading an active lifestyle.

KNOW THE BENEFITS

EMBRACE YOUR SUCCESSES

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ave you tried exercise in the past but fell short by not meeting your goals? While we tend to focus on failures, think about what went well and your successes. If your goal was to exercise five days a week and you consistently made it three days, identify what went right to make that happen. It is also important to spend some time deciding if past exercise goals were too ambitious.

You may need to scale back expectations to meet other demands in your life.

People keep exercising because they have found something they enjoy about it. Maybe it’s the sense of achievement or the comradery. Are you looking forward to your next workout or do you dread it? Or maybe it’s the comfort in knowing that you took time to invest in yourself. Finding the joy in physical activity instead of viewing it as one more thing on the to-do list will keep you motivated.

ost results of exercise are not instantaneous, so set realistic expectations. It can take several weeks before seeing improvements in strength, endurance and weight loss. Don’t use the scale as your only measure of progress and remember that healthy weight loss should not exceed two pounds per week. Embrace the idea that exercise is about more than losing weight and changing physique.

Exercise can help you in many ways more than what is seen from the outside. Exercise can help improve physical function, mental health and can help reduce chronic disease risk for conditions like cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Widen your perception to all the health benefits of physical activity.

Immediate results from exercise include positive mental outlook. Even short bouts of activity can reduce stress and improve mood through the release of endorphins in the brain. Compare how you feel mentally before and after physical activity. When you connect exercise with these positive feelings you start to realize a more immediate benefit. In addition, long term physical activity can cut your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

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TRACK YOUR PROGRESS AND GET CONNECTED

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etting goals can help you focus and set a clear direction for what you intend to accomplish. Be specific about your exercise plan

Regular exercise improves the quality of sleep. People who exercise harder report better sleep compared to those that are sedentary or less active.

EVALUATE YOUR PRIORITIES

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s your health one of your top priorities? If not, this could keep you from starting and sticking with exercise.

Until you place a high value on health and the many benefits of a physically active lifestyle, your efforts will probably fall short. People make time for things that are important to them. Be honest. Where do health and a physically active lifestyle fit into your value system?

If exercise feels like one more thing on the to-do list, it is time to reframe your thinking. By thinking of exercise as a “get to do” instead of a “have to do” the inner voice is messaging a positive experience. If you find yourself saying “I have to exercise” and it seems like drudgery imagine if you start telling yourself “I get to exercise”. The inner voice is powerful. What is yours saying?

Plan ahead by marking your workout time on your calendar.

Find some time at lunch or plan to get up 30 minutes earlier a few days a week. Treat exercise like any other appointment.

Rate the importance of last minute schedule changes. If you wouldn’t miss work or break plans with a friend then you shouldn’t change your plans to work out

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when you are writing down your goals. “Getting in shape” is vague compared to “I will walk Monday, Wednesday, Friday for 45 minutes before dinner.” This lays out an intentional plan for what the exercise is, when it will take place and for how long. Those that write down goals and record their exercise do better with long-term behavior change.

Use a fitness app or some other tracking device. There are many available that can track your workouts and link you to likeminded people. Getting socially connected and tracking your progress can keep you going, especially if you appreciate healthy competition. Not into apps? Step counters and journals can also be powerful motivators.

Check your progress throughout the day and if you fall short of your goal, then work in extra steps to get there.

Recruit an exercise buddy or two. Companionship makes exercise fun and creates accountability. Incorporating the social aspects of exercise can keep you engaged. Letting a friend down may be harder than letting yourself down.

Group training sessions or walking the neighborhood can be great times to reconnect with friends and to become fit at the same time.

HEALTH & FITNESS

FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ACTIVE

THE FIRST STEP

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efore you begin an exercise program, take a fitness test, or substantially increase your level of activity, make sure to answer the following questions: Has your doctor ever said that you have a heart condition or that you should participate in physical activity only as recommended by a doctor? Do you feel pain in your chest during physical activity? In the past month, have you had chest pain when you were not doing physical activity?

Do you lose your balance from dizziness? Do you ever lose consciousness?

Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by a change in your physical activity? Is your doctor currently prescribing drugs for your blood pressure or a heart condition? Do you know of any reason you should not participate in physical activity?

If you answered yes to one or more questions, if you are over 40 years of age and have recently been inactive, or if you are concerned about your health, consult a physician before taking a fitness test or substantially increasing your physical activity. If you answered no to each question, then it’s likely that you can safely begin exercising.

f your schedule doesn’t allow for a full workout, figure out ways that you can get shorter bursts of activity in.

Even short bouts of activity carry many benefits. Are you waiting for the kids to finish practice? Take a lap or two around the field. Do you have an extra 10 minutes at lunch? Try walking the stairs or hitting the street with a coworker. Do you need to refresh your neck and back after a day at the computer? Keep resistance bands in your desk drawer or tighten up your core by trading your chair for a stability ball.

Avoid long periods of sitting by standing up and moving throughout the day. Standing can boost metabolism, increase circulation and improve lipids. Standing for five minutes of every hour is related to healthier cells. For example, movement sends more oxygen to the muscles and brain which can improve productivity. Try talking on the phone, folding laundry or doing computer work standing up.

Variety is key to keep exercise fun and engaging. Try a new group exercise class, or round up some friends for a few

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sessions with a personal trainer. With so many exercise options, there is some form of activity for everyone. An open mind and sense of adventure can keep you motivated and looking forward to your next workout

STAYING ACTIVE PAYS OFF

PRIOR TO EXERCISE

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Prior to beginning any exercise program, including the activities depicted here, individuals should seek medical evaluation and clearance to engage in activity. Not all exercise programs are suitable for everyone, and some programs may result in injury. Activities should be carried out at a pace that is comfortable for the user. Users should discontinue participation in any exercise activity that causes pain or discomfort. In such event, medical consultation should be immediately obtained.

hose who are physically active tend to live longer, healthier lives. Research shows that moderate physical activity – such as 30 minutes a day of brisk walking – significantly contributes to longevity. Even a person with risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes or even a smoking habit can gain real benefits from incorporating regular physical activity into their daily life.

As many dieters have found, exercise can help you stay on a diet and lose weight. What’s more – regular exercise can help lower blood pressure, control blood sugar, improve cholesterol levels and build stronger, denser bones.

Reprinted with permission of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Copyright © 2015 American College of Sports Medicine.

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RETIREMENT PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT

Getting on Top of Retirement ĠEMMA Know, Plan, Act the independent financial capability platform within the office of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Social Policy and Children’s Rights works towards the goal of educating the Maltese in the area of financial capability. Among the aims of ĠEMMA is the education and awareness among citizens of their potential retirement income. People need to understand that in order to achieve their retirement goals and achieve their desired quality of life once they have reached retirement, they need to start early by taking informed and educated financialrelated decisions, says the team at ĠEMMA. Photography Suellen Siqueira, and Angelina and Antonis Antoniou.

One upcoming project tied to retirement is the creation of specialised training targeting older persons who have reached or are about to reach retirement age. The training will focus on increasing the financial capability and competencies of older persons.

Photograph Suellen Siqueira.

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RETIREMENT

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EMMA has undertaken several initiatives among various age groups this year, however when it comes to retirement one of the primary projects was undertaken with EMCS Academy - EMCS Advisory Ltd. This project aimed to highlight the importance and advantages of Voluntary Occupational Retirement Pension Schemes (VORPS). EMCS developed and delivered a series of online training sessions targeting Human Resources Managers, CEOs and Managing Directors.

These sessions explained how VORPS can be implemented as a Strategic HR Retention Tool that reduces employee turnover while at the same time giving employees the opportunity to save for their retirement with the help of their employers. The goal is to bridge the total future pension income and the income earned during employment. The training sessions also covered the tax benefits available for employers and may be found following this link on the ĠEMMA portal https://gemma.gov.mt/videos/ As a part of Social Justice Month which was celebrated this May, ĠEMMA held a webinar on familiarising younger persons with the importance of preparation for retirement. The webinar titled Putting Retirement on a Young Person’s Radar tackled the paradox that young people need to plan for their retirement at a time when they have significant pressure on their limited finances, priorities to get on the property ladder, and naturally enjoying their new-found freedom and youth.

The webinar illustrated a number of research findings from the behavioural sciences on retirement planning to help explain this dichotomy. The panel discussion tackled the different conditions that can help influence a change in behaviour by addressing motivational and behavioural factors at the personal, social and structural dimension. This webinar can also be found in the ĠEMMA portal video section at the same link as above.

As a part of Social Justice Month which was celebrated this May, ĠEMMA held a webinar on familiarising younger persons with the importance of preparation for retirement, tackling the paradox that young people need to plan for their retirement at a time when they have significant pressure on their limited finances, priorities to get on the property ladder, and naturally enjoying their new-found freedom and youth. Photograph Angelina and Antonis Antoniou.

TRAINING FOR NAVIGATING DIGITAL FINANCE PLATFORMS

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ot all older persons are able to navigate the new digital finance platforms and the transitions to digital banking, the rapid changes in the financial landscape and the reduction of faceto-face services have unfortunately made them more vulnerable.

Another upcoming project tied to retirement is the creation of specialised training targeting older persons who have reached or are about to reach retirement age. The training shall be focusing on increasing the financial capability and competencies of older persons. The aims of the training include equipping people more effectively in preparation for their retirement,

assisting older persons to plan and administer their financial resources, improving the understanding and access of older persons to benefits, and increasing the awareness and knowledge of older persons to protect them from financial abuse, scams and fraud. The National Association of Pensioners has been roped in to provide necessary input in respect of this project.

Through these and other collaborations and initiatives, ĠEMMA aims to continue with its mission of educating and equipping persons with financial capability skills not only before their retirement but also after they reach that milestone.

Follow ĠEMMA on Facebook and find more information and all of our resources on gemma.gov.mt

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URBAN GREENING

SMALL GREEN SPACES CAN HELP KEEP CITIES COOL DURING HEAT WAVES

Urban Greening A recent World Meteorological Organization report called heat waves the “deadliest meteorological hazard” from 2015 to 2019, affecting people living on all continents, and setting new national heat records in many regions. Heat waves also exacerbate existing health issues, including cardiovascular and respiratory disease. They’re associated with increased hospital admissions, psychological stress and aggressive behavior, as well as excess mortality. During heat waves, the highest temperatures are often found in urbanized areas.

Urbanization is almost always associated with an increase in paved, impervious areas, and often a decrease in greenery. Concrete and asphalt roads, and other built materials readily absorb, store and release heat, raising city temperatures, a phenomenon called the urban heat island, writes Lingshan Li, a PhD candidate, Department of Geography, Planning and Environment, Concordia University. In her research she studies the effects of vegetation and the built environment on the urban microclimate.

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URBAN GREENING

Planting a variety of species, of different heights, can have a larger cooling effect than tall trees alone.

Photograph Sa Maison Garden, Malta. FIRST Magazine.

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URBAN GREENING

Small green spaces, such as yards, rooftops and small parcels of undeveloped land, can make impressive contributions to lowering urban heat, but they are often overlooked when developing strategies for urban cooling.

Photograph Private Garden, Malta. FIRST Magazine.

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URBAN GREENING

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any studies have shown that urban forests can reduce the urban heat island, and many policies focus their attention on large green spaces. Small green spaces, such as yards, rooftops and small parcels of undeveloped land, can make impressive contributions to lowering urban heat, but they are often overlooked when developing strategies for urban cooling.

The Effect of Small Green Spaces

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ities rarely have the opportunity to add large green spaces to help counter the effects of heatwaves.

Smaller vegetated spaces, however, can still meaningfully decrease local land temperatures.

A recent study in Adelaide, Australia, found that tree canopy cover and, to a lesser extent, grass cover decreased local daytime surface temperatures by up to 6C during extreme summer heat conditions. Further inland, suburban yards and gardens can decrease local surface temperatures up to 5C. At a quite small scale, on the order of tens of square metres, trees reduced daytime surface temperatures twice as much as grass cover. But grass and other small, low-lying plants, grow relatively quickly, compared to trees.

Cities should adopt short-term and long-term strategies to respond to extreme heat, including the replacement of paved and impervious surfaces with grasses and turf, and increasing tree plantings to boost canopy coverage.

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URBAN GREENING

Amplifying the Cooling Effect

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urthermore, when managing small green spaces, city planners and foresters can select tree species based on their ability to cool the environment. Green spaces with a high diversity of tree species have a greater cooling effect in spring, summer and autumn. They also have a larger maximum drop in temperature in the summer, compared to spaces that are less diverse.

For example, tree canopies with large leaves and high transpiration rates – the evaporation of water from plants occurring at the leaves – could provide more cooling.

The structure of green space may also influence its cooling efficiency. In summer, a plant community with multiple layers of trees, shrubs and herbs can further decrease air temperature by 1C on a sunny day and 0.5C on a cloudy day, compared with an area only dominated by tall trees.

Trees usually have a stronger effect on cooling than grass. Planting trees in groups, not individually or in lines, is recommended for regulating the microclimate.

Photograph Valley Road, Msida. FIRST Magazine.

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CENTRAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS LOCAL COUNCILS THROUGH THE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS SCHEME

FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT IS ALLOCATING FUNDS TO ELIGIBLE LOCAL COUNCILS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS CONDUCTED BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.

During a press conference, the Directorate for Strategy and Policy Implementation within the Local Government Department remarked that once the Central Government conducts major infrastructural projects within localities, the upkeep of such projects is within the remit of Local councils. As such, this funding is being provided for the third year in a row and the main aim is to keep the projects carried out by the Central Government in good condition.

This year €123,000 in funds under this scheme were granted between 3 Local Councils: •

Ħamrun Local Council – to increase bridge accessibility in Ħamrun

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Mellieħa Local Council – restoration of a building in a Family Park in Selmun

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Għajnsielem Local Council – renovation project on a public toilet in Għajnsielem

Zerafa Civelli also announced that the sum of €300,000 was allocated from this year’s budget for the reissuing of this scheme.

SERVIZZI EWROPEJ F’MALTA YOUR GATEWAY TO EU SERVICES IN MALTA

Servizzi Ewropej f’Malta (SEM) is a government agency committed to making the European Union and its benefits more accessible to citizens and organisations in Malta and Gozo. The services of SEM make it easier for citizens to reap the benefits of EU membership and is meant to serve as the main point of contact for citizens and organisations on EU-related matters.

WHAT IS OUR MISSION?

We are committed to being the primary point of contact on EU-related matters in Malta.

WHAT ARE OUR SERVICES?

We INFORM you and keep you updated on what is going on in the European Union, ENGAGE you in the European Union’s initiatives and opportunities that we benefit from as European citizens, and SUPPORT you in tapping into EU-funding opportunities and in implementing EU-funded projects.

HOW CAN YOU BE INVOLVED?

By following our website and social media platforms to keep updated with information on the European Union. We also participate in radio and TV programmes and organise information and training sessions for interested stakeholders and organisations. Our public debates on the European Union and its future give you the opportunity to have your say on matters that affect you as a European citizen.

INTERESTED IN AN EU-FUNDED PROJECT? WHERE DO YOU START?

Organisations can rest assured to find personalised support to tap into EU-funding opportunities during the application and implementation phases of EU-funded projects.

DO YOU CHARGE FOR YOUR SERVICES?

All of our services are free of charge and delivered by a team of dedicated personnel, committed to giving an efficient and personalised service.

HOW CAN YOU REACH US?

SEM can be reached on 2200 3300, info.sem@gov.mt, facebook.com/servizziewropej, or www.sem.gov.mt

URBAN GREENING

Tree groupings

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he layout of the green spaces – their spatial configuration – is another factor that the city planners should care about when thinking of the cooling capacity of small green spaces.

When green spaces are heavily fragmented – broken up into smaller pieces – spread further apart or unevenly distributed, their cooling contribution is lower.

A study investigating the spatial configuration of green spaces in two US cities, Baltimore (in Maryland), and Sacramento (in California), showed varying results, for example. The researchers looked at the total perimeter of green patches for each square kilometre of land (a metric called edge density) and measured the cooling effect. A greater edge density was associated with less cooling in Baltimore, but more cooling in Sacramento.

Cities should adopt short-term and long-term strategies to respond to extreme heat, including the replacement of paved and impervious surfaces with grasses and turf, and increasing tree plantings to boost canopy coverage.

Photograph San Anton Gardens, Attard. FIRST Magazine.

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URBAN GREENING

T

he discrepancy is likely due to the local conditions: More shade might be being cast by trees onto surfaces with cooling effects, muting their effects. Or a green patch with a larger edge density could include a larger number of smaller and fragmented tree patches with weaker evapotranspiration (evaporation from the land surface, plus transpiration from plants). For a manager, the trade-offs can be tricky to navigate.

But overall, trees usually have a stronger effect on cooling than grass. Planting trees in groups, not individually or in lines, is recommended for regulating the microclimate (local climate conditions near the Earth’s surface).

Small green spaces can offer a lot of summer cooling in cities. And cities can learn to manage the configuration of small green spaces better to get more cooling benefits and minimize the trade-offs.

This article first appeared on The Conversation, June 2022.

Concrete and asphalt roads, and other built materials readily absorb, store and release heat, raising city temperatures, a phenomenon called the urban heat island. Suburban yards and gardens can decrease local surface temperatures up to 5C. Photograph St John Bosco Street, Sliema, Malta. FIRST Magazine.

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URBAN GREENING

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OPEN SPACES

Open Spaces as a Means to Promote Healthier Lifestyles and Psychological Wellbeing

Public spaces have an important role to play in the urban agenda. Their quality, accessibility, and connectivity lead to increased economic growth, socialisation, and wellbeing, especially for the most vulnerable groups of society. They are multi-functional and dynamic spaces that can revive the soul of our towns and villages, thus acting as communal spaces that revitalize the spirit of urban fabric. In a society where individualism is seeing an increase, the regeneration of our localities and urban revival provides an opportunity for social cohesion and healthier lifestyles to flourish in cleaner, greener and more inviting environments, writes Laura Sue Mallia, Director Risk Management, Policy and EU Affairs Transport Malta.

Photography Peter Paul Barbara.

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PROMOTION

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nvironmental champions and challenges such as climate change, urban liveability and noise pollution have given rise to a more environmentally conscious population. In a country wherein most of our open spaces are streets, it is inevitable that these will play a significant part in the regeneration process of our landscape. As a population we are characterised by our love for private vehicles. This is resulting in increased congestion, air pollution and sedentary lifestyles which also have significant effects on both psychological and physical health. Notably, during the pandemic, we became more aware of the fact that, in an increasingly urbanised society, our access to nature is dwindling and often the most disadvantaged segments of the population face the major barriers.

Research has shown a link between access to nature and open spaces with decreased anxiety, mood swings and increased happiness, with nature providing a positive sense of belonging and meaning to life.

However, if our streets are reserved for cars, they cannot be used for anything else. This is a pity considering that most vehicles sit idle for a good number of hours each day. In this regard, the Slow Streets project which will see several squares in towns and villages turned into pedestrianised zones for varying times of the day will support a future that will see a shift in the priority on the street, from vehicles to pedestrians, cyclists, and users of eco-friendly micro-mobility.

Change can take many forms. Depending on the circumstances, however fast or slow, behavioural change here takes centre stage. The idea is to encourage people to rethink their mobility; their mobility needs as well as their trips. The recent months and the pandemic have changed many aspects of our life including the way we work and shop. By doing the same activities differently we can reduce our need to travel and thus emissions. In a city system, connectivity is crucial. However, transit does not necessarily require all the space and, it certainly does not need to be given centre stage.

I

n this regard, public transport which, as of October shall be free of charge for all, can play a significant role together with car sharing, bike and bicycle sharing opportunities which are becoming increasingly available particularly in highly dense and touristic areas. In addition, Transport Malta with the support of consultants appointed by the European Commission, shall soon be embarking on an exercise to identify and, subsequently have an action plan to implement, to what extent urban regeneration could be linked to policy responses and action plans that can turn our towns and villages into climate conscious, enjoyable and breathable urban spaces for the whole community to enjoy and flourish in. These sustainable urban mobility plans and sustainable urban logistic plans will also provide a clearer vision of how the local transport systems can develop to become more sustainable but also safer and accessible for all.

Such initiatives, coupled with an ongoing midterm review of the Transport Master Plan, which is expected to be completed later this year and, wherein the Authority is looking at the status and progress of existing measures whilst aligning the plan to wider policy framework such as the EU’s Cohesion Policy for 2021-2027 as well as its Climate Target Plan for 2030 will support our country’s aim to obtain a 19% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2030. The private sector also has an important role to play, particularly in open space developments, in reducing trips that could easily be shared or timed outside of peak hours, by introducing green travel plans for employees, and by providing the facilities to encourage remote working and cycling, walking and the use of micro-mobility for daily commutes to and from work. In view of this, Transport Malta is also working on an initiative that will encourage private enterprises to develop a Green Travel Plan and implement measures proposed in these plans.

Looking at examples from other countries with characteristics similar to Malta one can see that the benefits of green travel plans are many and on various levels, including decreased congestion and increased physiological well-being. For the business owners and the employee, there are significant cost savings whilst the community benefits from less congestion, time saving and improved air quality leading to better and healthier lifestyles.

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ART AUCTION

JEFF KOONS’ BALLOON MONKEY (MAGENTA)

ART AND LIFE IN URGENT TIMES

Jeff Koons’ sculpture Balloon Monkey (Magenta) (2006-13, estimate: £6,000,000-10,000,000) will go on sale this month at Christie’s to raise vital funds for humanitarian aid for Ukraine.

Billionaire businessman Victor Pinchuk (son-in-law of Ukraine’s former president Leonid Kuchma), together with his wife Olena have put Koons’ seminal sculpture up for sale by auction.

Proceeds will be used to assist soldiers and civilians gravely wounded by war who urgently require prosthetics, medical treatment and rehabilitation to recover as much quality of life as possible. The sculpture will be offered at an evening sale dedicated to works made in the 20th and 21st centuries at Christie’s in London on June 28. Photography courtesy Christie’s.

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oons’ sculptures are among some of the most expensive to have ever been sold at auction. In 2008, Koons’ sculpture Balloon Flower (Magenta) set a record at the time realising $25.7 million. In November 2014, Balloon Monkey (Orange), from the same series as the present lot, achieved a price of $25.9 million. Balloon Monkey (Magenta) is the artist’s proof and one of five unique versions (Red, Magenta, Blue, Yellow, Orange). Representing childhood innocence and joy for both children and adults alike, Balloon Monkey (Magenta) stands as a monumental symbol of hope and solidarity with those men, women and children living in war-torn Ukraine who have suffered terrible loss. The work demonstrates the power of art to unify and rally support for the defence of freedom and life in urgent times.

“One of the reasons that I have always worked with balloons is that that the membrane is a reference to our skin; it’s about both internal and external life. I have been very saddened by the human and cultural impact of the war and destruction that I have witnessed in Ukraine. Balloon Monkey (Magenta) fittingly symbolizes hope, affirmation, and transcendence, and I can only hope that the donation of my artwork by Victor and Olena Pinchuk can help draw attention to the need for aid and support for the people of this country, now more than ever.”

This page: Jeff Koons, Balloon Monkey (Magenta). Photograph © Christie’s Images Limited 2022.

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