Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1176246
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 13 OCTOBER 2019 21 COMMERCIAL 19 BANK of Valletta, in col- laboration with the National Literacy Agency, recently or- ganised weekly Read with Me sessions for BOV employees and their young children. The 'Read with Me / Aqra Miegħi' programme, support- ed by Bank of Valletta, is in its fifth year of running. It promotes shared reading experiences, focusing on early literacy and parental educa- tion. This national literacy pro- gramme strives to cultivate a love for reading long before children set foot in a class- room. It recognises the crucial role of families and caregivers in instilling a positive approach towards books and raising lev- els of literacy. The programme reaches around 4,000 children up to three years old and accom- panying parents/carers each year. Over 70 sessions are held free of charge every week in Maltese and English in centres around Malta and Gozo. Dedicated animators bring these reading sessions to life for these young children, whilst also providing parents / caregivers a chance to bond with their children in a learn- ing environment. Read with Me / Aqra Mieghi sessions are ongoing and open to all parents and caregivers and their 0-3 year olds. For more information or to reserve a place visit Facebook page 'Aqra Miegħi / Read with Me', phone 2598 2999 or email aqra.storja@ilearn.edu.mt. Fostering the love of books in children On Tueday, the Bank held a Qualifications Award Ceremony to formally acknowledge and celebrate its people's academic achievements. The event is a regular one although this was the first to be hosted in the Bank's new conference facilities at its Head Office in Swatar. Chairman Frederick Mifsud Bonnici distributed awards to staff members who recently obtained Certificates, Diplomas, Bachelor and Master degrees in the presence of Senior Management and their colleagues, seen here (left to right) Ray Bonnici, Therese Camilleri Vidal, Geltrude Micallef, Ramona Peregin, Justine Galea Cortis, Deborah Cilia, Marcelline Chetcuti, Annaliz Galea, Christiana Galea, Diana Vella, Frederick Mifsud Bonnici, Patrizia Salerno, Paul Teuma, Christian Sammut, Charl- ton Aquilina, Kersten Grech, Mitch Parnis, Anthony Caruana, Marco Lia, Bernard Grech and Peter Gatt APS Bank champions its people's academic achievements MARSOVIN'S Grand Maître 2017, "Annata Fra Adrien de Wignacourt", has just been re- leased. This is the 20th vintage of the prized Grand Maître, which also coincides with the 100th anniversary of the acclaimed winery. The wine is produced from grapes grown in Marsovin's Private Estate- Għajn Riħana, situ- ated between the Bidnija hills and Wardija in the north of Malta. The vineyard is densely planted with 14,000 vines of two noble French grape varieties, made up of equal quantities of Cabernet Sau- vignon and Cabernet Franc. The arid land and clay-rich, calcareous soil provide a tough growing environment for these vines. The yields from this estate generally pro- duce very concentrated full bodied wines of intense fruit and aromatic character. Following vinification, the unfiltered wine is aged in new oak barriques for over 12 months in the Marsovin Cellars prior to bottling. Marsovin's Grand Maître is a wine dedi- cated to the Grand Masters of Malta by spe- cial appointment to the Maltese Association Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Each vin- tage is dedicated to a different Grand Master in chronological order, the first one being Philippe Villiers de L'Isle Adam for the 1998 vintage. This vintage is dedicated to Grand Master Annata Fra Adrien de Wignacourt, the 63rd Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Mal- ta. A premium blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc is what makes Grand Maître, a wine produced from hand-picked grapes harvested from Marsovin's privately owned estate, Għajn Riħana situated at the foothills between Bidnija and Wardija. The 2017 vintage was characterised by lower than average rainfall during the Win- ter months followed by exceptionally warm weather in spring and higher than average temperatures during the summer months. The resultant wine portrays a specific vintage style of its own in that it is an already approachable wine having smooth, well balanced tannins and a distinctive complex bouquet of amarena cherries and new oak nuances. For information and orders of Grand Maître, you can call the Marsovin Cellars on 23662445 or send an email to cellars@marsovinwinery. com. Marsovin releases Grand Maître 2017 'Annata Fra Adrien de Wignacourt