Alto Adige Sauvignon (or, as we say, Sauvignon Blanc) is Italy’s best rendition of this variety, showing a lively combination of classic ‘green’ SB aromas (the winery suggests ‘elder flower and nettles‘) and flavors with hints of apricot or white peach. For Sauvignon fans, the style is somewhere in between Loire and New Zealand Sauvignon […]
GUARANTEED BEST PROVENANCE: IMPORTED FROM ITALY BY AIR AND STOCKED IN CALIFORNIA I first tasted Fabio’s Viridis Sauvignon with my fellow Somm friends at his cantina in October last year, armed with a healthy dose of skepticism. We’re in the land of glorious Barolo, and we’re tasting Sauv Blanc? Man, were we blown away. Fabio makes […]
Stunning Dolomite mountains in the Alpe dei Siusi – credit I’ve known Laurel and Ric Barton for over 17 years and marveled at their ex-pat adventures in Italy. Using Rome as a home base, they explored up-and-down the Italian boot for over 5 years, finding and blogging about Italy’s hidden (and not so hidden) gems […]
Buying wine online used to be scary. “What if the wine never shows up?” “What happens to my credit card number once I’ve made the purchase?” There’s no need to worry, these days it’s really quite easy and very safe — and buying wines you love can be done from the comfort of your laptop […]
credit The Cinque Terre (how to say it), literally “the Five Lands” that includes the towns of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso, are a string of rustic villages clinging to the rugged Italian Riviera in eastern Liguria. Over 1 million visitors flood the 5 towns each year to swim in the warm Mediterranean water, hike between […]
Here they come. If you’re like me, you have a throng of friends or family coming over for the holidays. You’ve probably already picked out what you’re serving for your Big Meal. Now it’s time for the important decisions: What wines should you serve? Well, Italian of course! Bring in the Italians. Italian wines are […]
This well-known producer of Chianti Classico and Supertuscan wines has a peculiar history around it’s origins. The story goes like this: Bruno Witmer (the proprietor) decided to go on holiday in Tuscany back in 1980. He fell in love with the place (surprise!), and the next year he decided to buy a Tuscan farmhouse – […]
Nestled up in the mountains outside Gaiole along an undulating strada bianca (white road) is the tiny borgo of Casa al Vento. While the Gioffreda family runs a very nice country resort here (including a spa experience of bathing in wine), I recommend a visit to taste the natural wines produced by Francesco. Casa al Vento is a classic […]
This dry white wine made in huge clay amphorae has a remarkable nose of apricot & peach, with nutmeg & woody spices & orange zest coming through on the palate. Unlike most whites, this one has a soft tannic structure that’s pleasing. There’s a hint of sweetness on the palate due to the botrytis that Jösko […]
Summer is just around the corner, and if you’re like me you’ll be looking for an excuse (any will do) for a get-together with friends and family. Grilling steaks with the neighbors for the 4th of July? Having a clam bake or a fish fry for Labor Day? No matter what summer festivities you have […]
One of the best things about Italy is the huge number of quality wines you can find at remarkably low prices. While a good quality California wine from Napa or Sonoma will run you $30-$50 or more, you can find some superb Italian value wines for under 25 bucks. Thousands of them. Each year, the […]
3 Glasses? Yes, please. Parker has points. Gambero Rosso has glasses. 3 Glasses, to be exact. That’s the top distinction awarded to some of Italy’s best wines by Gambero Rosso, a rather famous Italian journal that celebrates the hedonistic pursuit of food, wine & culture. Every year in the Fall, Gambero Rosso announces their short-list […]
3 Glasses. That’s the grand award bestowed upon some of Italy’s best wines, as judged by the tasting team at renowned Gambero Rosso. Welcome to the Tre Bicchieri 2013 award season It’s a difficult and meticulous process tasting over 20,000 Italian wines from thousands of producers, narrowing it down to just a handful (well, 399 […]
