DR MATTHEW HORKEY

Taste of Tuscany: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Italian Wine

by DR MATTHEW HORKEY - April 15, 2021April 15, 2021

Tuscan Wine Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Reading Time: A noble wine waiting in the wings. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is one of the historic Tuscan wines. The first mention of the wines dates back to the 8th century and in the 16th century, Pope Paul III declared the wines of Montepulciano to be vino perfectissimo (perfect wine).

Volcanic Wine From Agricola Bellaria

by DR MATTHEW HORKEY - April 13, 2021April 13, 2021

Reading Time: Volcanic wines are hot right now, thanks to enthusiastic sommeliers and Master of Wine, John Szabo. Italy is full of volcanic regions both in the north and south. In the south, one of these trending regions lies on the foothills of Mt. Vesuvius. Campania, Italy is home to

Slovenian White Wine Part 2: Spotlight on Goriška Brda

Slovenian Wine

by DR MATTHEW HORKEY - April 8, 2021April 8, 2021

Reading Time: Of all the wine districts in Slovenia, few are held in such high regard as Goriška Brda. Goriška Brda (or Brda for short) is a district in Slovenia's Primorska region. Brda is basically an extension of Italy's Collio DOCG. It actually could be considered the other way

Donato D’Angelo: Aglianico del Vulture

Italian Wine

by DR MATTHEW HORKEY - April 6, 2021April 6, 2021

Reading Time: “Along with Nebbiolo and Sangiovese, it (Aglianico) is generally believed to be one of Italy’s three best wine grapes, but in my opinion, it is far more: At the very least, it’s one of the world’s dozen or so best wine grapes" - Ian d'Agata. When it comes

Riecine Looking Forward: Tuscan Sangiovese Lineup

Italian Wine

by DR MATTHEW HORKEY - March 30, 2021March 30, 2021

Reading Time: Sangiovese is where our palates meet, more specifically Chianti Classico. Charine and I don't always agree on wines except for fine Sangiovese from the heart of Tuscany. Riecine is no stranger to producing great examples. The oldest records know Riecine as belonging to a monastery but it wasn't

Fattoria le Pupille: More Than Morellino

by DR MATTHEW HORKEY - March 23, 2021March 23, 2021

Reading Time: "What's it like to work with such a big personality in the wine world?" "She's actually fantastic and listens to input and gives some flexibility in the cellar," answered Ettore Rizzi. He's a fiery ambitious man who is deeply involved with the production at Fattoria le Pupille. Ettore also

Slovenian White Wine Part 1

Slovenian Wine

by DR MATTHEW HORKEY - March 18, 2021March 23, 2021

Reading Time: Thank goodness for Slovenian white wine. This tiny country located is located on the north coast of the Adriatic Sea. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in wine quality. Around 70% of Slovenia's production is white wine. I use the term white wine loosely because

Niepoort: Low Alcohol Portuguese Wine

by DR MATTHEW HORKEY - March 11, 2021March 11, 2021

Reading Time: "Are you making low alcohol wines because you like them, or is it because it's what consumers are looking for these days? " Dirk Niepoort looked at me in the eye for a second before replying, "when it comes to these wines, I don't give a s@#!t about what

Farewell Mr. Steven Spurrier

by DR MATTHEW HORKEY - March 9, 2021March 10, 2021

Reading Time: Today is a sad day for the wine world... The man, the myth, the legend Steven Spurrier has left us. He's a long-time merchant, wine writer, educator, and subject of a Hollywood film. His 'Judgement of Paris' tasting in 1976 put Californian wine on the map. It's no

Maria Pia Castelli

by DR MATTHEW HORKEY - March 2, 2021March 4, 2021

Reading Time: "Stella Flora is named after my grandmother, a strong but sweet woman who worked in the vineyard until she was 89," Maria Pia Castelli tells me. In normal years, I'd be having this conversation in person, preferably in the vineyard or cellar. This year is far from normal,