Reading Time: [est_time] Vertical tasting is a powerful tool. It is a way to peer into the winery's past, present, and future. With travel restricted around the world at the beginning of this year, opportunities to do large vertical tastings don't come up often. That's why I
Reading Time: [est_time] When it comes to my first true wine love, Italy holds my heart. In normal years, I'm in Italy at least five times per year. Thanks to the worldwide situation, that number went down significantly in 2020 and the first part of 2021 (hopefully
Reading Time: [est_time] People love to support small, family-run wineries. But if you truly believe in fighting for the little guy, it's time to give cooperative wineries a second look. Cooperative Wineries Cooperative wineries are joint ventures owned by several (up to hundreds) of members. The concept is
Reading Time: [est_time] Restoring a historic wine to its rightful place. That's what Alliance Vinum is aiming for. When it comes to the great wines of Tuscany, Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico are often the first names that come to mind. While one of the historic
Reading Time: [est_time] "I'll reach out to you if I have more questions," I can type into the Facebook chat. "If I can answer ☺️
Reading Time: [est_time] The labels are gorgeous. Donnafugata's foray into the Etna DOC is stylish. The bottles feature a painted woman who has become one with the volcano. It's not just any volcano though, it's Europe's most active. At 3,350 meters (10,991 feet), Mount Etna towers over
Reading Time: [est_time] Campania (Italy) is a hot region at the moment thanks to the deep, structured wines from Aglianico, juicy reds from Piedirosso, and a slew of unique white grapes. It's one of those rare regions in the world that makes both whites and reds
Reading Time: [est_time] The stretch of land along the North Adriatic coast is one of the most soulful areas I've traveled through. The area includes the Croatian & Slovenian portions of Istria, runs through Italy. Carso is a small strip of land that hugs the sea
Reading Time: [est_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
Reading Time: [est_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,