Italian Wine Archives - EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL

Zidarich: Soulful Italian Wine from the Carso

by DR MATTHEW HORKEY - April 27, 2021April 27, 2021

Reading 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 and surrounds Trieste, Italy. It's

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

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

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,

Ronchi di Cialla: Schioppettino or Refosco?

by DR MATTHEW HORKEY - February 16, 2021March 3, 2021

Reading Time: I've long been a fan of Ronchi di Cialla. This small, family-run estate is tucked away in the hills of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. They are responsible for single-handedly saving the grape Schioppettino from extinction. They are also home to their own subzone, Cialla. The Cialla subzone sits at the

San Leonardo: A Northern Italian Wine Classic

by DR MATTHEW HORKEY - February 2, 2021February 2, 2021

Reading Time: There are a handful of Italian estates that are truly legendary. Many of them are located in Tuscany or Piedmont. But in Northern Italy, in an appellation that isn't renowned for fine wines, Tenuta San Leonardo makes magic happen. Tenuta San Leonardo Located in Trentino, Italy the estate dates

Avignonesi: A Vintage Comparison of Vino Nobile

by DR MATTHEW HORKEY - January 5, 2021March 4, 2021

Reading Time: How many times must I proclaim my love for Sangiovese? The grape is undoubtedly best in its home of Tuscany. There are many appellations that are dedicated to Sangiovese including the famous Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino. Sandwiched in between both of these is the DOCG of