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,
Reading Time: [est_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
Reading Time: [est_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" -
Reading Time: [est_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
Reading Time: [est_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
Reading Time: [est_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
Reading Time: [est_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
Reading Time: [est_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
Reading Time: [est_time] Wines made in small clay pots? In the Fall of 2019, the Wines of Alentejo took me through a one-week jaunt of cellars in this part of Portugal. During the trip, I visited a number of producers who are making wines in clay vessels.
Reading Time: [est_time] Moravia is a hot region right now. It's located in the eastern reaches of the Czech Republic and over 90% of Czech wine is produced there. I'll never forget my first visit there in 2018. The rolling hills and endless sea of vines