Italian rosatos are incredibly distinctive in that the vast majority of them come from uniquely Italian varieties. While you might - if you look hard - find a rosato made from Montepulciano made outside "the boot" of Italy, it's unlikely you'll find one made from Negroamaro. Plus, I guarantee you there are none made of Susumaniello or Rondinella. So, pop open a bottle of one - or all - of these and discover a whole new flavor range of rosé wine!
Read MoreThe words San Marzano – to me – conjure up those delicate-skinned, super sweet, lower acidity plum tomatoes that are the darlings of so many scrumptious pasta sauces. So, I felt sheepish when I learned that the San Marzano cooperative is not based in Campania, like the (arguably) world’s most famous tomatoes, but rather on the Salento Peninsula – the heel of the Italian “boot”. Mea culpa.
Read MoreMy companion pointed out a Negroamaro aged in Anfora under the first, “light in color” category. How impossible could that be? A grape named “black bitter” that makes a wine light in color? Well, it can be done, and this unusual example is done very well.
Read MoreThere are so many wines to open as the next set of holidays approach, and there are so many choices! It’s hard to know where to start, much less select some bottles, especially when Italy is under consideration. However, I taste dozens of Italian wines each month, so here’s my go at it. These suggestions are based on my notes for wines tasted in the last four months (meaning they should generally be in retail stores now), in quasi-Advent Calendar style….
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