For almost 100 years, the Zemmer family has been making wines in southwestern Alto Adige in the small town of Cortina. This is the last town of German speakers before reaching the Trentino border, and it is uniquely positioned on the valley floor rather than perched in the hillsides. The winery's website has a brilliant, interactive aerial view where visitors can take in the natural beauty of the Dolomites while observing where the Zemmer vineyards lie.
Read MoreSorry, Pasqua. I don’t get the name or the concept of this wine. The French can’t make it (they aren’t in Italy, much less the Veneto) and the French don’t grow Garganega. Additionally, except in Champagne, the French - like almost all other still wine producers - don't regularly make multi-vintage cuvées that are labeled as such.
Read MoreAiming to work in lockstep with nature, the Lageder family pursues environmental responsibility with the same fervor that it pursues great winemaking. They farm biodynamically and work with their contract growers to try to transform partner vineyards into organically or biodynamically managed ecocenters. This means little if the wines don't deliver, but they do with every vintage.
Read MoreMarco Felluga 2014 Bianco Collio Molamatta: Named for its physical location, this is a true Super Friulian blend composed of 40% Pinot Bianco, 40% Tocai Friulano and 20% Ribolla Gialla. This striking blend delivers great harmony, not speaking of a particular grape variety but nodding toward fine terroir and good craftsmanship.
Read MorePanko-Crusted Veal Picatta: The idea of this pairing was to blend the wine’s subtlety with the delicacy of veal. It worked brilliantly!
Read MoreThe results of the radical shake-up of Italian white wines over the last two decades continue to surface in the US markets, and this fall I had the chance to taste through a new range of wines available from Vias Wine. The wines of the grandly historic Castello di Spessa, which dates back to the 13th or 3rd century CE (either being plenty old!) offer an excellent representation of high quality winemaking with local varieties without wallet-emptying prices.
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