Posts in Veneto
The Pinnacle of Prosecco: Conegliano Valdobbiadene

Prosecco recently has seen a tidal wave of change at every quality level. The popularity of the DOC wines has driven global markets for sparkling wines in recent years, making even Champagne sweat.

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Inama – My Stardard Setter for Soave

I’m not entirely certain, but I seem to remember that Inama’s was the first Soave Classico I tasted.

I think that any time you taste a wine for the first time, it becomes a standard bearer. As such, I feel lucky that Inama guided me to understanding Soave - the best of Soave, that is. But, that was (gulp) 15 years ago. Both Soave, Inama and I have changed. What’s happy to note is that if we all have, I still think Inama is brilliant.

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Wine List Pick: Locanda Marinelli (Farra di Soligo, Veneto, Italy)

It’s rare to see wine lists in wine-producing European countries that bother with wines outside their own country, sometimes even outside their region. This was not the case at Locanda Marinelli, which offers some excellent grower Champagnes and top-notch Burgundies, among others.

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Italian Wine Advent Calendar, Week 4

It’s the home stretch; it’s the last leg of the marathon. A week of merriment…and still more preparation. It’s a never-ending circle, this holiday process! Remember, there’s always a bottom to the bottle, so don’t be caught short on stock.

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Italian Wine Advent Calendar, Week 1

There 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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