The family-run Michele Chiarlo has been harvesting native Piemontese grape varieties for over sixty years. Today, Stefano and Alberto, the sons of Michele, run the winery. I taste the Chiarlo wines from time to time, admittedly mostly at industry tastings. So, I appreciated this opportunity to “work through” a bottle of the family’s Barbera over a leisurely dinner.
Read MoreI love wines from Alto Adige. Lodged between the rest of Italy and Austria - with a sliver of its borders against Switzerland, the region’s producers craft wines with Italian exuberance and Austrian precision. Moreover, the dynamics of the Alpine duo of chilly temperatures and sunshine taste delicious in the glass.
Read MoreI adore Vermentino (aka Rolle, Pigato and Favorita) for its floral nose scented with honeysuckle, yellow pears and sometimes star fruit. While I’ve tasted it in its many forms for a long time, my keen interest began only about six years ago, as I noticed that many places other than Tuscany, Sardegna, Corsica and the Languedoc were making Vermentino.
Read MoreWhoa! This youthful Nebbiolo packs a powerful punch. It is as vibrantly driven with red currant and dried red cranberry fruit as much as it is by punchy tannins and invigorating acidity. Its perfume is heady with dried rose petals and anise.
Read MoreCantina Riff Progetto Lageder 2016 Pinot Grigio: Light and lively, this refined and flavorful Pinot Grigio smells of Key Lime lime zest and tastes of cracked white peppercorns and white grapefruit.
Read MoreProsecco 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.
Read MoreAlois Lageder 2015 Pinot Gris Porer: Defying the flavor profile of so many Pinot Grigios, this Alto Adige-derived, Porer single vineyard delivers concentrated flavors of yellow apple skin, golden raisins, freshly-baked baguette and cracked white pepper.
Read MoreHailing from a corner of Lazio that overlaps Umbria – almost smack in the center of Italy, this family-run estate makes wines primarily from international grape varieties. Whereas most Italian wines made from “outsider” grapes tend to be rich and boisterous, these are all incredibly graceful.
Fabulously pure, this wine is replete with fragrances and flavors of field strawberry-water and watermelon essence. That is to say that it is rather delicate. Elegant and discreet, however, are not suggestions of weakness.
Read MoreRoero Arneis can be all up-front aroma with no follow-through on the palate. This one is distinctively different. That isn’t only because Vietti was the first to bottle this long-lost variety as a varietal wine all the way back in 1967. (Yep, old vines help give depth of flavor.)
Read MorePeter Zemmer 2015 Pinot Nero Rolhütt: This bright, ruby red wine has a floral nose festooned with exotic spices. This crisp, cooler climate style of Pinot Nero (Noir) is best showcased at a table laid-out with lighter fare and offers brilliant value at just under a Jackson.
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.
Read MoreThis wine defies my typical usage suggestions for sweet wines. I often think of sweet wines as “dessert in a glass”, or something that can replace dessert when thirst still calls yet the tummy is too full for more food. One of the primary differences here is that the Ben Ryé possesses a decadently sweet attack yet a surprisingly dry and clean finish.
Read MoreDonnafugata 2015 Grillo Sur Sur: This wine’s color looks pale, like lemon pulp in color. It’s savory on the nose with notes of crushed slate, grapefruit zest and veggie broth. This is a relatively lean Grillo – and all the better this, rather than some of the variety’s more blowsy expressions – that is nonetheless character-filled.
Read MoreCoppo 2010 Barbera d’Asti Pomorosso: This is swank wine. It is sweet with unabashedly youthful fruit highlighted by savory touches of enticing development, like fallen autumn leaves and damp clay. This wine dances on the edges of palate happiness.
Read MoreI’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.
Read MoreMaeli 2014 Bianco Infinito Veneto IGT: This is a highly unusual blend of Moscato and Chardonnay vinified to dryness. Harmonious yet full of contrasts, this smells of Moscato but tastes like Chardonnay. Light in body and dry from start to finish, I can only describe it as the unlikely but enticing combination of Moscato d’Asti and Premier Cru Chablis.
Read MoreThis magenta-inflected, rose-colored wine drinks more like a light red than most rosatos. So, I’m a fan of serving it only gently chilled.
Read MoreWhen I was offered the opportunity to taste the latest releases from Boroli, I jumped. I loved the recent story of the winery discovering a long-lost cru, La Brunella, in Piedmont’s Castiglione Falletto. While you’re waiting to get your hands on some La Brunella, check out these gems to reassure yourself it’s worth the wait!
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