Monthly Archives: November 2008

Thanksgiving Foods – A NYT OP-ED Not To Miss

This morning’s New York Times was hard to put down for a variety of reasons but one op-ed by Andrew Beahrs stood out particularly. His piece “Where the Wild Things Were,” speaks about the foods that Mark Twain missed when … Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Memorable Events, wines

Roast Beef and Callabriga 1999, un’ottima combinazione

I had the occasion to try a fabulous wine from Portugal this week. It was Casa Ferreirinha’s 1999 Callabriga. Imported by Broadbent Selections, it is truly a remarkable wine. Deep ruby red in color, it showed some red fruit, earthy … Continue reading

2 Comments

Filed under Friend Recipes, wines

Women in Wine: A Tasting Circle

Today I went to a wine tasting with six female colleagues who work in the wine business. We met early, at 11 and spent the next three hours tasting wines blind and discussing our reasoning for stating that a wine … Continue reading

3 Comments

Filed under wines, Women in Wine

A Surprise from the Veneto and the Colli Berici – Inama Bradisismo 2003 Veneto Rosso IGT

Wines from the Veneto have been in fashion for a number of years. Be it Prosecco, Amarone, Valpolicella, Ripasso, Recioto di Soave or the most recent success in the United States – Soave – any number of people can list … Continue reading

4 Comments

Filed under Italian regions, Italian wineries, italy, wines

Comfort Food: Dolcetto di Dogliani and Risotto

The weather and the sad news from Montalcino has made me somewhat dour. I have decided to combat this melancholy with an age old remedy: food and wine. Recently I have been thinking about some of the important experiences that … Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under Italian Delicacies, Italian recipes, Italian wineries, italy, Memorable Events, wines

Gianni Brunelli – A Larger Than Life Figure

I read terrible news today on Franco Ziliani’s Blog Vino al Vino about Gianni Brunelli’s death. I met Gianni and his wife Laura Vacca through their New York importer Dancing Bear Cellars at Vinitaly 2007. I stayed with them last … Continue reading

2 Comments

Filed under Italian Restaurants, Italian wineries, italy, Memorable Events, wines

La Notte di Toni D’Angelo & A Glass of White Wine From Campania

I am having a wonderful time going to the N.I.C.E. film festival at the Tribeca Cinema. Yesterday’s films included one by Toni d’Angelo, a young director from Campania. The film is a love letter to Naples in a sense. It … Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Italian cinema, Memorable Events, Wine Bars, wines

Adventures in Winemaking: How to level the cork

There are numerous secrets to winemaking that escape me in this early novice stage. One of the most baffling is how to get the corks into the bottle and have them level. With a hand corker, I have found this … Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under Adventures in Winemaking: Super Teaneck 1st Vintage, wines

N.I.C.E. Italian Film Festival at Tribeca Cinema Nov 13-17

Quick post to advise all NYC Italian film lovers that N.I.C.E. is having a four day festival at the Tribeca Cinema. I love this actor Toni Servillo. He’s very fashionable now as well and you can see him in a … Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under italy, Memorable Events, wines

Adventures in Winemaking: I Due Gatti 2007 Is An Improvement

I embarked on a mini-winemaking adventure three years ago. I bought grapes in New Jersey from a local purveyor, Corrados, although they get them from California so our collective carbon footprint is not small. I press, rack, and filter the … Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Adventures in Winemaking: Super Teaneck 1st Vintage, wines, Women in Wine