Today's wine hails from Spain, specifically from the Penedes region from Parés Baltà. I tried it some years ago at a Wine Media Guild lunch I was lucky to be invited to. The theme was all about Spanish white wines. It was an exciting line-up in general and this one stuck out to me. I... Continue Reading →
Women In Wine: Susanna Crociani From Crociani Winery in Montepulciano
I wrote this post about Susanna many years ago. I am reposting it today because it is her birthday today and because I would have just seen her had I been at the Anteprime Toscane. It's been a year since we last saw each other but what's a year among friends. We've been friends now... Continue Reading →
Sunday Sips: Riesling From Biltmore Estate
I've been so focused on imported wines in my career that it slowly crept up on me that all 50 states in the US make wine. I've made a commitment to buy and write about producers from at least two states a month. These first two months of the year I focused on Michigan and... Continue Reading →
Italian Indigenous Varieties: Goldtraminer Bianco, Gosen Nero, Granoir Nero
This week's indigenous varieties are all ones that I had never heard of and first met in a book I own on indigenous varieties in Italy. Goldtraminer as you might expect is a cross created in 1947 by Rebo Rigotti at San Michele all'Adige between Traminer and Garganega. The grape is aromatic and is especially... Continue Reading →
Two Key Areas In Catalonia Wine Scene: Cava and Priorat
Catalonia is a fascinating region both for its political history as well as it's diversity of wine regions.For this month's blogging group called #WorldWineTravel, we are travelling to Catalonia, in Spain. Two areas of Catalonia in particular are very well-known world wide, Cava DO and Priorat DOQ. During the 19th century, Catalonia began making a... Continue Reading →
Italian Indigenous Varieties: Giro’ Nero from Sardinia
This week's indigenous grape hails from Sardinia, a beautiful region in Italy and one that should be on everyone's bucket list. I have never seen such beautiful water as off the coast of Northern Sardinia near the Maddalena. I went on a fabulous sailing trip there some years ago but my photos aren't digital so... Continue Reading →
Virtually Visiting Catalonia With #WorldWineTravel Group
The World Wine Travel blogging group is spending the year visiting Spain. Virtually for the moment and this month, we are diving into Catalonia. Each month is a different part of the country and I'll be leading our group to this fantastic part of the country. You'll find links to all of the bloggers who... Continue Reading →
Beef Stew And A Glass of Bandol Rouge Warm the Heart
This month the French #Winophiles visited Provence. We wrote about "Red wines from Provence" in keeping with the theme proposed by our host Payal from Keep the Peas. Her preview post gives an overview of the region and can be found here. We will be meeting on Twitter at 11am EST. Please join us by using... Continue Reading →
National Wine Day: Michigan Wine – Neu Cellars
I tasted my first wine from the state of Michigan this week from Neu Cellars. It's a lovely Riesling from 2019 called Splash. I knew nothing about the winery when I ordered it as part of wine club I recently joined. The club is the brainchild of Lenn Thompson. Oddly enough, it's distributed in NYC... Continue Reading →
Italian Indigenous Varieties: Gaglioppo from Calabria
For this Wine Wednesday, I am posting this article I wrote 6 years ago about Gaglioppo. I am definitely due for a visit after all this time. I just mentioned this grape yesterday on my IGTV in my Morning Grape series so it’s on my mind.
It’s December, it’s snowing on my blog and it has been three months since I have written a post about an Italian indigenous variety. I have a good excuse, a beautiful three month old baby, but I do miss writing about all of the gems that Italy has to offer so here we go with the first grape that starts with a “G.” This grape which is now associated with Calabria is likely of Greek origin and may be genetically related to the Sicilian variety Frappato. This hearty grape variety produces full bodied wines that are somewhat tannic when young and can be called “rustic” at times. It is used in a variety of denominazione d’origine controllata (D.O.C.) wines from Ciro’, Bivongi, Donnici, Lamezia, Melissa, Savuto, Scaviglia and others. The grape can be made into a mono-varietal wine or blended with red or white varieties, according to the rules of…
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