Bonarda is one of those Italian varieties that you assume you know well, have had, feel somewhat benign towards but yet wouldn't go out of your way to try it again. Why is that I asked myself? First of all, because we have been confusing Bonarda from Piedmont with many other grapes and I know... Continue Reading →
Bottega Falai – Tuscan Chef Iacopo Falai Expands Empire
I've just been in the mood for Tuscany lately, what can I say. I was there just two short weeks ago having dinner with friends I have known for 20 years. I miss those carefree Tuscan days and my friends but lucky I can get good Tuscan fair right here in New York thanks to... Continue Reading →
Italian Indigenous Varieties: Bonamico From Pisa
It's Thursday and that means indigenous varieties over here at Avvinare. The latest grape that I've learned about is called Bonamico nero. It hails from Tuscany, specifically from the area around Pisa. It tends to be cultivated in the plains and lower hills. It is a blending grape that is quite vigorous but has little... Continue Reading →
Tuscany Still Has A Hold On Me Like No Other
I guess it's actually true that your first love can never really be replaced...In this case though, I'm talking about a city and a region. Last week, I was in Florence for all of 9 hours, enough to remind me of why I moved there and never left Italy for 15 years. Our love affair... Continue Reading →
On The Road Again: Verona, Vulcania 2011, Soave
I'm on the road again, having left my Milan friends, clients and engagements. I'm now in the Veneto on my way to meet a producer and I attended the third edition of Vulcania Soave. The event lasts for two days with discussions about the impact that volcanic soil has on the grapes that grow in... Continue Reading →
Weddings, Friends & Nostalgia
I haven't written in a long while it seems but I was working very hard before going on a 10 day trip to Il Bel Paese. I'm staying with friends at the moment near my second home, Milan. My dear friend Silvia got married yesterday in Bobbio, a beautiful little town near Piacenza to a... Continue Reading →
Italian Indigenous Varieties: La Festa della Repubblica & “UNA”
Today is the "Festa della Repubblica" or Italy's national holiday celebrating the creation of the Italian republic. This year is a special anniversary year, it is the 150th anniversary of the republic's birth. All year long, the 150th anniversary has been celebrated in a variety of ways. In fact, Eataly owner and entrepreneur Oscar Farinetti... Continue Reading →
Wine News: Cavalieri Del Lavoro – Francesco Arigolas
There is an Italian honor that many covet: being designated a "Cavalieri del Lavoro" for their work in their sector be it agriculture, commerce or industry. The organization was created in 1901 by Vittorio Emanuele III. When I worked at an Italian company in Milan, I spent the better part of a year trying to... Continue Reading →
