There are many women who work in the Italian wine industry whom I respect and admire. Some of them are friends of mine, others acquaintances and still more that I don’t know. One woman though is so particular that I always smile when I think of her, her wines and her restaurant – Laura Vacca or Laura Brunelli. Laura owns the Gianni Brunelli winery.

I’ve written about Laura often in the past as have a number of other people, including this comprehensive piece by Erin Scala on her blog, Thinking-Drinking.com.

I’m thinking about Laura today not because I am drinking one of her great wines but because her restaurant was just mentioned in the New York Times, Osteria Le Logge.

I had one of the best meals of my life at that restaurant with Laura and Gianni in 2007. A truly unforgettable experience and one I highly recommend.