Thanks to Snooth, a group of bloggers and I got to have an incredible lunch paired with wines from Ribera del Duero at an appealing restaurant in New York City called Salinas. As you can see from this photo, everyone was taking notes and quite serious. My fellow bloggers included the Eric Guido, Ben Carter... Continue Reading →
Wine of the Week: Quimera 2009 from Achaval Ferrer
During the past month I have had the opportunity to taste wonderful Italian wines from the Alto Adige and Chianti but the tasting that most impressed me, certainly in terms elegance and splendor was the Wines of Argentina event for Malbec Day on April 17. The tasting offered wines from 20 producers as well as... Continue Reading →
Spring Fridays: Massachusetts On My Mind
I've only been back from Italy for three days but it seems the world has tilted once again because of the horrific attack in Boston on Monday. I have been consumed by the news but have tried to carry on with daily life, like everyone else. Massachusetts is one of my three favorite states in... Continue Reading →
Vinitaly 2013: Press Conferences, Tastings, Blogger Area, Vivit
On day 3 of the fair I finally got to the new blogger area at Vinitaly. I was alone in the room which shows me that people are either writing on the go or not aware of the room in the Palaexpo building. I'm happy for a little time on my own from this crazy... Continue Reading →
Vinitaly 2013: Thoughts on Le Donne del Vino 25th Anniversary Tasting
As I wait in the press room to try to get into the Vinitaly today, I am struck by how much the fair has evolved over the years. Probably the biggest difference in the 9 years that I have been coming to Vinitaly is in the number of foreigners that attend from China, Russia, Brazil... Continue Reading →
Vinitaly 2013: Opera Wine and Focus on Chinese Market
Vinitaly 2013 started with a bang yesterday with the Wine Spectator Opera Wine tasting of Italy's top 100 wines. Most of Italy's most well known wineries were represented and the event was packed, a mix of a chic gathering and a wine tasting. I got to taste a number of wines which I normally can't... Continue Reading →
Wine Wednesday: Anima Negra Brings Allegria To My Day
Happy Wine Wednesday. Earlier this week I was reminded of why it's nice to have your local hangout where people know your name and what you like to drink. My local hangout is a Spanish tapas bar called Buceo 95. I go there often, on different occasions and with various people. Some wine people and... Continue Reading →
Italian Indigenous Varieties: Catanese Bianco & Nero
This week's grape varieties are Catanese Bianco e Catanese Nero. The former is almost extinct because of its' extremely sensitivity to disease while the latter is generally used as a blending grape with other varieties in Sicily. This grape grows only in the provinces of Palermo, Trapani and Arigento. While the red version of the... Continue Reading →