A wine blog by Susannah Gold
Once upon a time, in 2009, I started to write a column for an online website called Alta Cucina. I wrote about Italian indigenous grape varieties because I was amazed at how many there are and their link to individual terroirs and the stories behind them. Fast forward 11 years and I am on the... Continue Reading →
Some years ago I had the good fortune to work with Prosecco DOC on a Super Bike event at Laguna Beach. Having never attended a super bike race, I found the event both scary and thrilling. I know the partnership continues to this day and recently saw pictures of the Prosecco DOC consortium President Stefano... Continue Reading →
Campania as I wrote in other posts this week is an incredibly rich region of Italy. I had never quite realized just how rich until I went to Campania Stories this April. Among the provinces, Sannio, the home of the Samnites, a pre-historic people that lived in the area before the Romans, is one of... Continue Reading →
This is my 11th Vinitaly with my friend Susanna Crociani who owns a winery in Montepulciano and makes wonderful Nobile di Montepulciano using traditional grape varieties. We get to the fair early, set up and go in our own directions. I always learn something new from Susanna. She’s very creative and always thinking of new... Continue Reading →
Montepulciano is a red grape that grows throughout central Italy. It is most widely found in Le Marche and Abruzzo. It's confusing to many who think that Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is made with this grape. It's also sometimes erroneous thought to be the same grape as Sangiovese. It's not. It can be a vigorous... Continue Reading →
This week's Wine Wednesday is about Lambrusco Mantovano from Azienda Agricola Pagliare Verdieri. The family has 15 hectares near Oglio in the Po river valley. Since 1986, Mimma has been working with her Mother in law on their farm which is certified organic from ICEA. They grow a host of crops, among them, wine grapes.... Continue Reading →
This week's variety hails from Calabria, specifically from the provinces of Cosenza and Catanzaro, located on the Tyrrhenian Sea . A hearty grape that can be quite productive, it is used both in mono varietal wines and as a coloring agent in blended wines. It can be found in the Lamezia DOC denominated wines. The one wine... Continue Reading →
Today's indigenous variety is Malvasia di Sardegna Bianca. This Malvasia can be found in two DOCs, Malvasia di Bosa and Malvasia di Cagliari. Both of these areas are in the province of Cagliari in Western Sardinia. They were each awarded their DOC designation in 1972. There are various versions of Malvasia di Bosa, some sparkling,... Continue Reading →
This week's variety is another Malvasia. It is called Malvasia Bianca di Candia. It's grows primarily in Lazio but also in Emilia Romagna, Le Marche, Umbria, Tuscany and Liguria. It is also sometimes called Malvasia Rossa because of the color the buds take on. However it must be distinguished from Malvasia di Candia. It likes... Continue Reading →
Kerner is a grape that was created in Germany in 1969 by crossing Schiava Grossa or Trollinger with Riesling. It came to Italy early on and has been considered an Italian national varietal since 1981. It is often made into a mono-varietal wine and at times is blended with other varieties. It is similar to... Continue Reading →
