Today is Wine Wednesday and I am writing about a wine I tasted at a recent seminar on Barbera d'Asti from the Nizza DOCG area specifically. This wine is from Michele Chiarlo. The wines are brought in by Kobrand. I did a few projects for Kobrand years ago and am quite familiar with their amazing... Continue Reading →
Italian Aperitif : Crodino From Campari
I am so looking forward to having a Crodino later this week while in Italy. Crodino is a trademark brand owned by the Campari Group since the mid-1990s but it is often used as a generic term for an "analcolico" or a drink without alcohol. Crodino is named for the town of Crodo in Piedmont... Continue Reading →
Wine Wednesday: Moscato di Canelli from Agriturimo Rupestr – Giorgio Cirio
This Wine Wednesday is dedicated to Moscato di Canelli from Giorgio Cirio who owns the Agriturismo Rupestr. I met Giorgio at his agriturismo where a friend was having a birthday weekend for 50 of his closest friends. Lucky for me, we were including in the 50. The agriturismo was located in Canelli, Giorgio has two... Continue Reading →
Italian Indigenous Varieties: Malvasia Nera Lunga
This week's variety is called Malvasia Nera Lunga and hails from Piedmont. It grows in the provinces of Asti and Turin. It is a grape with a long shape hence the name. It is a hard and vigorous grape. It can lose acidity relatively quickly so the picking date for these grapes is key before... Continue Reading →
Italian Indigenous Varieties: Malvasia di Schierano Nero from Piedmont
This week's indigenous grape variety is called Malvasia di Schierano Nero. This aromatic grape comes from Piedmont and produces either frizzante or spumante red or rose style sweet wines. The grapes are occasionally dried and made into a passito style wine as well. The wines are said to be of low alcohol and to pair... Continue Reading →
Italian Indigenous Varieties: Malvasia di Casorzo Nero (Piedmont)
This week's variety hails from the province of Asti in Piedmont and is known as Malvasia di Casorzo Nero. This Malvasia belongs to the same family of grapes that we have been visiting each week but this one is a red grape. This Malvasia can be made into sweet wines, either frizzante or spumante versions... Continue Reading →
Discover Off the Beaten Path Nebbiolos from the Carema and Canavese DOCs
While people often debate the merits of Brunello vs. Barolo or Barolo vs Barbaresco, the smaller appellations where Nebbiolo grows are often overlooked. This is certainly the case with Carema DOC and it is a real shame. I first heard of these wines about 20 years ago when I lived in Florence and someone who... Continue Reading →
Wine of the Week: Rosso Ansj’ from 460 Cascina Bric
I tried this wine from 460 Cascina Bric earlier this year. I remember it being full bodied, juicy and elegant. I also remember distinctly the bottle it came in. A small stout bottle that is particular to this winery. I wondered at the time whether or not it would be welcomed on US shelves where... Continue Reading →
Italian Indigenous Varieties: Lambrusca di Alessandria and Lambrusco a Foglia Frastagliata
Lambrusco is one of the most widely discussed and maligned grape varieties grown in Italy, together with Albana and Pinot Grigio. There are many different grapes with Lambrusco as part of their name, mostly grown in Emilia Romagna but not all. It is likely that they are related to a wild grapevine that was already... Continue Reading →