A wine blog by Susannah Gold
I just got back from Montalcino this week and am reminded about so many special people I have met from that area. Among them of course was Gianni Brunelli. I met Gianni and his wife Laura Vacca through their New York importer Dancing Bear Cellars at Vinitaly 2007. I stayed with them that summer and... Continue Reading →
My love affair with Italy, where I currently find myself for the Anteprime Toscane, began when I was 15 on a trip to Switzerland and Venice. Apparently we passed through Milan when I was 3 but I don't of course remember that trip. I do of course remember the trip when I was 15. That... Continue Reading →
I’m really looking forward to going back to San Gimignano. I haven’t been in years and next week I will be participating in the Anteprime there. I hope to meet Natalia and other friends whose wines I know from the denomination. Vernaccia di San Gimignano became a DOCG in 1993 but I think it has not gotten the attention it deserves, certainly not in recent years. They are hosting a tasting comparing different regions of Italy that are well known for their white wines. I can’t wait!
Principessa Natalia Guicciardini Strozzi
I had the good fortune to meet Natalia at the Society of Wine Educators conference in New Orleans in May of this year. She was on a panel entitled “Female Finesse: Outstanding Women Winemakers” together with Catherine Faller of Domaine Weinbach in France and Sara Perez of Mas Martinet in Spain. I had actually seen Natalia at a tasting held by their importer, Domaine Select, but she was speaking in Russian to other guests and I didn’t want to disturb her. That day I spoke at length with her father, the Prince Girolamo Guicciardini Strozzi. I tasted a very delicious Petit Verdot which was made at their winery in Maremma. I had never seen a Petit Verdot from Tuscany. This one is called A Solo. I was impressed with the subtleness in that wine and its spicy notes. I later found out it is made by…
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While Monday's event won't be as thrilling as the one in Italy, I am looking forward to tasting some great Brunello in New York and to seeing good friends. I am also really looking forward to my trip to Tuscany to attend the Anteprime 2018 in February. I went for the first time in 2009... Continue Reading →
This past weekend was the start of the Anteprime Toscane when different top Tuscan denominations show their new vintages. I got to go to a number of these events some years ago and it was truly an experience. Sadly this year that was not in the cards but perhaps next year I will be back... Continue Reading →
This is a post about a memorable experience that I had last year right around this time when I was lucky enough to attend the Benvenuto Brunello tasting in Montalcino. The event held by the Consorzio is a huge draw for journalists. While the 2014 edition has already come and gone as well, I never... Continue Reading →
Tuscany is for many the image of Italy. It was definitely that way for me at the beginning and in many ways remains the core of my Italian experience despite the fact that I lived in Milan for three times as long as I lived in Florence. This week, Tuscan wine producers are putting on... Continue Reading →
