I have been writing an indigenous Italian grape dictionary for about 18 months at this point. It has been a very long time since I have gotten back to this project but I will be posting one new variety every Thursday from now on. My first new entry is about Biancolella, a grape that grows... Continue Reading →
Italian Restaurants in NYC: Tarallucci e Vino – A Growing Brand In NYC, Fontanavigna Pallagrello Bianco from Terre del Principe
Tarallucci e Vino is owned by two Italians from Abruzzo who are very well versed in the culinary scene in New York. I have the pleasure of knowing only one of the owners, Luca Di Pietro but not the other, Pepi Di Giacomo. Oddly enough, Luca's wife went to the same graduate program as I... Continue Reading →
Naples, Natale, Il Presepio and Wines from Campania
Last week, I had the honor to translate for the curator of a new exhibit at the Italian Institute of Culture on the Neapolitan Creche. There are many different Creches by Neapolitan artisans on show which truly are worth a visit. The creche of the Presepio as it is called in Italy is a nativity... Continue Reading →
Women in Wine Fridays: Campania’s Famed Producers Marisa Cuomo and Silvia Imparato
At Vinitaly this past year, I finally had the occasion to wines by two of Campania's most famous women: Marisa Cuomo and Silvia Imparato from Montevetrano. Truth to be told, I had tasted a number of Marisa Cuomo wines at the Luca Maroni shows in New York but this was the very first time I... Continue Reading →
Vinitaly Day 3: Southern Italian Regions Bring Surprises Such As Agostinella
Vinitaly is a wonderful occasion to try many new Italian indigenous varieties. Yesterday I spent the morning trying wines from Campania. I had numerous Greco, Fiano and Falanghina that impressed me as well as a couple of well made wines from the Coda di Volpe grape. I also tried a wine made from an indigenous... Continue Reading →
Italian Indigenous Varieties: Ancient Asprinio From Campania
This is the last article in my Italian indigenous grape variety series of grapes starting with the letter "A". I can't believe how many there were. Asprinio Bianco is a little known indigenous Italian white grape variety that hails from the Campania region in Southern Italy. Asprinio wine has very particular viticultural and vinification traditions... Continue Reading →
Basilicata’s Aglianico del Vulture, A Wine Close To My Heart
I have recently started writing an A to Z of Italian indigenous grape varieties for Altacucina Society's website. My second installment is currently on the website. It is about Aglianico, a grape found in Southern Italy largely in two regions, Campania and Basilicata. This piece is about Aglianico from Basilicata, Aglianico del Vulture. Basilicata holds... Continue Reading →
