For the last month of this year's #ItalianFWT group, we are going to be talking about wines from lesser known Italian regions. Here are a six fun facts about Italy and its geography as a way to get you to think about what impacts each wine growing region and which region you want to write... Continue Reading →
Wines In the News: Ferrari – A Personal Favorite Arrives At Emmy Awards
Ferrari, one of my favorite sparkling wines and one I used to celebrate all occasions, including my baby's first birthday, was just the toast of the town in LA at the Emmy Awards. I know this because I got a press release from their PR firm but I was impressed and thought I would mention... Continue Reading →
VinoVip 2013 – Cortina
I arrived in Cortina last night for the 9th edition of vinovipcortina.it, an Italian wine event that takes place every two years in this gorgeous location in the Dolomites. The event is a three day extravagance with wine tastings at mountain "rifugi" at 2500 meters above sea level with Jancis Robinson, MW as keynote speaker.... Continue Reading →
Loss – Personal, Public, Professional
This has been quite the weekend of bad news I must say but I know that we all have to look to the future with optimism. Someone I know well lost someone dear to them, that horrible accident on Giglio, then the news of Giuseppe Quintarelli's death. Like almost everyone else, I was thrilled by... Continue Reading →
Italy’s Debt Crisis – Let’s Buy More Italian Wine
Friday's on this blog are supposed to be dedicated to Italian women in wine but today I am so disturbed by the latest economic news from that country that I feel it should be mentioned. As I read with dismay the news about Italy's rising borrowing costs, worsening debt to GDP ratio and increased bond... Continue Reading →
Italian Sommelier Society (AIS) Hosts First National Wine Day
Yesterday, May 21, was the first "National Wine Day" in Italy held by the Italian Sommelier Society (AIS) . The new President of AIS, Antonello Maietta, spoke about this day at Vinitaly earlier this year. I went to his press conference during the fair and was very excited to see the new work that the... Continue Reading →
Terra di Seta – An Italian Kosher Winery
Last night I had the pleasure of meeting the owners of Terra di Seta, the only 100% Kosher winery in Italy and perhaps in Europe. The choice means that much of the wine produced will be exported because Italy has such a small Jewish population, around 40,000 people. The winery participated in the 5th annual... Continue Reading →
Vino 2011 – Italian Wine Week Is Here
Vino 2011 or Italian Wine Week is here and I am truly excited. I'll be taking part in some of the initiatives but couldn't get into some great seminars. Everything filled up so quickly. I guess that's a testament to just how interested people continue to be in Italian wine. That's no surprise to me... Continue Reading →
Vinitaly 2010: Day 1 In Padiglione 8, Tuscany
Day 1 at Vinitaly invariably means Padiglione 8, Tuscany, where my Italian wine love affair began. Just for the record, I hated the book and movie Under the Tuscan Sun although I am never sure if that is merely because I am jealous that Frances Mayes wrote that book not me. In any event, I... Continue Reading →
New Year’s Resolutions & Lots of Great Wine
I love making New Year's resolutions. Some I stick to and some I don't but I always like the clean slate feeling that it gives me to start the year with goals and objectives. I always have too many but still I prefer to err on the too muchness side of life. Some of what... Continue Reading →