Can Pinot Grigio be taken seriously is the title of this post and something I have thought about for a long time. I think the answer is a resounding yes. Though often considered an easy-sell wine with little personality this grape, if grown on optimal terroirs at higher elevations, and handled properly, can yield compelling,... Continue Reading →
Nemo Has Come To Town, Let’s Remember Our Neighbors
It has been ages since I have posted on my blog. In the interim, I did a couple of presentations on Prosecco DOC for trade and consumers, translated for the vice-president of the Brunello Consortium during a few interviews and annoyed all of you with invitations to upcoming Italian and Chilean events. What I didn't... Continue Reading →
TwitterTherapy – Lessons from Ms. Bond
Yes, it's Thursday and I should be blogging about Italian indigenous grapes but my head is overwhelmed with my first serious day of tweeting, retweeting and improving my Twitter etiquette. All of this was spurred by a morning breakfast with Ms. Bond aka Cynthia who I wrote about here. Needless to say, any mistakes I... Continue Reading →
Passover Wines – Changes Afoot
Today is the first day of Passover. I had my first Seder last night with my parents and my niece. We had a pretty peaceful meal with the requisite brisket, horseradish, eggs, potatoes and other yummy items. Wine as always is an issue. This year my Mother brought a wine from the Veneto, a kosher... Continue Reading →
Vinitaly Day 1:Do Italians Still Love Wine?
This is the title of one of the seminars that Vinitaly is holding on the first day of the trade fair. Of course, the answer to this question is yes but perhaps not as much as they used to love it, at least if that is judged by their drinking habits. In the 1970s, Italians... Continue Reading →
Italian Indigenous Varieties: Biancone, A Minor Grape Variety
Writing about Italian indigenous grape varieties is somewhat like counting pebbles on a beach. Some are bright and shiny and stand out for all to see, pick up, and polish while others are smaller, hidden, and often overlooked. This is the fate of biancone, a minor grape variety that doesn't even get a mention in... Continue Reading →
Professional Tasting Is Not Only For Wine But For Chocolate and Tea As Well
I wrote this article for I-Italy about the Italian fine chocolate association, Cioccolati d'Italia. Tasting cioccolate, I learned during the interview, is an extremely complex process, much like tasting wine. I was lucky enough to taste many chocolates from four regions of Italy: the Veneto, Tuscany, Sicily and Piedmont. Each one was a work of... Continue Reading →
Chile Day 10 – Geysers, San Pedro di Atacama, Licancabur
San Pedro, the tourist mecca in Northern Chile, is a crossroads for all kinds of people going in different directions in South America. According to local custom, the extinct volcano Licancabur which hovers in the distance is somewhat of a diety. Mountains are considered to be female in their mythology while volcanos are, of course,... Continue Reading →
Chile Day 8 – San Pedro di Atacama
Chile is such a long and varied country. I went from the green tones and blue glaciers of Patagonia to one of the driest deserts in the world, that of San Pedro di Atacama. San Pedro is a tourist mecca for hikers, backpackers and people coming from northern Argentina or making their way to Peru... Continue Reading →
SensOfWine 2009 Event At Cipriani, Video Clip
For those who weren't able to attend the lovely SensOfWine 2009 event at Cipriani 42nd on February 20, here's a short video of the evening. For more information about the event, please go to Altacucina Society's website. Altacucina organized the event together with Italian wine expert Luca Maroni. That brunette looking away from the camera... Continue Reading →