Sagrantino, a thick-skinned grape with off-the-scale color and body is where you find the red prize of Umbria. Montefalco is perched high up in Umbria, in the foothills of the Central Italian Apennines. These lush, green hills are the historic home of Sagrantino yet it’s not well known outside of Umbria. Say Italy and wine in a sentence and many… Read more »
The world of Italian sparkling wine is diverse in variety and cost, yet many style choices can be overwhelming. Here is an overview of what Italy has to offer you.
If you like white wine and want to change things up this fall try the Turbiana grape. It’s from the inter-regional DOC Lugana shared between the Italian Lombardy and Veneto regions producing mostly rich, fuller-bodied wines. While in southern Lake Garda last year I spotted Lugana at a wine shop. Then visiting Pratello winery they poured their Lugana- my first… Read more »
Italy has upwards of 590 officially recognized wine grape varieties to date. Here’s one you might not know that you know- Cannonau.
Northern Italy is full of (wine) surprises. It’s not just about Milan and the Cinque Terre, and Venice or Tuscany. Lots of people don’t explore outside of these destinations. So for those folks wanting fewer than a zillion tourists and interesting wines made with grapes native to Italy, head to Bardolino on Lake Garda. This area is making some of… Read more »
Soave is one of the most important white wine appellations in Italy. Although it’s name was tarnished for years, they now produce single varietal, distinctive “cru” wines from the Garganega grape. The Veneto region in northern Italy where the Soave hails is worth the visit, great food too!
Vermentino is the flagship wine of the Gallura region in the north east of Sardinia. Gallura is a specific area where the grape has a striking personality. Today it’s becoming one of the Island’s most successful wines.
There’s a white grape in the Marche region of Italy that some say produces one of Italy’s prized white wines. In fact, it’s been called one of Italy’s greatest native white grapes. Its best expression comes from Verdicchio del Castelli di Jesi but growns in other areas of the Marche too. Today I’m sharing information about two lovely Verdicchio from the Umani Ronchi estate.
I didn’t know much about the Italian wine grape Aglianico. In fact I can’t remember tasting such a wine. Italy has a staggering number of grape varieties native to the country. It’s likely near impossible to have an exact number but as of 2016, the national registry of grape varieties catalogs 511. As you probably guessed, Aglianico is one of… Read more »
Vin Santo, the classic Italian dessert wine made in the appassimento method is a beautiful amber color. Inviting aromas of deep caramel- similar to a sweet Madeira- and also hazelnuts and dried stone fruits. It’s great on it’s own but we especially like it with cantucci, a type of Italian biscotti. Dunking is acceptable!