A one of a kind historical tasting of 1997 Amarone and Recioto wines from Italy’s Valpolicella gathered a group of erudite and passionate wine lovers to discover their aging potential...
Iconic and quintessentially Super-Tuscan yet deeply attached to the roots and the territory where it originates.
An ancient Japanese proverb says, “the meeting between two persons is where everything begins.” It is also how the extraordinary story of Luce came to be, a story that we had the privilege to experience through a historical tasting going back to 1997 of this Iconic wine hosted by Lamberto Frescobaldi at the magnificent Casa degli Atellani in Milan....
Turriga is today an Italian icon thanks to vision, determination, and the valorization of Sardinian’s patrimony...
A fascinating historical tasting of Lamole di Lamole Vigneto di Campolungo stemming from a hidden corner of the Chianti Classico region.
That Maurizio Zanella is considered a visionary when it comes to Italy’s Franciacorta is conventional wisdom. That his vision also extends to Japan is fascinating.
Tasting a wine that is even older than yourself is a magical feeling. Madeira’s unparalleled aging potential earns a special place in the arena of old wines, and it is certainly a sensational experience to enjoy this legendary wine.
Here is what i call “comfort wine”, beautifully paired w/ a rack of lamb this evening… Exactly at the moment when I like my wines aged, velvety but still firm, still fruity but mellowed w/ a touch of leather, game, & tobacco. Caressing texture w/ a bit of grip. Lip-smacking finish… Impossible to resist another glass…
Saturday was dedicated to opening 36 bottles of wine to compare & contrast different styles and different origins to train my tasting memory. Here are a few little beauties discovered in the process...
For me, the most beautiful thing about Italian wines is its diversity, especially of its grape varieties, and here is a wine that is must be one of the most perfect embodiment of this concept.
Made with the grape Oseleta, it was "rediscovered" in the
This one made me lose the plot. For a moment, I forgot that I was practicing. In fact, it is surely a sin to practice with a wine like this...
If you are like me, opening a new bottle of wine is akin to going on an adventure. Not really knowing what to expect at the outset, full of new discoveries at every corner and certainly eye-opening.
Today, 2 beautiful discoveries at #VinitalyAcademy in Verona... Montalbera L'Accento Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato 2013 & Donnafugata Kabir Moscato di Pantelleria 2013...
Plush, velvety, hyper-sensual, & engaging...
Some will say that, on this trip, I spend way too much attention to Torrontés with regards to my exam as the likeliness
Well, I will say that sometimes, we must mix business with pleasure to keep the passion going! As I mentioned in a previous post, I am not ashamed to say that I love the grape. This tasting was worth the time & resources as I discovered my top favorite after tasting and tasting a innumerable amount, most, frankly disappointing.
This flight,
During the same tasting this
Last week, I took advantage of a very nice wine shop, Pain et Vin, in the Palermo Viejo Barrio of Buenos Aires to stock up on wine so that I can continue my tasting practice... Here, I make a comparison between a Malbec and a Cabernet Sauvignon from the same vintage & producer...
Sometimes, the reasons for my choice of wine can be pretty shallow
Here is a wine that I selected solely based on its label. Its name, Chacra, made me think of the
A good thing my sweet Maria is out dancing tango this evening. She probably would not approve of my eagerness to taste this absolutely delightful rosé from Tupungato in the Valle de Uco of Argentina's Mendoza...
Ever since we have visited here for the 1st time 10 years ago, Maria & I both love Torrontés. The thing though is that we have been pretty often disappointed by any bottles we tried since. Perhaps there is really "nothing like the first time"?
This
Of course I am an interested party because Franco will import this wine in Italy... But tonight, we had it with an Argentinean "asado" of "lomo" (tenderloin steak grilled on the bbq) and it was perfect!
Bodega Weinert is not exactly a typical "New World" winery, even as it sits smack in the middle of the premium New World region of Lujan de Cujo in Argentina's Mendoza.
Established in 1977, the winery has had an "old world" philosophy from the outset. Looking to make wines rather restrained in style with savory aromas and a bright core of acidity, they are highly drinkable on opening them young yet have an amazing capacity to age....
Another interesting tasting last night w/ the
Very impressive 5 year old Domaine Ruet
Leonardo Mustilli of the high quality Cantine Mustilli was the 1st to bottle a monovarietal Falanghina wine... His best is "Vigna Segreta"...
Falanghina is a very ancient grape that was probably brought by the greeks in the olden days. Some say its name come from the latin "phalanga", the word to describe wooden poles the greeks used for wine training. It almost came to extinction in Campania until Leonardo Mustilli decided in 1979 to seriously consider how to make fine wines out of the grape. Since, several producers have caught on and planted the grapes in various terroir around the region producing some very interesting and rewarding whites.
Reproduced from Spirito
Few wine lovers would deny that Germany is the source of some of the best (if not the best) Rieslings in the world. Could it be possible that is also
It is somewhat a tragedy when modernism & progress threaten the hard work for 4 generations of winemakers in a region that produces absolutely beautiful, if a little secret, gems of Italy...
A very special tasting w/ HK Wine Society...
Our choice as a a group this evening was Ch. Canon. A beautiful wine. A well traveled aristocrat. Smooth & suave, w/ a scent of musk & tobacco... Still vibrant & intense w/ a savoury, complex finish... Absolutely wonderful....
Last night, I had an affair w/ a little beauty... Her name is Venissa... Oh-so seductive the little devil... W/ an amazing texture, so caressing & delightful...
A really interesting wine for lunch @ Venissa Il Ristorante: Santi Angeli Case Paolin Manzoni Bianco 2011...
Made w/ a grape from a cross between Pinot Bianco & Riesling Renano called Manzoni Bianco in honour of the famous Prof Manzoni, from the Scuola Enologica Conegliano, who creates the Grape.
10 years ago on 11 September, we served Fontodi's Chianti Classico @ our wedding in Tuscany & during the same moment, 100 km away, the grapes for their Vigna del Sorbo were ripening in their best vineyards in the Conca d'Oro... And so, we served it at our anniversary reception last night surrounded by the vines themselves...
I am not shy to admit that, until last April, my love affair with Nebbiolo, the grape responsible for the wines of Barolo and Barbaresco, was not on solid grounds. But, a meeting with ArPePe's Isabella Pelizzatti Perego at Vinitaly in Verona changed that forever...