My endless curiosity about less known wine grapes drives me always in the geekiest seminars and wine classes. No exception was the last edition of SommCon, the US sommelier convention which takes place every year in San Diego, where I live. The seminars list is always rich in learning and tasting occasions: from prestigious Champagnes … More America’s invisible rainbow and the secret wine revolution
Here we are, it’s that time of the year: the Holidays’ season wines shopping list. Rigorously Italian wines (what would you expect from The Italian Wine Girl??), one red, one rosé and one white for each of these three categories: under 20 USD (because ‘value for money’ is my mantra), organic and natural wines (because … More My wine shopping list for the Holidays: under 20 $, organic or geeky but..100% made in Italy!
What about being the Italian wine geek at Thanksgiving dinner? Watch this video! During SommCon 2018 in San Diego, I asked six Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wine which is the weirdest, most obscure Italian variety they have ever tasted… Some good advices for your wine shopping, dare to drink different! For more inspiration read … More Dare to drink different. The most expert U.S. Somms about Italian geeky grapes and wines…
Paso Robles is the fastest growing wine region in California: will it become the next Napa? My experience at Daou winery … More Paso Robles: a “slow wine” experience in the fastest growing AVA of California
The breakthrough of Sonoma’s Sauvignon Blancs: quality, finesse and balance make of these wines the best expression of Sonoma terroir. … More The breakthrough of Sonoma’s Sauvignon Blancs
Not just Port. The new wave of Portuguese viticulture.
The new generation of Douro wine producers is trying its best to increase Portuguese wines reputation and quality, choosing indigenous varieties and respect of the grapes over marketing and massive production rules. … More Not just Port. The new wave of Portuguese viticulture
Decanters, carafes, aerators, coolers… a little guide to wine tools and gift ideas for wine lovers … More The right tool to be “wine cool”
The Cal-Ital Sangiovese evolution, from the ’90s to today, plus some wine buying suggestions… … More The Cal-Ital Sangiovese
Reaching Smith-Madrone winery after two days of fancy tastings in the Napa Valley floor has been like seeing an oasi in the middle of the desert. For an Italian wine girl, grew up in Grandpa’s vineyards, running around him in the cellar, among the wine barrels, a winery is not a winery if it doesn’t … More Bored by fancy wine tasting rooms? Pour yourself a glass of truth at Smith-Madrone’s winery
The most difficult part is when you come home and are called to find the words to describe the most complex, multicultural, contradictory region of Italy. And you spend hours staring at the monitor, but those words just don’t want to come out. Then you close your eyes and you can see again the chaotic … More Intricate, contradictory, diverse: Sicily can’t be described, must be experienced
