No matter how many times I’m in Piemonte (and every region in Italy), I’m discovering a producer I wasn’t aware of. Recently, I learned of a special Barbaresco producer named Rocche dei Barbari, and it’s a pretty unique story. I was traveling from an appointment in Neive with my friend Sandro Minella, a Piemonte resident … Continue reading The Best Kept Secret in Barbaresco
Leonildo Pieropan 1947-2018 (Photo ©Tom Hyland) I am writing this tribute to Leonildo Pieropan more than a month after his untimely passing. I have been preparing for out-of-town wine lectures as well as a recent trip to Italy, so I have only just learned of this sad news. I have been a fan of Pieropan’s wines … Continue reading Memories of Leonildo Pieropan
Paolo Manzone, Serralunga d’Alba Nothing terribly deep or controversial today, but I’d like to share my first comments on a few Barolos from the 2014 vintage that I tasted during my most recent trip (first week of February) to Piemonte. I was in Serralunga, my favorite commune in the Barolo zone for several reasons (the … Continue reading 2014 Barolo – An Early Look
We’ve turned the page on the calendar, moving from 2017 to 2018. Here are my thoughts on a few wines – or wine types – from Italy that impressed me during 2017. This is not a list of the year’s best wines, but rather a cross section of wines that deserve special note. 2016 … Continue reading Some Notable Italian Wines from Last year
Today’s lesson in Italian wines is about a territory where Prosecco is produced. Nothing new about that, right? Well, maybe so. And the story doesn’t end there, as there are also some beautifully structured red wines produced in this land as well. The territory I speak of is Montello e Colli Asolani – often known … Continue reading Colle Asolani – Prosecco and More
The origin of the word Chianti may be a mystery, but the wine is anything but. Arguably the world’s most well-loved red wine type, Chianti is also undoubtedly one of the world’s most famous. Originating from an area in Tuscany centered on the towns of Florence and Siena, Chianti today is a wine with a … Continue reading Seven Sub-zones of Chianti
What makes a wine great? Is it a definable character? Is is consistency? Is it longevity? For the Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva “Il Poggio”, it’s all three of the above, plus several other factors. Whatever the solution to the above question, this is a renowned wine that has merited all its acclaim, to be sure. … Continue reading Il Poggio – A Reference Point in Chianti Classico
