Author: tom hyland

I am a freelance wine writer and photographer specializing in the wines of Italy. I live in Chicago and recently completed my 77th trip to Italy. I have visited virutally every region in the country and am constantly amazed at the wonderful variety of wines produced from indigenous grapes (I am never amazed at the quality of the wines!). I have been in the wine business for 40 years, have been writing for 20 years and have been a professional photographer for the past twelve years. I currently contrubute to publications such as Decanter and wine-searcher.com. I am a freelance photographer for Cephas Picture Library in England and have had my photos published in several publications including Wine Spectator.
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Unearthing Chianti

One of the world’s most recognized and well-loved red wines, Chianti is nonetheless, a mystery to most wine drinkers, afficionados and novices alike. That may seem a bit odd, but given that Chianti is lost in the discussion of Italy’s wines is due to a great deal of confusion. This confusion is easy to comprehend, … Continue reading Unearthing Chianti

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Italian Wine Report – New Releases of Barolo, Brunello and the Best Wines and Producers of 2021

Here is a brief excerpt from this issue: Ratti (Annunziata, La Morra) Barolo Marcenasco 2018 Pale young garnet; aromas of morel cherry, wild strawberry, red currant and cumin. Medium-full with very good concentration, good acidity, medium-weight, sleek tannins and good persistence. The finish is dominated by notes of brown spice. Nice varietal character, but a bit … Continue reading Italian Wine Report – New Releases of Barolo, Brunello and the Best Wines and Producers of 2021

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Angel of Alta Langa

There is a time-honored principle taught in every journalism school – “write what you know.” Every successful author has followed that advice as well, and why not? If you write about the people you encounter on an everyday basis and the places you live in and visit, your writing comes alive – and that is … Continue reading Angel of Alta Langa

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An Outstanding Verduno Pelaverga/ 2018 Barolo – A first look / Italian Wine Report – Autumn 2021

The Autumn issue of my Italian Wine Report has recently been published, and in this issue, I review new releases of wines from Chianti Classico, Campania and Piemonte, along with a few other regions. From Piemonte, I have my initial reviews of the soon-to-be-released Barolos from the 2018 vintage; I tasted these wines during my … Continue reading An Outstanding Verduno Pelaverga/ 2018 Barolo – A first look / Italian Wine Report – Autumn 2021