Category Archives: Italy
Charity fundraising tasting
During Cov*d, I offered a wine tasting with paired hors d’oeuvres to a local Rotary Club fundraiser for the Victoria Hospice Society in the memory of my father-in-law, Ken, who spent his last days there. Of course, because of Cov*d, … Continue reading
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Velenosi, DOC, Classico, Italia, 2021, 12.5% abv., C$27
Verdicchio, the name of the grape used for this wine made in Le Marche, is often referred to as ‘the little green one’. The wines produced tend to be crisp and powerful with great acidity and minerality. Verdicchio is grown … Continue reading
Pecorino, Colline Pescaresi, Azienda Agricola Tiberio, Pecorino IGT, Cugnoli, Abruzzo, Italia, 2021, abv. 14%
In 1999, when Cristiana Tiberio’s father Riccardo discovered this property and its rare Trebbiano Abruzzese vines in the middle-of-nowhere Abruzzo, emptied his bank accounts to buy it, and replanted most of it with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, more Trebbiano Abruzzese, Pecorino and … Continue reading
Verdicchio, Misco Riserva, Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva DOCG Classico, Tenuta di Tavignano, Ancona, Marche, Italia, 2017, 13.5% abv.
Tenuta di Tavignano is located in a valley above the Musone River which flows between the Apiennes and the Adriatic on Italy’s hamstring. Cingoli, known as the ‘balcony of the Marche’ since medieval times is just up the road, and … Continue reading
Sangiovese, Vigna Piuca, Azienda Agricola Castellinuzza e Piuca, Chianti Classico DOCG, Gran Selezione, Greve in Chianti, Toscana, Italia, 2017, 14% abv.
I liked colleagues Melanie and Giuseppe right away. I had booked a premier tasting at the Casa Chianti Classico in Radda to learn more about the structure of Chianti Classico. We connected quickly over a conversation about Canadian fish and … Continue reading
Sangiovese, Podere Scopetone, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Montalcino, Toscana, Italia, 2017, 14% abv.
We met with Loredana Tanganelli and her daughter Giada at Podere Scopetone on the outskirts of the old walled Tuscan town of Montalcino. Loredana and husband Antonio Brandi have owned the petite estate of only about 2.5 hectares since 2009 … Continue reading
Ciliegiolo, Silio, Tenuta Montauto, Maremma di Toscana DOC, Manciano, Grosseto, Toscana, Italia, 2021, 13.5% abv.
We arrived at the cellar door tasting room of Tenuta Montauto in the Maremma di Toscana DOC north of Rome after 26 hours of travelling and little sleep. Bleary eyed and compressed, I perked up considerably when we decided to … Continue reading
Il Bistrot della Pasticciona, Lido, Roma
In March 2021, when the pandemic was so widespread that the entire world seemed to be shut down, and people were despairing of the future, I read an article about Italy and how people were struggling there. That’s when I … Continue reading
Lambrusco Reggiano, Frizzante Secco, Arte e Concerto, Lambrusco DOC, Reggio Emilia, Italy, 2019, 11.5% abv., C$23
I was looking for something interesting to serve friends with some charcuterie, and realized I had a few bottles of Lambrusco hanging around, so decided to put them to work. The wine that is, not the friends. Lambrusco is both … Continue reading
winellama 