Red Wines of Maremma Toscana These red wines from the Maremma Toscana sub-region of Italy’s Tuscany are considered “Super Tuscans” using non-native Italian grapes and/or blends. Many fine examples of Super Tuscans come from the region of Maremma,...
Much like France, Italy has a long tradition of wine. In the 1960s, Italy formalized their wine appellation system modeled after the French system. Under this system, each wine region in Italy was required to operate under strict rules for the typ...
The Ciliegiolo (*cheeli-oh-JOL-oh) *grape gets its name from an Italian word for cherry, a fruit that the Ciliegiolo grape resembles in its wine’s aroma and flavor. Although traditionally used as a blending grape in Chianti, since around 2000 it has...
2019 Alberto Motta Ansonica ($23)  Ansonica (an-so-NIC-ah) may not be a grape variety that you are familiar with. I was not. And, the wine region of Maremma Toscana in Italy may not ...
Venturini Baldini Lambrusco Sparkling Wines Venturini Baldini is a 130 acre estate from the 17th century, situated in the hills between Reggio Emilia and Parma. They have been producing organic Lambrusco and sparkling wines since 1976. Since the ...
Lambrusco** **is both a brightly colored grape variety and a sparkling red wine produced in Italy. In the past, Lambrusco has been known as a cheap, bright and fizzy wine often served with ice cubes (remember the old ‘Riunite on ice’ commercials?) ...
Italian wines, like French and Spanish wines, have certain restrictions and laws regarding their production. These Italian regulations result in their wines being classified into four official tiers. While you’ll find the producer’s name, appellat...
**Ca’ di Prata Prosecco ** Ca’ di Prata Prosecco sparkling wines are produced with a strong committed to quality. By carefully managing their raw materials, their winemaking processes and through special attention to detail, they are able to share...
Valpolicella (val-polla-chellah) is an Italian wine region that covers 95 square miles across the western part of the Veneto region. There are four primary styles of Valpolicella. In the order from least to most intensity they are: Valpolicella, Va...
2019 Scaia Garganega / Chardonnay ($14) The Scaia project was launched by Tenauta Sant’Antonio in 2006 with the aim of creating wines with a modern style outside the restrictions by Italy’s denomination system. In Veneto dialect, the word “scaia” ...
The Veneto wine region is located in the north-eastern part of Italy between Milan and Venice. Its geography includes the foothills of the Alps to the north, Lake Garda to the immediate west and the Adriatic Sea to the east. While it is smaller than ...
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and has been making wine since 4000 BC. Its dry, warm climate, regular sunshine and moderate rainfall is well suited for winemaking. Marsala is Sicily’s most famous wine - a fortified wine. But, ...
We’ve recently been exploring Italian wines (Borolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, Montepulciano, Soave and Super Tuscans), grapes (Sangiovese and Nebbiolo) and regions (Tuscany and Chianti). So, now let’s take a closer look at another of Italy’s great wine...
Tuscan is located in west-central Italy and includes the cities of Florence, Siena and Pisa. It is also the birthplace of the Italian renaissance. Wine production in Tuscan started before the rise of the Roman Empire and is believed to have begun in ...
Much like France, Italy has a long tradition of wine. In the 1960s, Italy formalized their wine appellation system modeled after the French system. Under this system, each wine region in Italy was required to operate under strict rules for the types...
2019 La Scolca White Label Gavi ($19) Last year, La Scolca celebrated one hundred years of oenological passion. They are a company that looks at the future with an innovative spirit, keeping their focus on the pursuit of a high level of quality....
2018 Terra Alpina Pinot Grigio ($16) This 100% Pinot Grigio is from the Dolomiti region of Italy. Located in the far northern reaches of alpine Italy, it experiences warm Mediterranean influences as well as cool Alpine breezes. The Lageder family...