Re-imagining Italian Whites: this was a Master Class appropriately enough held by a Master.... of Wine. Gabriele Gorelli MW treated us to an informative, dare I say entertaining?, presentation of the unexpected: Italian whites. This was an unusual Vinitaly all around, from the freezing temperatures like some kind of April Fools joke, to a general…
Over the years, I’ve taken dozens of photos of stands at Vinitaly that struck me for some reason. Deciding how to portray your winery with a stand is no simple or laughing matter. It’s serious business and can cost quite a bit as well. Some elaborate, some simple (at times, too simple!), how you use…
Italian Grapevine concluded Vinitaly 2022 with a bang: Our post, Girl Power Forever! by contributing editor Francesca Giuliano, won a prize for best communication of the day in the Young to Young tastings. Contributing editor Francesca Giuliano at VeronaFiere Vinitaly receiving her award This annual feature at Vinitaly, created in 2015 by Il Golosario’s Paolo…
Two of the powerhouses of this year’s Vinitaly, Wine Spectator and Veronafiere-Vinitaly, have paired up on more than just Opera Wine this year. There is a whole calendar of tastings and master classes to complement the pavilions that feature, region by region, Italy’s vast array of vintages. Powerhouses of Italian wine (left to right: Marilisa…
Finally, a wine event! After practically two years of isolation, Saturday, March 12 was a special day: the 7th edition of Wine&Siena, organized by The WineHunter, inaugurated the tasting season. And they chose a great day to do so: my birthday! Visiting Siena is a step back in time. An authentic jewel of Medieval and…
Stately Villa Le Corti, a Tuscan jewel I had seen the villa with its symmetrical towers for years. Stately, it dominated its crest and serenely looked out over the valleys of San Casciano Val di Pesa. Lucky Yours Truly who gets to visit these beautiful places But when I finally met the owners, spoke with…
In the northwest corner of Italy, there lies the smallest and highest region of all: Valle d'Aosta. Here the mountains reach the sky, majestic Mont Blanc dominates the valleys, and medieval castles dot the crests. Impossible not to dream of princesses, knights, witches, and mythological creatures. MONTE BIANCO, aka Mont Blanc!Fénis, the most famous castle…
Back in the saddle, sipping again! Last Saturday I had the great good fortune to attend Wine Spectator’s pull-out-the-stops event, Opera Wine 2021 live and in person in Verona. This was one of the first live tasting events since the pandemic, and it brought together – as is tradition – producers, buyers, journalists from around…
On March 25, Italy celebrated the second Dantedì (Heaven forbid we use English and call it Dante’s Day, Dante would roll over in his grave!). This important celebration marks the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death in 1321. I hear you: “Why the Inferno March 25?” As recognized by most scholars of the Divine Comedy, on…
If you know what these two things have to do with each other, you are on top of your Italian culture! Last Saturday night, the 71st annual Festival di Sanremo, Italy’s annual music festival, concluded with a surprise win. The rock band Måneskin took first prize with a song called Zitti e buoni (Shut up…
Suzanne Branciforte's Italian Grapevine 