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…
While the holiday season was quieter this year than in recent memory, it has taken a while to post this Highlights of 2020 Red Wines, a companion piece to the December post that talked about whites. If you read to the end here, you’ll know why. Red, red wine, Stay close to me... The Top…
'Tis the season... to be running from wine exhibit to anteprima to wine fair. Whether you are a producer or a taster, February kicks off the new vintages and it's hard to keep up! A new addition to the Calendar is Wine and Siena: Masterpieces of Taste (the subtitle is new too!), a 4-year old…
One of Italy’s big B wines (Brunello, Barolo, Barbaresco, maybe even Bolgheri) that command universal respect, Brunello di Montalcino is perhaps the most exquisite expression of that versatile grape Sangiovese. Of course in this area of Tuscany, the grape itself is called Brunello, whereas in nearby Montepulciano, it goes by the name of Prugnolo Gentile!…
Nice thing about Vinitaly is getting to see the wine producers, whether old friends or new acquaintances. Meeting who is behind the wine is what it's all about. And besides, it's fun! So here are some of my highlights of the last Vinitaly! Just another Italian American from New York living in Italy? Joe…
Breaking with tradition: we are not going to talk about wine. This is the Lent period in preparation for Vinitaly: time to give things up, purify, detox, and get ready for the biggest wine event in Italy, held every year in Verona. This year, from Sunday, April 15 to Wednesday, April 18, tens of thousands…
Between Wine&Siena in January, and the Tuscan anteprima medley in February, things really heat up here in Tuscany in the wintertime. I have tasted my heart out at Chianti Lovers, Chianti Classico Collection, skipping Benvenuto Brunello (where it seems it was rather hard to get in this year) and the Vino Nobile anteprima in Montepulciano.…
The Tuscan anteprima week is by now an appointment not to be missed for Chianti lovers and wine lovers in general. The event for Chianti DOCG, held at Fortezza da Basso, this year saw more than 4000 people flock to sample what the over 100 producers present had to offer. Getting up early is a…
Does wine taste better when surrounded by great art? It very well may be. One thing is for sure: the 3rd annual Wine&Siena, an event organized and promoted by the Wine Hunter and the organizers of Merano Wine Festival, showcased both in a stunningly beautiful way. It's hard to ignore Simone Martini's exquisite fresco of…
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream, I love, you love, we all love that Chianti from the Castle of Love that is Castello di Ama! And what a spectacular day greeted us for celebrating the latest acquisition in the vignerons' collection of contemporary art. Starting with the drive up from nearby…
Suzanne Branciforte's Italian Grapevine 