As you've gathered, I'm still digesting my experience at the Florence Symposium of the Masters of Wine. The farewell dinner was an appropriate send-off, held at the spectacular Antinori Winery in the Chianti Classico. Designed by architect Marco Casamonti, this stunning state-of-the-art Cantina wowed the crowd. How can I begin to describe this magical evening? The…
I am still digesting last weekend's Symposium with the Masters of Wine in Florence... It's an event I may not stop talking about for some time to come... Does anyone know what these are used for? It didn't take yours truly long to figure it out, but can I say something? I need practice!! I'm…
Buongiorno da Firenze! The 450 delegates of the 8th Symposium have convened and Florence is a-buzz. Things started up mid-afternoon Thursday at the Palazzo dei Congressi, and I haven't had a minute since. The tastings are amazing, the Masters are truly that.So, what are you tasting, you ask! My pick of the first quite impressive…
In Italian we say it is important to finire in bellezza, that is, to end things nicely, beautifully. It’s all about impressions and leaving a good taste in your mouth, so to speak. It’s what people remember, what they take away with them. And we can say that Vinitaly 2014 certainly ended with a bang!…
Continue reading ➞ Finire in bellezza… The Beautiful Finish to Vinitaly
Have I convinced you yet that all this tasting is hard work? When you start sipping at 10 in the morning, your taste buds are begging for a break by mid-afternoon. I don’t know if this is harder on the legs or on the taste buds. Tuesday is dedicated to some serious conferencing, as…
We are deep into it now, Vinitaly 2014. The heat is on, here in Verona – temperatures are record-breaking, and the wines are sweating. The refrigeration just can’t keep up with the sun beating down on the Verona fairgrounds. I’ve got to admit it, I prefer to sniff. The aromas are heady… I came to…
Racing around Vinitaly is grueling work … but someone’s got to do it, right? The numbers would seem to be good – all the winemakers I talked to, indicated that the first day (Sunday) seemed like a record-breaking day, with lots of foreigners (always a good sign in times of crisis!) Warm spring temperatures make…
I get into Verona around 6 p.m. on Saturday, just in time for Opera Wine, the kick-off event sponsored by the Wine Spectator to showcase their pick of Italy’s 100 best wines. It’s a time for meeting and greeting and the electricity is in the air. Just to get started - rev up…
In just 14 days’ time, all the oenophiles in-the-know will descend on that Mecca of the grape, Verona! The city of Romeo and Juliet is the host to Italy’s great kermesse, VINITALY. Last year, over 145,000 people attended the 4-day event that showcases Italian wine, but not only – spirits and international wines as well!…
Suzanne Branciforte's Italian Grapevine 