...for Tuesday is Martedì grasso, better known in its French version of Mardi Gras! That is to say, it is Carnevale, ogni scherzo vale! which goes a tad further than 'Trick or treat!' I dare say! The tricks, or scherzi, I've seen come closer to charivari than the ritual throwing of rotten eggs at a jack-o-lantern.…
When is 'So many' 'Too much'? The question was actually posed at the Masters of Wine Symposium in Florence last year, when it came out that Italy had over 440 varietals. If we want to talk DOC, there are over 330 of them, not to mention the 73 DOCG wines. If you don't believe me, check…
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…
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…
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…
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…
This past weekend, I had the good fortune to participate in the International Forum on Made in Italy held in Monte Carlo (I know, I know – it’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it!) The debate was at times heated, as it should be – we’re talking about the economy, the excellence…
Suzanne Branciforte's Italian Grapevine 