The red grape Barbera is an Italian varietal that produces wines that are deep in color, full body, with low tannins and higher acidity. Barbera can be grown just about anywhere but if you s a bottle on the shelf at your local store, chances are, it will be from Italy. It is still one of the most planted grape
Read moreItaly is a place that has an amazingly long history and I have found it is best to learn about it while enjoying a glass of fantastic Italian wine. The Sangiovese grape is king in Italy and many Italian red wines are made using Sangiovese exclusively or in a blend. Sangiovese means the “blood of Jupiter” and is a well
Read moreI love white wines all year long but a light, crisp Pinot Grigio from the northern region of Italy can definitely beat the heat! These Pinot Grigios are most always done in stainless steel and are light in body and dry. These make easy pairings for warm weather foods and outdoor events. Today I am sipping on Corte Grande Delle
Read moreIts hard for me to keep a secret…..especially if we are talking about wine! I came across a wonderful wine from Italy called Barbanera Campo Grande Rosso 2017 and it is driving on all cylinders! It is balanced, complex, flavorful, and extremely approachable. It is a blend of Sangiovese, Primitivo, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon and they work so wonderfully together
Read moreThe Castellani Family has had their roots in grape growing and wine making for over 150 years and they are a familiar name in the Italian wine world. The family owns and works over 2400 acres of land dedicated to grape growing to produce some of the finest wines in Tuscany. This Famiglia Castellani Chianti Classico Riserva 2015 is 100%
Read moreSay “Ciao” to my delicious new friend from the Puglia region of Italy! This is Tenute Rubino Punta Aquila and she is a 2013 Primitivo born and bred in Salento. The Primitivo grape is the equivalent to what we call Zinfandel in the United States and other parts of the world. The grapes are the same but the wine flavors
Read moreItalians are quite the creative bunch, especially when working with wine. Sometimes, this creativity makes things more difficult by adding a few more steps to the wine making process but they are always rewarded for their hard work in the end! Take this 2017 Corte Grande Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore for example. “Ripasso” is the process of taking the grape
Read moreRome, Italy wasn’t built in a day so you have to figure that it took some time for the vineyards in the Lazio region surrounding Rome to grow some Super Tuscan grapes like Syrah and have them work well here. This “Prodigal” Syrah was quite tight upon opening the bottle but after using an aerator, it was just amazing! A
Read moreFor those of you who have a Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant in their area, this wine should still be available to you. It is Cooper’s Hawk 12th Anniversary Italian Red Blend which was the wine club wine for October 2017 and comes in a 1.5 liter bottle. It is a blend of 75% Barbera and 25% Sangiovese all harvested
Read moreThere are so many fantastic wineries in the Monticello wine region just outside of Charlottesville, Virginia! But one that is hard to pass up is Barboursville Vineyards and for many good reasons. As you drive on to the property, the vineyards and mountains are so visually stellar that you just have to stop and take photo! The wines and tastings
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Wine Splash! 