The tricentennial Bolgheri birthday bash

Posted on November 30, 2024November 30, 2024 by Filippo Magnani

Sitting at a one-kilometer long Super Tuscan table, Filippo Magnani celebrates three decades of the daring DOC, which shook up the wine world for ever, and continues to set the highest of standards. He also gets in a sneak preview of the 2022 vintage. On September 4, 2024, Bolgheri, the small yet iconic wine region on the Tuscan coast, commemorated a significant milestone: 30 years of the Bolgher...

Life on the edge: the ancient roots and modern uprising of Etna

Posted on June 29, 2024 by Amanda Barnes

Amanda Barnes engages with the fascinating terroir of Sicily’s striking and active volcano, as her palate is swept away by some stunning bianco and rosso wines, made by a dedicated bunch of winemakers, some who even bottle ‘illegal’ varieties. Etna is an explosive terroir. A volcanic wine region on the island of Sicily, almost touching the African continent, it is steeped in history and mystery. ...

Prosecco: what’s in a name?

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Marc Millon

Marc Millon rediscovers the joys of the now hugely famous sparkling DOCG that hails from hills that lie between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. He encounters such complexity of terroir that different sub-zones and even single vineyards can express their own characters and personalities. I first visited the wine hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene more than 40 years ago in search of a wine I’...

A rebel among the hills

Posted on December 31, 2023December 31, 2023 by Caroline Gilby MW

Caroline Gilby MW revels in Rebula, the golden grape that encapsulates the terroir of Brda/Collio and appears to be coping well with challenges of climate change. Somehow, I seem to have become a bit of an evangelist for obscure grapes from Central and Eastern Europe, and one of my favourites is the golden grape called Rebula in Slovenia and Ribolla Gialla in Italy. A recent trip to the Brda Home...

Patience, perseverance and pasta: Antinori launches its London Cantinetta

Posted on June 26, 2023June 27, 2023 by Amanda Barnes

Amanda Barnes sits down to taste a vertical of Solaia as the Antinori family launches its latest restaurant in the heart of London. “Having 630 years of history helps us to be patient,” says Allegra Antinori, 26th generation of the Antinori wine dynasty and the middle of the three sisters gradually taking over from their father, Marchese Piero Antinori. “This is not a soft launch, but a long la...

Awe-inspiring Amarone

Posted on April 29, 2023April 29, 2023 by Filippo Magnani

Filippo Magnani finds himself revelling in the new releases of Valpolicella’s finest and shares his top tips both on what to taste and where to stay. The Amarone Opera Prima took place this year on 4th and 5th February, majestically organized by the Valpolicella Wine Consortium, at the Gran Guardia Palace in the heart of Verona. The president of the consortium, Christian Marchesini, opened the ev...

Benvenuto Brunello

Posted on March 27, 2023 by Filippo Magnani

Filippo Magnani marvels at Montalcino and its marvellously mature wines, and salivates at the local expression of the Sangiovese grape variety. The village of Montalcino, assisted by the outstanding organization of the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino, hosted ‘Benvenuto Brunello’, dedicated to the new vintages of this famous wine, from 11th to 21st November. The 2022 edition gathered an ...

A new perspective on Prosecco from Asolo DOCG

Posted on November 27, 2022November 29, 2022 by Janet Z Wang

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Wines of the lake and the mountains

Posted on October 23, 2022November 27, 2022 by Keith Grainger

Keith Grainger zones in on beautiful Bardolino, with its myriad of soil types and mesoclimates, charting the key and ever-increasing role played by the classy Corvina in its well-known red blend. He also sips saline, crispy Chiarettos. Let me begin this article at the bottom. I well remember the nadir of the wines of the Veneto and other northern Italian regions. In the 1970s and early 1980s, the...

Reviving Carema with hiking boots, heart, and grit

Posted on September 22, 2022 by Marisa Finetti

Marisa Finetti is not only blown around, but also blown away by Nebbiolo from the Alpine foothills in the northern part of Piedmont, and the incredible effort and unswerving dedication taken to grow it. The wind snapped my umbrella inside out. The impression of Carema while standing on the edge of the dramatic hillside on this blustery day was quickly leaning toward sheer intensity. Fede...