Kerin O'Keefe's Brunello di Montalcino is not simply an enjoyable wine book; it's one of the rare wine books that is truly important. O'Keefe, an American writer with many years experience in Italy and, particularly, in Tuscany, sets out to explain what makes this wine so special. And in doing
The pipeline has dried up. Five or six years ago, almost any casual wine enthusiast could launch a WordPress or Blogger blog, write a post about each new wine he drank—from the plonk to the good stuff—and wait for wine samples to come pouring in. And pour in they did.
A third-generation winemaker, Piero Incisa della Rocchetta comes from a family that's legendary in Italian winemaking. His grandfather was the creator of Sassicaia, one of the first Bordeaux-style blends in Italy and a wine that inspired many imitators. After time spent at the family wine estates, Piero began his own
The months toward the end of winter and beginning of spring are Amarone della Valpolicella time. In this period, in fact, two important events are hosted in Verona, Italy -- two different series of tastings of this renowned Italian red wine. “Amarone in Villa” (“Amarone in the Manor”) is organized
If sommeliers want to win their 30-year war with critics, they must harness the power of validation. Before the rise of Robert Parker, sommeliers had far more power in deciding what wines Americans drank. Many Americans hated and feared them. That's a major reason Parker became so powerful: he freed
Two weeks ago I returned home from The Symposium for Professional Wine Writers, held at the Meadowood Napa in St. Helena the week prior to Premiere Napa Valley. I’m kicking myself for not accepting the invitation to stay for Premiere – the Napa Valley Vintner’s annual “bake sale,” as NVV
Walking through the rows at Seven Springs Vineyards, her auburnish hair flowing in the South African breeze, winemaker Riana van der Merwe inspects grapes hanging from trestled limbs and contemplates their future. Like the canes to the wire, her future is intertwined with theirs. Together they are attempting to showcase
How many of us haven't, at some point, fantasized about leaving it all to go run a winery? This dream always seems to entail lunch shared with friends and family, a light dish accompanied by a bottle of one’s own red wine, eaten al fresco and overlooking breathtaking views of