Suppose you’re in a small town in Tuscany and you go to the local neighborhood restaurant and order dinner – beef with canellini beans, say – and you get a carafe of the house red wine: that’s what this wine is like. Relaxing, made nicely, with plenty of time to
I went to Valpolicella to learn about the region's most expensive, highly regarded wine: Amarone. Made from dried grapes, this wine is hotter than ever and the Italian press now gathers annually to taste new Amarone releases. I tagged along, hoping to discover what I have been missing. Instead, I
Ripe black fruit, espresso, and hints of tarragon show on the nose. Raspberries and cranberries, coffee and eucalyptus, all come through on the palate. Tart flavors linger. This is a bit of a mish-mash, disjointed fruit and flavors fighting against each other instead of working together. Not Recommended. DBH WHO:
A couple months ago, as part of an industry wine tour of the Marche region of Italy, I found myself eating dinner at the Marchese del Grillo hotel restaurant in Fabriano. And while the food was generally excellent, the meal was particularly notable because of said restaurant’s wine list, which
If you have ever traveled in Italy, you have probably noticed how Italian people love to stay “with your legs under the table,” to use the typical local phrase. To a foreigner, spending so much time at the table might seem odd or even boring, but in Italy -- and
The color is a very pale straw. Peaches, lemon, and citrus blossoms are on the nose. The palate blasts fresh peach, with lemon and flint on the mid-palate. Acid is well-tamed, offering a round mouth-feel. Pair with oysters. Highly Recommended. 90 points. DBH WHO: Pieropan WHAT: Garganega, Trebbiano DESIGNATION: Soave Classico
Even if they've drunk it before, most everyone experiences a serious first encounter with wine – one moment when you know you’ve really latched onto something magical. When I escaped Appalachia after college, the people I associated with, first academics and journalists, then corporate types, mainly drank cocktails, starting at