I expect it will come as no surprise that one of my favorite Napa Valley wineries is a producer of Italian varietal wines and blends: Benessere Vineyards. It is located just outside of St. Helena in the northern part of Napa Valley. Benessere means “well-being” in Italian. As it applies to the family who owns … Continue reading Benessere Vineyards Sorridente 2005
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Elvio Cogno, Andrea Oberto, Domenico Clerico
From venerdì, 24 settembre, 2010. …and then there are those days where everyone says yes. They are sandwiched between two other really big days of visits, tastings, and dinners – and you were hoping for some sort of break – but there is no time. You can’t miss any opportunities. Elvio Cogno I met Valter … Continue reading Elvio Cogno, Andrea Oberto, Domenico Clerico
Paolo Scavino Bric dël Fiasc 1999
Last night I decided it was time to celebrate – time to celebrate none other than my oldest bottle of Barolo. And man, was she in a good mood! I acquired her at my first visit to Paolo Scavino in October of 2006.† (I’m a little embarrassed to admit how young she is but I … Continue reading Paolo Scavino Bric dël Fiasc 1999
Rocche Costamagna and Prunotto
For the sake of being comprehensive, I will review two winery visits from my stay in Piemonte in the fall of 2010, which I did not enjoy. From: lunedì, 20 settembre. Rocche Costamagna Even though I didn’t love all the wines, Alessandro Locatelli, the owner of Rocche Costamagna was a friendly and amicable host. The … Continue reading Rocche Costamagna and Prunotto
Renato Corino Part 1.0, Mauro Veglio Part 3
If I were Tennessee Williams writing a play where everything symbolizes something else, I would write my German friend Marco as an usher at the last Led Zeppelin concert† who, at the entrance, hands me free front-row tickets and backstage passes to hang out with Jimmy Page simply because … I was in the right … Continue reading Renato Corino Part 1.0, Mauro Veglio Part 3
Got to keep on moving
When I decided to book a ten week stay in Italy last autumn, I had exactly two major goals: improve my Italian by speaking and learn as much as I could about the growth and production of Nebbiolo in Piemonte. I had been offered a harvest internship near Asti which I thought was going to … Continue reading Got to keep on moving