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Apassionato di Asprinio Presso L’Agricola Vinicola Cavasete
The word for today is Asprinio. In Italian, asprinio, refers to something tart or sour. In this case, we are referring to the so-called Italian grape in the south of Italy. I have not had much experience with Asprinio, as it is not widely available in the US…(yet). Nevertheless, I had the pleasure of becoming more acquainted with this grape, and several others, rooted in Southern Italy, while serving as a wine judge for Radici del Sud in Puglia. Radici del Sud, or Roots of the South, has been operating since 2005 to make the food, wine and viticulture in southern Italy more visible in the regions of Puglia, Basilicata,…
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A Marriage of Tradition and Innovation at Azienda Vinicola Rivera
Marriage is not always easy. Yet, Azienda Vinicola Rivera handles it with ease, as demonstrated in their production of Nero di Troia. I had the pleasure of visiting their winery and learning about their flagship grape when I was invited to serve as a judge for the 17th annual southern Italian wine competition, Radici del Sud, in Puglia. Radici del Sud underscores the food, wine and viticulture in southern Italy visible. Since 2005, Radici has given prominence to the indigenous wines and olive oils from Puglia, Basilicata, Campania, Calabria, Sicily, Molise, Sardinia and Abruzzo. Azienda Vinicola Rivera Azienda Vinicola Rivera S.p.A is located in the city and commune of Andria,…
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Wining Hour Feature: Tenute Rubino Oltremé
Spending time in Italy exploring the many grape varieties is always a pleasure. I was able to spend some time in the south, in Puglia, and get acquainted with some of the region’s native grapes. However, it was at home in NY where I had the opportunity to taste a rare, ancient grape variety, Susumaniello. This month’s feature is the unique Tenute Rubino Oltremé. The region of Puglia, or Apulia is known as the “heel of the boot” located in Southeastern Italy. Puglia’s mediterranean climate and suitably fertile soils are ideal for grape cultivation. Soils in southern Puglia are mainly calcareous sandy-clays over a limestone sub-soil. When one thinks of…
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A Wining Hour…at Sea!
There are two things I love: wine and water. I enjoy boating and cruising every chance I get. I also enjoy wine education and wine tasting. When you combine being in, on or near the water and wine…well, that just takes the cake! While this is something I do regularly, I recently had a very interesting ‘wining (wine-ing) hour at sea.’ A few weeks ago, I boarded a cruise with my favorite company, Norwegian Cruise Line. Norwegian Cruise Line is not just my favorite. In fact, the World Travel Awards named NCL a leading cruise line for 9 years in a row. So, while in Europe, I cruised along the…
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Wining Hour Feature: Friuli Wines of Attems Estate
Italy produces some remarkable white wines, especially the white wines produced in the northern Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. In fact, Friuli is considered to be the very birthplace of modern Italian white winemaking. This month, I am featuring two delightful white wines from Attems Estate in Friuli: Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc. Friuli Venezia Giulia is Italy’s north-easternmost region. It borders Austria, Slovenia, Veneto and the Adriatic Sea. The region has diverse climates, as it ranges from warm (due to Adriatic Sea breezes) to mild and Alpine. The terrain is equally diverse, composed of mountains, hills and coastal plains. Naturally then, there is a variety of soils. In…
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