Sacello – Chianti Classico from Arillo in Terrabianca Arillo in Terrabianca is located in the Radda commune of Chianti Classico in Tuscany. This article is devoted to just one of their wines, namely Sacello, a Chianti Classico DOCG made only with Sangiovese, grown at Tenuta Terrabianca. The estate was originally a medieval farm. Winegrowing began in the 1950s. It was …
Carlo Petrini – Be More Carlo
Carlo Petrini – Be More Carlo On May 21 2026, in the town of Bra (Piemonte, Italy, where he was born), Carlo Petrini died at the age of 76. Who was Carlo Petrini? Carlo Petrini was an Italian writer and activist. He founded what became the Slow Food movement in 1986 and was President until 2022. Subsequently, he also established …
Four Facets of Domìni Veneti
Four Facets of Domìni Veneti Looking back to the beginning of my wine journey, I quickly found that the best way to get an overview of a wine region and its wines was to visit the local cooperative winery first. That was certainly the case with Cantina Valpolicella Negrar in Valpolicella Classica, with its wide range of wines from across …
Agroforestry, in Search of Tomorrow’s Viticulture – Mosnel 190
Agroforestry, in Search of Tomorrow’s Viticulture – Mosnel 190 April 2026 marked the 190th anniversary of the Mosnel winery in Franciacorta. A major part of the celebrations was attending a conference about Mosnel’s Agroforestry project, which is the subject of this article. Ten years ago, I was privileged to attend the celebrations of Mosnel’s 180th anniversary 1 This time, their …
Carminium by Inama – The French Connection
Carminium by Inama – The French Connection Carminium is a dry red wine from the famous Inama estate, and is 100% Carmenère.1 That’s a rare cuvée in Italy, as we shall see. In 2017, while visiting the Colli Berici DOC, I spent a memorable August afternoon at Inama’s Oratorio vineyard, though at that time, Carminium was still in the future. …
Rosé Champagne for summer drinking
Rosé Champagne for summer drinking In his book, The Pleasures of Life, Sir John Lubbock wrote this. “Rest is not idleness, and to sometimes lie on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time,” To which I …
Vilosell – Tomàs Cuisiné, Twenty Years On
Vilosell – Tomàs Cuisiné, Twenty Years On Twenty years ago, an encounter Spanish red wine called Vilosell inspired me to visit Catalonia, and I have been back many times since to visit its various wine regions. Meanwhile, Vilosell has been an annual companion ever since. This all-new article is about the current release (2022). However, it is also compared with …
Susumaniello by A. Mano – the Donkey of Puglia
Susumaniello by A. Mano – the Donkey of Puglia Susumaniello is a red grape native to Puglia, grown mainly around the major southern port of Brindisi, in the heel of Italy’s boot. Like some other Italian native grapes, Susumaniello became rediscovered in the late 1990s. Modern wine-growing has enabled it to make a significant comeback in this area, with around …
Txakoli: The Drunkard, Zarauz, by Joaquín Sorolla
Txakoli: The Drunkard, Zarauz, by Joaquín Sorolla Usually, it’s the wine itself that inspires the desire to write about it. However, at other times, inspiration comes courtesy of an entirely different subject. This time, Art has inspired me to write about a less well-known yet distinctive Spanish white wine called Txakoli. The Drunkard, Zarauz The painting shown above is The …