Tommasi: two terrific classics. Amarone and Ripasso Back in July 2021, I wrote about Le Fornaci. a Lugana DOC white wine made by Tommasi. Tommasi is famous for two outstanding red wines from Valpolicella Classico, benchmarks of their contrasting styles. Their Amarone originated in 1959, while their Valpolicella Ripasso started in 1995. These red wines rely on drying the fresh grapes, …
Sparkling alternatives to Champagne
Sparkling alternatives to Champagne Despite these challenging times, there are always reasons for celebration. Perhaps a new job, a promotion, a birthday, a wedding, an anniversary. Christmas, New Year, even a humble bank holiday. Bubbles carry with them a range of irresistible connotations. They can make us feel elegant, sophisticated, generous and carefree, so no wonder fizz is the first choice …
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Le Fraghe – a delightful Bardolino, any time
Le Fraghe – a delightful Bardolino, any time Regular readers will know that recent articles have been exploring around the shores of Lake Garda – virtually, of course, as travel hasn’t been possible. Those wanting to catch up with these can find pink wine from Chiaretto di Bardolino and whites from Custoza and Lugana, all of which are DOC wine regions. But …
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Le Fornaci – an exciting Lugana white wine from Tommasi
Le Fornaci – an exciting Lugana white wine from Tommasi Le Fornaci is an ongoing wine project by the Tommasi family. It’s in the Lugana DOC on the southern tip of Lake Garda. Gradually, this project has come to fruition, and the latest 2020 release is a beauty. Here’s why. Tommasi Tommasi is arguably so well known they need little …
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Slow Wine Coalition – Good, Clean and Fair Wine
Slow Wine Coalition – Good, Clean and Fair Wine The Slow Wine Coalition is a new collaborative wine network established by the Slow Food movement*. For some years now, vanguard wineries from around the globe have understood that we must establish a wine industry upon solid environmental, ethical and social values. As a result, many sustainable initiatives are now happening …
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Le Feu, Savoie’s greatest wine – for Dominique Belluard
Le Feu, Savoie’s greatest wine – for Dominique Belluard This article is about Savoie’s most excellent white wine, Le Feu, made at Domaine Belluard. It’s written as a small memorial tribute to Dominique Belluard, pioneering owner of the Domaine. He tragically took his own life, age 55. Dominique Belluard farmed this small biodynamic estate at Ayse. It’s in the heart …
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Wine Faults and Flaws: A Practical Guide. Book Review
Wine Faults and Flaws: A Practical Guide. Book Review Wine Faults and Flaws is a brand new book by Keith Grainger*. It took ten years to write and was published on 10 June 2021. This book does what it says on the tin and bridges the gap between heavy science and popular readability whilst retaining scholarship. You’ll find plenty of …
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The Knot of Love and Custoza DOC wines, Part 2
The Knot of Love and Custoza DOC wines, Part 2 Part 1 of this article looked at Custoza DOC and the reasons influencing the taste and quality of its dry white wines. Now Part 2 puts that to the test with six representative Custoza DOC wines presented by the Consorzio. An interactive map below shows the locations of the featured producers, while …
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Custoza celebrates its 50th Anniversary, Part 1
Custoza celebrates its 50th Anniversary, Part 1. The Custoza DOC covers the white wines made on Lake Garda’s eastern Venetian shore. It’s centred on the small village of Custoza, which is just to the west of Verona. This DOC overlaps and shares some boundaries with the Bardolino (red) and Chiaretto di Bardolino (rosé) DOC. It dates from 1971, renaming it …
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Summer Pudding – a classic dessert
Summer Pudding – a classic dessert Summer Pudding is a classic dessert for the British summer. Here’s a super-easy recipe that makes a Summer Pudding serving six, inspired by Jane Grigson’s Fruit Book – which is a great read. Redcurrants and Blackcurrants are the two essential soft fruits for Summer Pudding. If you have a handful of Whitecurrants, Loganberries, Raspberries, Tayberries …
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