Distinctively Different Collio Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy

Pinot Grigio - distinctively different

Distinctively Different Collio Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio This final report from the Collio DOC features two world-famous grape varieties. Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio are now household names. Both enjoy huge recognition and commercial success worldwide. Accordingly, both of them have also become popular in the vineyards of Collio DOC. Here, the hillside terroir and Ponca soil create excellent varietal …

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Borgo Maragliano – Bubbles that Touch the Sky

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sparkling Wine

Borgo Maragliano vineyards dawn

Borgo Maragliano – Bubbles that Touch the Sky The Galliano family own Borgo Maragliano, a wine estate in Piemonte. It sits 450 metres above sea level (asl) on a natural terrace of the southern Langhe, surrounded by hills reaching over 600 metres. Their glass and steel tasting room seems suspended mid-air and offers breathtaking panoramic countryside views, while the roads here …

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Friulano – Friuli’s Favourite, Collio DOC

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic, Sustainability

Friulano

Friulano – Friuli’s Favourite, Collio DOC Of all the many authorised grape varieties in the Collio DOC, only Tocai Friulano is grown by all, accounting for a relatively large 15% of the vineyard area. Some of the most outstanding examples of varietal Friulano wines are from the hillsides of the Collio DOC, and it’s usually an essential contributor to the …

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Badia a Corte Riserva – Vinum Florentinum

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sustainability, Travel

Badia a Corte - Torre a Cona

Badia a Corte Riserva – Vinum Florentinum Take the old Via Roma (SP1) southeast from Florence towards Rignano sull’Arno. After only 10 km, you’ll find Torre a Cona, a magnificent 18th-century Renaissance estate. It makes wine and olive oil and now offers fine dining and hospitality. Torre a Cona is one of the best wine estates in the Chianti Colli …

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Ribolla Gialla – a True Speciality of the Collio DOC

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic, Sustainability

Ribolla Gialla courtesy ribollagialla.org

Ribolla Gialla – a True Speciality of the Collio DOC Ribolla Gialla (RG) is a white grape variety grown in the Italian Collio DOC and Colli Orientali DOC and across the border in Brda, Slovenia, where it’s known as Rebula. The enclave of Oslavia in the Collio is regarded as its original home. This is an ancient variety, hardly found …

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Collio – introducing Italy’s best-kept wine secret

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sustainability, Travel, Wine Business

Collio Lapel Badge

Collio – introducing Italy’s best-kept wine secret The Collio (aka Collio Goriziano) is a small Italian DOC. It’s in the Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) region in the far north-eastern corner of Italy, bordering Slovenia. Following a recent visit, this article is designed as a brief introduction to Collio and its wines. Future companion pieces will cover some of the most …

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A Subtle Dislocation of the Norm? Three wines

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sustainability

A subtle dislocation of the norm

A Subtle Dislocation of the Norm? Three wines Below are three wines, two whites and a red. Each one shows individuality, a great beverage in its unique way, combining people, place, and culture. However, there is also something even rarer about them, as they are unconventional creations. They offer a subtle dislocation of the norm.   Tetramythos, Retsina Amphorae, Traditional Designation, …

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EVOO from Tuscany with Cumbrian Sourdough Bread

Paul Howard Articles, Biodynamic, Blog, Food, Italy, Organic

Tenuta di Ghizzano EVOO

EVOO from Tuscany with Cumbrian Sourdough Bread You may recall that two wines from Tenuta di Ghizzano in the Terre di Pisa area of Tuscany were chosen as my Wines of the Year 2022, while their other wines are also terrific. Hence a tasting of their Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) was long overdue. The Estate comprises 283 hectares, of …

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Tenute Ballasanti – a new Etna adventure with deep roots

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic, Sustainability

Tenute Ballasanti vines

Tenute Ballasanti – a new Etna adventure with deep roots Tenute Ballasanti is a young wine venture, yet one with deep roots. It’s on the eastern slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, rising above the Ionian Sea. Some years ago, I wrote about Mount Etna, covering the native grape varieties, unique terroir, and their renaissance in wine growing. The article …

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Monte del Frà – a preview of five new wine releases

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sustainability, Wine Business

Monte del Frà

Monte del Frà – a preview of five new wine releases Monte del Frà is a family winery in Sommacampagna, between Lake Garda and Verona. They are highly regarded, and rightly so, for a wide range of wines of excellent quality and value. While some of these wines have been featured on Wine Alchemy previously, this article previews five new …

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