Greatest Hits – A Case for Christmas 2024

Paul Howard Alto Adige/Südtirol, Articles, Biodynamic, Blog, Calabria, England and Wales, Italy, Lebanon, Lombardia, Molise, Organic, Piemonte, Sardegna, Spain, Sparkling Wine, Sustainability, Toscana, Veneto

Greatest Hits - Happy Christmas 2024

Greatest Hits – A Case for Christmas 2024 This year, I’m ringing the changes for the Case for Christmas 2024 article. This time, it’s a Greatest Hits package. This features a dozen wines selected from all my previous annual Christmas wine recommendations. They are twelve wines that stand the test of time and fully deserve highlighting again. Such a listicle …

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Pisa – Stay and Explore at Badia di Morrona

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Food, Hotels, Restaurants & Pubs, Italy, Sustainability, Toscana, Travel

Pisa and Badia di Morrona

Pisa – Stay and Explore at Badia di Morrona The Badia di Morrona winery near Pisa has been featured previously on this website for some excellent red wines.  The first article concentrated on I Sodi del Paretaio, two Chianti DOCG wines. Then, the second piece featured their flagship wine, VignaAlta. This latter red wine is a Tuscan gem, the best …

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Tenuta Argentiera – You Got The Silver

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sustainability, Toscana

Argentiera fortress

Tenuta Argentiera – You Got The Silver Tenuta Argentiera is in Bolgheri DOC, a winery in Tuscany at the top of the fine wine podium. From seemingly nowhere, Bolgheri enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame. That was during this century, though now-fêted pioneers sowed the seeds some decades before. Bolgheri is one of several places in Italy where Bordeaux grape …

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Morellino di Scansano and Cantina Vignaioli

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic, Sustainability, Toscana

Cantina Vignaioli del Morellino di Scansano

Morellino di Scansano and Cantina Vignaioli What’s in a name? Morellino di Scansano is in Tuscany’s deep southwest, occupying the central Maremma close to the coast. Much of this area was once wild malarial marshland before humans drained it. So, it was more suitable for horses, cattle, and sheep than vines. This was a poor area with relatively few inhabitants. …

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Badia a Corte Riserva – Vinum Florentinum

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sustainability, Toscana, 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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A Subtle Dislocation of the Norm? Three wines

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

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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Bulichella in Suvereto – wine by design

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic, Sustainability, Toscana

Hideyuki Miyakawa

Bulichella in Suvereto – wine by design Welcome to the beautiful and historic Val di Cornia and coastal Tuscany, where the Bulichella winery is only two km outside the medieval walled town of Suvereto. When I stayed in Suvereto (and nearby Campiglia Marittima) a decade ago, I imagined this place might become my future Italian home. While that was not to …

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VignaAlta, the flagship of Badia di Morrona

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic, Sustainability, Toscana

Badia di Morrona VignaAlta

VignaAlta, the flagship of Badia di Morrona Badia di Morrona was featured in these pages last year with their I Sodi del Paretaio, a Chianti DOCG that comes in Annata and Riserva forms. You can read about those wines here. This article reviews their flagship wine, VignaAlta, a 100% Sangiovese designated as the up-and-coming Terre di Pisa DOC. Terre di Pisa DOC Wine …

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WOTY 2022 – Wine Alchemy’s Wine of the Year

Paul Howard Articles, Biodynamic, Blog, Italy, Sustainability, Toscana

Ginevra Venerosi Pesciolini, WOTY 2022

WOTY 202 – Wine Alchemy’s Wine of the Year The Wine of the Year (WOTY) 2022 award from Wine Alchemy goes to Tenuta di Ghizzano in Tuscany and its owner Ginevra Venerosi Pesciolini. Joint winners – for the first time As is usual, any Wine Alchemy WOTY must be inspirational. Tasting great is a given. But in addition, the winning wine …

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Le Serre Nuove dell’ Ornellaia 2020

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sustainability, Toscana

Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia

Le Serre Nuove dell’ Ornellaia 2020 Le Serre Nuove dell’ Ornellaia is sometimes known as LSN. It’s the official “second wine” of the now iconic Ornellaia estate. They say it’s “made with the same passion and attention to detail as Ornellaia; it reflects the estate’s pedigree”.*  Does it live up to this billing? Let’s travel together to the Bolgheri region of Tuscany …

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