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 …
Bulichella in Suvereto – wine by design
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 …
25 years of Wine Alchemy – the first article redux
25 years of Wine Alchemy – the first article redux Executive Summary 25 years! Early in 1998, the Wine Alchemy brand was inflicted on an unsuspecting world. In short, I’ve taken this extravagant journey So it seems to me I just came from nowhere And I’m going straight back there* . A (slightly) Longer Version This was in the early …
2023 AWEsome Wines – out now!
2023 AWEsome Wines – out now! Hot off the Press! The 2023 AWEsome Wines booklet from the Association of Wine Educators (AWE) is out now. It contains 100 wines of excellent quality and value recommended by members of the Association.* After all these years, it’s still an inflation-busting price: free! What’s the catch? There isn’t one. We’re wine educators, so it’s …
VignaAlta, the flagship of Badia di Morrona
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 …
Bardolino Cru – the first vintage from the new subzones
Bardolino Cru – the first vintage from the new subzones On the eastern shores of Lake Garda, Bardolino DOC and Chiaretto di Bardolino DOC share geographical boundaries, and most wineries make both styles. However, Bardolino represents the reds (60%), while Chiaretto is the well-known Rosé (40%). Rule changes were ratified in April 2021 and applied to both from the 2020 …
Passive Cooking saves energy, CO2 and money
Passive cooking saves energy, CO2 and money. Passive cooking isn’t sitting and watching TV while someone else cooks dinner for you. No matter how much you might want it to be. Instead, it’s a thoughtful response to the Energy Crisis, subsequently developed as an ad campaign by pasta makers Barilla and then picked up by the press and media*. Sure, Barilla is promoting its …
Pineau d’Aunis – a rare red wine from the Loire
Pineau d’Aunis – a rare red wine from the Loire Here’s a riddle for you. Q: When is a rare red not a rare red? A: when it’s a Pineau d’Aunis. What is Pineau d’Aunis? Occasionally still called Chenin Noir, Pineau d’Aunis is a red grape grown in Touraine in the Loire valley of France. Said to be admired by …
WOTY 2022 – Wine Alchemy’s Wine of the Year
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 …
The Cost of Living Crisis Case, Festive Season 2022
The Cost of Living Crisis Case, Festive Season 2022 I hope you like my Christmas card! Everyone knows we’re in a cost-of-living crisis, so this situation has affected my wine recommendations for the festive season. We all want to celebrate and enjoy ourselves, but in a cost-conscious way. What is a wine-lover to do? A real price cap Hence, for …