Le Serre Nuove dell’ Ornellaia 2020

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sustainability

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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Di Madre In Vigna: Antonella Corda four years on

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic

di madre in vigna

Di Madre In Vigna.  Antonella Corda four years on Di Madre In Vigna? That must be Antonella Corda in Sardinia. That phrase is prominent on her bottle labels. It says that the land is the mother to the vines. But you could infer that Antonella Corda is also the vines’ mother. Four years ago, I had the great fortune to …

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Le Cupole 2020 – IGT Toscana Rosso by Tenuta di Trinoro

Paul Howard Articles, Biodynamic, Blog, Italy, Sustainability

Bacchus by Cy Twombly, 2008. © The Cy Twombly Foundation

Le Cupole 2020 – IGT Toscana Rosso by Tenuta di Trinoro The late Andrea Franchetti created the Tenuta di Trinoro estate during the 1990s. Returning to Italy (he had been a wine broker in New York), he wanted to make the best Italian wine. For this, he chose a remote site in Tuscany, without any wine history, in the Val d’Orcia. …

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San Leonardo 2017 – Trentino’s Flagship Bordeaux Blend

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic, Sustainability

San Leonardo 2017

San Leonardo 2017 – Trentino’s Flagship Bordeaux Blend Here is San Leonardo 2017. Gambero Rosso once described this red wine, made by Tenuta San Leonardo, as “one of the fifty wines that changed Italy”. They have awarded their Tre Biccheri to it consistently, and it has become something of a legend in Italy. It’s from Trentino, a less well-known Italian wine region. …

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Badia di Morrona – excellence in Chianti DOCG

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sustainability

Badia di Morrona

Badia di Morrona – excellence in Chianti DOCG This article concerns Badia di Morrona, a wine estate south of Pisa in Tuscany. They make a wide range of wines, including Chianti DOCG, called I Sodi del Paretaio. But before we get to that, it’s worth considering the broader context of Chianti DOCG. Chianti DOCG Chianti is one of the best-known …

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Epokale: In the Hall of the Mountain Grill

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sustainability

Epokale - Silver Mine

Epokale: In the Hall of the Mountain Grill Epokale has become an iconic wine with a glowing reputation. Its creator is Cantina Tramin, in the Alto Adige region of Italy, also the Italian spiritual homeland for the Gewürztraminer white grape. Some years ago, the Cantina commenced a long-term project to make a special cuvée representing Gewürztraminer, Alpine terroir, and wine-growing …

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Vino Santo from Cantina Toblino – WOTY 2021

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic, Sustainability

Vino Santo Cantina Toblino

Vino Santo from Cantina Toblino – WOTY 2021 The Wine Alchemy WOTY (Wine of the Year) 2021 is the extraordinary Trentino Vino Santo DOC 2004 from Cantina Toblino. A worthy winner As usual, the Wine Alchemy WOTY is an exceptional wine. It’s also sustainable and available to buy in the UK. There were plenty of close contenders! Sweet wines make …

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Bentu Luna is where the old ways are new again

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

Bentu Luna Wine Range

Bentu Luna is where the old ways are new again. Bentu Luna is a new wine project located in the centre of Sardinia, based at Neoneli, in the Province of Oristano. It’s led by the Moratti family from Castello Cigognola in Lombardy and managed by CEO Gian Matteo Baldi, who grew up and worked in Sardinia. They have been featured …

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Nas-cëtta, Part 2 – twelve Novello producers and their wines

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic, Recipes, Sustainability, Wine Tasting

Nas-cëtta

Nas-cëtta, Part 2 – twelve Novello producers and their wines Nascetta, Part 1, looked at the rediscovery of Nas-cëtta. Local producers rescued this semi-aromatic white grape variety, which survived only in Novello in Piemonte. In 2010, the Langhe DOC exclusively authorised the production of white wine in Novello using only 100% Nascetta grapes, creating a dedicated subzone called Langhe Nas-cëtta del Comune …

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Nascetta, Part 1 – Welcome to Novello

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sustainability

Nascetta grape variety

Nascetta, Part 1 – Welcome to Novello Nascetta is a once-obscure white grape variety from Novello, a tiny hill-top village in Barolo. Once nearly extinct, Novello wineries rediscovered it and revealed its potential for exciting white wines. Now, in this prestigious area famous for red wine, Nascetta is garnering a reputation as “the White Barolo”. That’s some turnaround! There are …

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