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 …
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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Pojer e Sandri Merlino – an Italian Unicorn
Pojer e Sandri Merlino – an Italian Unicorn Pojer e Sandri is a Trentino winery owned by oenologist Mario Pojer and viticulturalist Fiorentino Sandri. This famous boutique estate started in 1975 with just two hectares. Four decades on, they have 26 hectares of organically certified vines. They make a wide range of acclaimed wines and also have a distillery. This article …
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Oxney Organic Estate Rosé, English Sparkling Wine
Oxney Organic Estate Rosé, English Sparkling Wine Oxney is Britains largest single organic wine estate on the River Rother in East Sussex, six miles north of Rye’s historic and charming port. That means it’s also in the High Weald, a designated Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty. Oxney is also certified organic by the Soil Association. Indeed, this organic mixed farm …
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Tintilia – drinking the Hilltop Grape of Molise
Tintilia – drinking the Hilltop Grape of Molise. Tintilia is an Italian native red grape variety that comes from the region of Molise. Despite this variety being of high quality, it became abandoned because it had low productivity when quantity was vital to survival. Besides, constant rural depopulation and the second world war’s devastations helped hasten its demise. However, now that …
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Blanquette de Limoux from Domaine Delmas
Blanquette de Limoux from Domaine Delmas Limoux is a small French appellation in the Languedoc, in the foothills of France’s eastern Pyrenees. Given this southern location and summer heat, it might seem unusual to find that white grape varieties dominate the wines of Limoux. However, the local Mauzac, plus Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc, are grown extensively. It’s primarily because of altitude; …
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Tourelles Cinsault – a wine for our times, WOTY 2020
Tourelles Cinsault – a wine for our times, WOTY 2020 The WOTY (wine of the year) 2020 award from Wine Alchemy goes to Domaine des Tourelles in Lebanon, for their splendid red wine, Cinsault Vieilles Vignes 2017. A wine for our times As is usual, the Wine Alchemy WOTY must taste great. It should also be organic, sustainable, show terroir, …
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Pasión de Bobal Rosado – Last of the Summer Wine
Pasión de Bobal Rosado – Last of the Summer Wine In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the late August Bank Holiday is on the last Monday of the month. It represents the last gasp of the Summer holidays.* After this comes the Great Return, whether to work, to college or school. Who hasn’t had cause to dread that dreary prospect? And after …
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Litorale Vermentino – Val Delle Rose, Famiglia Cecchi
Litorale Vermentino – Val Delle Rose, Famiglia Cecchi I recently joined a great online wine tasting presented by Andrea Cecchi. His family wine roots date back to 1893, and they bought their first property in the sixties, Villa Cerna in Castellina, Tuscany. However, Cecchi’s enterprise has grown significantly. They now have three other Tuscan estates (another in Chianti Classico, San …
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Luce della Vita Celebrates its 25th Anniversary 1993-2017
Luce della Vita Celebrates its 25th Anniversary 1993-2017 In 1993, Frescobaldi released their first vintage of Luce della Vita. 2020 marks a milestone, as their latest release of the 2017 vintage is their 25th. For any wine producer, the release of the new vintage is always an exciting moment. However, when that vintage marks a quarter-century, it’s even more special. Time …
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