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 …
San Leonardo 2017 – Trentino’s Flagship Bordeaux Blend
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. …
Chenin Blanc with Baked Lemon Cheesecake
Chenin Blanc with Baked Lemon Cheesecake This Cheesecake is properly home-made for the third article in the occasional Wine and Cake series, not out of a packet, featuring actual baking! It pairs brilliantly with the sweet styles of Chenin Blanc, so here are two examples, one from South Africa and one from its original homeland in the Loire Valley of …
Finca Altamira: World Malbec Day and Easter Sunday
Finca Altamira: World Malbec Day and Easter Sunday The Argento winery makes a single-vineyard premium Malbec called Finca Altamira, which is also one of the best value red wines you’ll currently find. Meanwhile, when compiling the list of International Drinks Days, I saw that the annual World Malbec Day is on the 17th of April. And that got me thinking about an …
Schloss Reinhartshausen – Dry German Riesling
Schloss Reinhartshausen – Dry German Riesling Schloss Reinhartshausen is at Eltville, on the north bank of the river Rhine, where the Riesling grape grows in steep stony vineyards with perfect southern exposure. Welcome to the Rheingau region of central Germany, a small area that has punched above its weight for centuries. It (together with the Mosel) has grown Riesling the longest, as records …
Madrevite – Umbrian organic excellence
Madrevite – Umbrian organic excellence A “Madrevite” is a wooden threaded spigot that Umbrian winemakers once used to close up their barrels after filling them full of wine. Nicola Chiucchiurlotto, who founded the Madrevite estate, chose this name for his wine estate as a linkage between traditional and modern wine growing, which embodies organic and artisanal wine production. Located on …
Cantina Toblino Vènt project – a different kind of tension
Cantina Toblino Vènt project – a different kind of tension Cantina Toblino was recently awarded the Wine Alchemy WOTY 2021. This was for their sweet dessert wine, Trentino Vino Santo DOC. You can read all about this here. However, as we’ll see, this isn’t the only terrific wine they make. Thanks to their Vènt Project, there are several new wine stars, all …
Xinomavro – Celebrating International Xinomavro Day
Xinomavro – Celebrating International Xinomavro Day Xinomavro is a Greek red grape variety that deserves celebration, and what better time than the annual International Xinomavro Day on 1 November. As a contribution, this article features a terrific example. Would you please welcome Jeunes Vignes from Thymiopoulos Vineyards? It’s an “entry-level” wine that offers remarkable quality and value, the perfect introduction. Xinomavro Xinomavro means …
Le Fraghe – a delightful Bardolino, any time
Le Fraghe – a delightful Bardolino, any time Regular readers will know that recent articles have been exploring 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 what …
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 …