Soft and strong (updated)Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a grand name with wines of a range of qualities. If the appellation did not exist, the wines would be a much more humble Côtes-du-Rhône (Villages) and you might wonder what all the fuss was about. But it… '
Things can only get betterMay’s BBC 1 – bring any quality bottle or the odd joker and taste them blind - threw up a distinctly mixed bag. The whites in general,, unusually, did not shine, the one sparkling wine met a distinctly mixed reception and the evening… '
Blind tasting improbability indexAs stated many times on this blog, exposing yourself to trial by blind tasting is a mug’s game. My worst moment was failing to identify the grape variety of an Alsace Grand Cru Gewurztraminer. After I knew what it was its typical rose water… '
Sparkling wine in NE ItalyEaster 2012: new pages on the ‘Italian bubbles tour’: Fine Franciacorta Fizz, east of Milan, Trento DOC just north of Lake Garda, quality Prosecco in the hills above Treviso, plus the great table wines of Friuli. |
Articles on recent visitsChianti Classico – the hilly heartland between Florence and Siena with both traditional and new style wines of great quality (August 2011) Chianti Rufina – fine Sangiovese-based wines and Vin Santo from this small and special area east of Florence (July 2011) Roussillon and Southern Languedoc – red blends, sparkling wines of Limoux, much improved whites and its own style, vin doux naturel (June 2011) Puglia – rich Negroamaro and Primitivo and subtle Nero di Troia, developing whites, i vini dolci, even the occasional sparkler and great food from land and sea (April 2011) |
Modi di scrivere di vino
This website has two main components. First there is the blog which chronicles the journey. Whether it’s tasting at home, with local wine groups, at big organised tastings in London, after walking through a vineyard in Italy or wherever, the posts try to give a flavour of that experience.
The second element is the web pages which allow a subject to be dealt with in more detail. The dropdown list or page on Italian regions is a good place to start for wines of that country. The most expansive part at the moment is the Maremma toscana, a relatively little known part of central Italy which Janet and I have been visiting for some years. Tuscan harvest reports have pages of their own. Further, there are sets of pages on recent visits to the sparkling wine areas of Franciacorta, Prosecco Superiore and Trento, the high quality wines of Friuli, Chianti and Puglia. Then there is a whole section on the French regions with a recent visit to Roussillon. Finally, particularly memorable visits are to be found in the special places section. In addition, I am developing gallery sections to showcase pictures without the need for all those words. It’s a bit like wine itself – the words can only take you so far, the real thing is the tasting, the eating and drinking, in company of friends and loved ones.
Click here for mio approcio al vino
Dear David,
Just a quick note to say lovely to meet you yesterday at the tasting( i was the guy asking about your notebook!I had a wonderful time ,its not often i get the chance to taste such great wines. Hope to see you again.
Regards Steve Povey.
Thank you, Costanza – it was a fascinating trip and there will be more pages over the next couple of weeks.
To the next time in Tuscany!
David
Hallo David!
Your website is always fantastic, and your news about Puglia very interesting.
Thank you
Costanza
Haven’t written before until I had read all about the Sancerre trip – thanks so much for including all the details that are so interesting – I only wish that I could write in such a positive and interesting style – many congratulations! If you and Janet come up to town I’d be only to delighted to lunch you at my club (3 minutes from Embankment/Charing Cross stations). Can promise drinkable wine, but not up to the standards that we would like to become accustomed!
Chris – I would love the principal pages to be in French too, especially I am developing the French regions pages at the moment. I need a helping hand!
David
I’ve just had a look at your very interesting website. Why is it written in English and Italian only? I would be ready to translate it from English to French !
thanks Costanza – sto lavorando su una versione italiana con l’assistente italiana adesso … forgive my Italian mistakes as well!
A presto
David
Writing from Massa Marittima, in the Tuscan Maremma, i’ve enjoied reading about our special wines and how is fantastic tasting, eating, drinking in company of friends.
See you again!
(Perdonate i miei errori in Inglese. Ciao)