After Brunello with Banfi, Barbaresco and much more with Angelo Gaja … where does one start? This was simply one of the greatest experiences you can have in Italian or world wine, laid on by Decanter magazine as part of its Fine Wine Encounter. But it was really two related experiences, with an underlying connection:
As you drive from the south towards the high plateau on which the hill town of Montalcino sits in Southern Tuscany, you can’t really miss the presence of Banfi. In a mixed landscape of farming, woods, hunting land and of course, vineyards, once you cross the River Orcia you see first an enormous factory of
Castello Banfi – a modern Brunello Read More »
Some wines have a defining quality. The sharp acidity and mineral quality of Chablis or the big bones of Molletieri’s Taurasi have been commented on in recent posts. The defining character of Roussillon’s wines is sunshine and lots of it. Tucked up against the Spanish border, this Catalan region is literally sun-drenched, with the most
Roussillon – sunshine and big fruit Read More »
Can we talk in a meaningful way about the difference in taste between wines which cost €70 and €35? And why are there differences in taste? The previous post (Talking about wine) throws some light on the general problem of communicating about tastes. In this one, let’s focus on two types of speech about wine.
Two types of wine talk and two Super Tuscans Read More »
Most people get by without a developed language about wine. ‘I know what I like’ is a fairly common response, with a laugh or smile, which probably means, ‘let’s face it, people drink for the pleasure, for the taste, for mild (or more) intoxication ’. The further implication is that talking about wine is for
Talking about wine Read More »
In sharp contrast to Campania, the wines of Chablis are are all northern edginess and elegance. The region is equidistant from Paris and Beaune (where most Burgundy comes from), and so are on the northern limits of viable viticulture. With a semi-continental climate and no moderating effect of the sea, the winters are cold and
Chablis – all flints and fossils Read More »
Our last evening in Taurasi and in Campania offered the chance of either numerous Halloween parties (the mini-witches were very well behaved) or a dinner and tasting at the new wine bar, Vino e caffè. Theoretically a 8.30pm start, we were tipped off that 9.15 was more likely and in fact that gave plenty of
Campania 9 – Filadoro, the new comer Read More »
The name is glamorous, the place is wonderful but not glamorous. Antoine Gaita’s house is up a small road well above the zona industriale of Montefredane, North of Avellino. The vineyards fall away from the house on a North and North West facing slope, perfect for whites according to him. The villa is a nice,
Campania 8 – Villa Diamante Read More »
On a wine journey, one good thing can lead to another. During our visit to the Contrade di Taurasi, we were quizzed on where we had been eating and then given a number of recommendations. The top one was for La Pergola in Gesualdo, a 30-minute drive away which we took up for lunch as
Campania 7 – di Prisco Read More »
I had exchanged telephone calls a couple of times with Flavio before we discovered that his house is about 40 metres from our B&B. He drove us to his father-in-law’s small winery where we found a hive of activity. The first picking of the Aglianico has already been vinified and was now being pumped over
Campania 6 – Contrade di Taurasi Read More »