Among the international red wine cultivars, Syrah is, in my opinion, the most mysterious, and there are different legends surrounding its origin.
Read moreWINE PAIRINGS: Asian Food
Chinese Food:
The bitter-sweet flavor is a key factor in Chinese cuisine. If we are having dishes that present this profile, it is best to pair wine with a strong aromatic profile and a linear acidity.
WINE PAIRINGS: General Rules.
Generally speaking, food that exhibits salt, acidity, and umami flavors are much more suitable for pairing with wine. On the other hand, food that exhibits sweetness, bitterness, and hot spiciness is trickier to pair with wine. Here below is a basic wine/food pairing tool.
Read moreWINE CLIMATES
Generally speaking, grapevines can only survive up to a certain latitude, above the equator, where multiple factors match the perfect growth conditions for grapes. Specifically, I am talking about humidity, rainfall, sunlight, and, of course, temperature and diurnal range (temperature variation). We summarize all these factors in one word: CLIMATE.
Read moreCHARDONNAY
One of the first things that I learned during my wines studies was that Chardonnay is able to perform in all three wine climates (continental, maritime, and Mediterranean).
In all of these climates, Chardonnay is able to generate wines with very distinguished profiles.
PINOT NOIR
Pinot noir is cultivated practically all over the world. It is native to Burgundy and there is where arguably find its best version. In this article, you can find an infographic about this spectacular grape variety.
Read moreSANGIOVESE IS NOT JUST CHIANTI
Sangiovese is one of the most famous Italian grape varieties in the world.
Its name has Latin origins (sanguis Jovis), literally Jove's blood.
“WHAT IS NERELLO MASCALESE”
Nerello Mascalese is quite a new subject between sommeliers; it is the iconic grape variety in the area of Mt. Etna and it has a profile that in some way resembles pinot noir.
Read moreTHE NATURE OF WINE
You will agree with me when I say that natural wine is a controversial topic.
Unlike organic wine and biodynamic wine, there is not a single official definition of natural wine, and the entire category of natural wine is quite ambiguous.
SOIL AND WINE
The purpose of this article is to understand soil better and how it relates to the wine we drink. In fact, soil is one of the most essential aspects to consider when talking about wine.
Read moreWINE IN SICILY - THE INFOGRAPHIC
WINE IN SICILY
it was during the period of Magna Grecia (the Greek domination, which came after the Phoenician one) that wine became popular in Sicily. In fact, according to Greek legend, it was the god, Dionysus who brought grapevines to Sicily.
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