I don’t blame people for being confused about many of California’s appellations — most are pretty broad and diversified to the point that they offer little insight to consumers trying to glean information from a wine label.  Examples of a region and grape variety making a practically can’t-miss combination are fairly rare when it comes to the wide and varied [...]

According to the Mendocino Winegrape & Wine Commission, the following varietals are grown in Mendocino County: White:Arneis, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Cortese, French Colombard, Gewurztraminer, Marsanne, Muscat Blanc, Muscat Orange, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Roussanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Musque, Semillon, Tocai Friulano, Viogner, White Riesling, Other Whites Red:Aglianico, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Carmenere, Charbono, [...]

I recently wrote about my July ’09 trip to Alto Adige — for more about the region, click here! Now — here’s the skinny on just a few of the many, varied and exciting wines that I think are proving Alto Adige’s growing reputation as the source for Italy’s best white wines. Some I tasted there, [...]

It’s been an embarrassment of Italian riches around here lately — with loads of tasty wines and charming Italian men to present them. (In other words, all is right with the world.) I recently met up with winemaker Lucio Mastroberardino of Campania winery Terredora di Paolo. Over lunch and wines, I learned more about this [...]

Thanks to a combination of the efforts of a diligent PR rep (thanks Thea!) as well as a couple of happy coincidence moments, I’ve tasted a handful of Picpoul de Pinets lately. Pic what, you say? Picpoul de Pinet. PICK-pool de pin-AYE. (I’ve never been too great at that phonetic spelling business, but I think [...]

Until not so many years ago, Planeta was probably the only Sicilian winery that most people — even many wine professionals — could name. In the last few years, there have been a lot of new names and wines coming from Sicily — many of which are very good and helping to shatter the longstanding, oversimplified image [...]

In July, I had the opportunity to travel to Italy’s Alto Adige region on a press trip with Cornerstone Communications. Just looking at that first sentence makes me laugh a little, because although it is technically in Italy, there were many times that our little group had to literally remind ourselves that we were in Italy [...]