Prosecco: what’s in a name?

Marc Millon rediscovers the joys of the now hugely famous sparkling DOCG that hails from hills that lie between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. He encounters such complexity of terroir that different sub-zones and even single vineyards can express their own characters and personalities. I first visited the wine hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene more than 40 years ago in search of a wine I’...
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A rebel among the hills

Caroline Gilby MW revels in Rebula, the golden grape that encapsulates the terroir of Brda/Collio and appears to be coping well with challenges of climate change. Somehow, I seem to have become a bit of an evangelist for obscure grapes from Central and Eastern Europe, and one of my favourites is the golden grape called Rebula in Slovenia and Ribolla Gialla in Italy. A recent trip to the Brda Home...
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Patience, perseverance and pasta: Antinori launches its London Cantinetta

Amanda Barnes sits down to taste a vertical of Solaia as the Antinori family launches its latest restaurant in the heart of London. “Having 630 years of history helps us to be patient,” says Allegra Antinori, 26th generation of the Antinori wine dynasty and the middle of the three sisters gradually taking over from their father, Marchese Piero Antinori.  “This is not a soft launch, but a long la...
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Awe-inspiring Amarone

Filippo Magnani finds himself revelling in the new releases of Valpolicella’s finest and shares his top tips both on what to taste and where to stay. The Amarone Opera Prima took place this year on 4th and 5th February, majestically organized by the Valpolicella Wine Consortium, at the Gran Guardia Palace in the heart of Verona. The president of the consortium, Christian Marchesini, opened the ev...
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Benvenuto Brunello

Filippo Magnani marvels at Montalcino and its marvellously mature wines, and salivates at the local expression of the Sangiovese grape variety. The village of Montalcino, assisted by the outstanding organization of the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino, hosted ‘Benvenuto Brunello’, dedicated to the new vintages of this famous wine, from 11th to 21st November. The 2022 edition gathered an ...
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A new perspective on Prosecco from Asolo DOCG

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Wines of the lake and the mountains

Keith Grainger zones in on beautiful Bardolino, with its myriad of soil types and mesoclimates, charting the key and ever-increasing role played by the classy Corvina in its well-known red blend. He also sips saline, crispy Chiarettos. Let me begin this article at the bottom. I well remember the nadir of the wines of the Veneto and other northern Italian regions. In the 1970s and early 1980s, the...
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Reviving Carema with hiking boots, heart, and grit

Marisa Finetti is not only blown around, but also blown away by Nebbiolo from the Alpine foothills in the northern part of Piedmont, and the incredible effort and unswerving dedication taken to grow it.    The wind snapped my umbrella inside out. The impression of Carema while standing on the edge of the dramatic hillside on this blustery day was quickly leaning toward sheer intensity. Fede...
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Ambassadorial knowledge acquisition

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Compact, classy and complex Collio

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