Category: italy

Here are two big red wines.  One from a grape you may not know too well, Tannat, and the other wine is a Chianti Classico, but at the top tier, Gran Selezione.  The Tannat wine comes from Argentina, which is uncommon, as Argentina is best known for Malbec.  But this Tannat shows that it also does well in Argentina.  Let…

When you buy wine in a BC Liquor store, you don’t think about how the wine was selected for the shelves.  Behind the scenes are many wine agencies that search for wines from around the world, to build their portfolio, and have some of their portfolio sold through BC Liquor stores with the remaining wines, usually specialty wines, sold in…

What do you know about Sicily’s Tenute Nicosia winery? Tenute Nicosia‘s goal is to promote the best wine-growing areas in Sicily (around Mt. Etna) while fully respecting the environment, focusing on the finest native varieties and the international cultivars that can best adapt to Sicily’s terroir.  The winery is headed by Carmelo Nicosia, assisted by his sons Francesco and Graziano…

As we get into our cold, dark, winter days, many of us gravitate toward fuller-bodied red wines and deeper, more savoury dishes.  I received this bottle of Monte del Frà Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2018 to sample for you.  Amarone sits at the top of the deeper, fuller-bodied red wines of Valpolicella.  There is quite a process to create Amarone…

Monte Del Frá, from the Verona region of Italy for the past 60+ years has produced wines from indigenous grapes; both red and white grapes. Verona is a province within the Veneto wine region in Northeast Italy. They make two fun wines I’ve written about in the past, but bringing it up again as they are fun wines, easy to…

I and other Trade individuals were invited to Discover Extraordinary Italian Wines.  Some of the wineries at the event were searching for local representation, while other wineries already have an agent and their wines are in BC Liquor stores or private wine shops and restaurants.  I’ve put a “*” beside those wineries that have local representation, so you should be…

Amaro is a type of Italian herbal liqueur renowned for its complex flavours and often bittersweet profile. The name “amaro” translates to “bitter” in Italian, which is a fitting descriptor for this diverse and intriguing spirit. Typically enjoyed as a digestif after a meal, Amaro is celebrated for its ability to aid digestion, though its use has evolved into a…

I was fortunate to be invited to taste the wines made by Cristiana Tiberio at a lunch seminar held at Pepino’s Spaghetti House on Commercial Drive. From the winery, “Agricola Tiberio is a family-owned estate, specializing in wines made from authentic Abruzzo native grape varieties. The story of Agricola Tiberio began in 2000 when Riccardo Tiberio purchased the eight-hectare plot…

Gambero Rosso is the leading platform for the promotion of Italian wine in the world.  Each year they have a tasting of all Italian wines submitted to them and they rank the wines with the top wines given the title of Tre Bicchieri, Three Cups in English.   Last year a selection of people from Gambero Rosso reviewed 2,647 Italian wineries…

Gambero Rosso is an Italian food and wine magazine and publishing group founded in 1986.  Last year a selection of people from Gambero Rosso reviewed 2,647 Italian wineries and a total of 25,231 wines, rating them from 1 to 3 glasses according to the quality of the wines. Through a series of blind tastings, 498 wines were awarded their top…