Tag: italy

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…

The Vancouver International Wine Festival 2024 had lots of wonderful wines and events to attend.  I spent most of my time in the Festival Tasting Room sipping Italian wines and speaking with the Italian winery principals.  I did also attend some seminars and dinners.  Below is a list of all the articles that I wrote for VanWineFest 2024.  Have fun…

This seminar, Challenge of the Red Titans, was fun.  It was held Friday afternoon and we had spent the week preceding with serious discussions of Italian wines.  We deserved a dash of fun, but the seminar still provided us with valuable information about Italian red wines.  We learned a bit about how the big Italian blockbuster wineries are reshaping themselves…

While Italy has been known to produce robust, hearty reds, many of the country’s greatest wines offer a lighter touch without sacrificing flavour. This seminar, “Italy’s Lightness of Being”, led by Filippo Bartolotta and Michaela Morris, took us through sparkling wines, white wines with texture, and much more.  Winery principals, Fabio Bosio, Tommaso Chiarli, Daniel Grace, Stefano Inama, Nicola Mazzella,…

The wines from the Veneto region of Italy are still not as well-known as areas such as Chianti Classico in Tuscany but should be.  This region produces the Valpolicella range of wines which are very food friendly.  Watch my video interview with Matteo Allegrini from Allegrini Estates at VanWineFest 2024 as he tells us about the different wines that they…

Although Italy contributes approximately 20% of the world’s wine, it remains a relative mystery to many people, due to unfamiliar grape varieties and wine region names.  Wine journalist and educator Filippo Bartolotta led us exploring the rich history, modern innovation, and the renaissance of Italian classic wine styles shaping the current identity of this historical wine region.  The winery principals…

I enjoy interviewing winery principals during VanWineFest every year.  This year, I tasted the wine Santi Lugana Folar 2021 by Cantina Santi from the Lake Garda region in Northeastern Italy.  It is a white wine made with Trebbiano di Lugana grapes.  This wine is not well-known but has refreshing acidity, minerality, and stone fruit flavours, which make this type of…