Tag: Tuscany

What is Vin Santo? According to Wikipedia “Vin Santo is a style of Italian dessert wine. Traditional in Tuscany, these wines are often made from white grape varieties such as Trebbiano and Malvasia, though Sangiovese may be used to produce a rosé style known as “Occhio di Pernice” or eye of the partridge. The wines may also be described as straw…

I have talked about the origins of the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione wines in a previous article, but there is always more to learn.  I was invited to attend a recent Masterclass on Chianti Classico Gran Selezione wines and I would like to share some of that knowledge with you, as well as give you my tasting notes on my…

What Do You Know About Chianti Classico? “Chianti Classico” and should not be confused with “Chianti”, which is a separate denomination that surrounds Chianti Classico. In 1716, the Tuscan Grand Duke Cosimo III, established for the first time in history the borders of the production area for Chianti Classico.  It covers the area between Siena and Florence and covers 70,000…

Top Drop is the last major wine tasting in Vancouver before the start of summer. Top Drop is meant to represent the best in terroir and winemaker craft. Nature and Nurture.  Wineries from around the world are selected for the best of both, and we were not disappointed.  In my 5 star wine rating, most wines were at least 4…

Did you know that Barone Ricasoli is the oldest winery in Italy and the second oldest winery in the world?  Did you also know that Baron Bettino Ricasoli invented the Chianti blend in 1872?  So much history at one winery, and we were lucky to have Barone Francesco Ricasoli to be in Vancouver to lead me and other wine trade people…

As I mentioned in my previous article on my top rated white, sparkling, and fortified wines for 2017, there were so many excellent wines that I tasted this year.  As I review the red wines that I’ve listed below, there are many wines from Italy, in part due to the many visits by Italian wineries to Vancouver this year.  From…

Italy has been making a big push into Vancouver, and Canada, over the past few years.  Over the past 2 weeks, there have been 3 different Italian wine delegations come to Vancouver to show us their wines.  In some cases the wineries already have representation, but there are many other wineries that are looking for representation.  So this article is…

Sometimes the best wines around are the ones that are not generally listed in BC Liquor stores.  They are known as Spec or Special Order wines.  You can find these wines through some private wine shops, or you could order them through these shops, but you may need a minimum order size. I attended Select Wines‘ portfolio tasting and enjoyed…

From my previous article, I showed you which white, sparkling, and sweet wines I thought were of excellent quality at the #VinItaly tour held in Vancouver.  But of course, Italy is well-known for their red wines, from the north, e.g. Nebbiolo, to the south, e.g. Nero D’Avola and Nerello Mascalese.  Again I ask you to try a grape you may not…

Chinese New Year Day of the Rooster is on January 28, 2017. It is also known as the Female Fire Chicken year. Red is connected to the fire in Chinese tradition.  According to chinesefortunecalendar.com, “…Chicken is a Female Metal. Female Metal is related to gold, precious gem or jewelry. That means Chicken implies luxury, beauty, and wealth. Red Fire of 2017 is…