The Master Distiller…
When Gabriele Persichetti of Anonima Distillazioni told me, “Giacomo, the master distiller, will be here shortly,” I imagined a man with white hair and a long beard walking through the door of the distillery. (more…)
Shared Tastings: “Chiusa di Pannone” by Filippo Antonelli
It’s easy to talk about “sharing” when you realize that everyone in the group of guests already knows each other — and everyone knows the producer as well. (more…)
Shared Tastings: “Cinabro”, the Marche Bordò of Le Caniette
Finally, Marche. And finally I managed to involve Cesare Bocci in the tasting of a wine from his own land… and what a wine it is. (more…)
The aromas of Anonima Distillazioni
The first time I spoke with Gabriele Persichetti of Anonima Distillazioni, he told me that it all began by chance, glancing at the back label of one of the most…
The clichés of gourmet cuisine…
Maybe it’s because I’m Roman, or simply because I grew up with a home kitchen made of garlic, parsley, and rosemary. Or perhaps it’s because I tend not to use overly constructed or “manufactured” language. Or maybe, quite simply, because of my character, I find it more natural to express myself in a way that can be easily understood. (more…)
Shared Tastings: “Muro Sant’Angelo” by Nicola Chiaromonte
Souplesse—this is the word Carlotta Salvini used at the end of the tasting to describe Nicola Chiaromonte’s wine. That sense of smoothness that, on an unmistakably rainy day, allowed us to drift across the most varied topics, all while sharing a glass of Nicola Chiaromonte’s Primitivo. (more…)
By now, only “blind”…
Yes, by now my way of tasting wine is “blind.” For those less familiar, blind tasting means pouring a wine into the glass without knowing what you’re drinking—so the bottle is completely covered beforehand. (more…)
Shared Tastings: “Cirsium” by Damiano Ciolli
Sharing a tasting with Tiziana Foschi and Roberto Ciufoli is something I wish for everyone. The two of them are so close, so in sync, and so genuinely engaging that the atmosphere becomes immediately convivial and fun. (more…)
Shared Tastings: “Dodecapolis” by Luca Attanasio
Well, here we are again. We’ve kicked off the year with a new series of Shared Tastings, and I have to say—we started at full throttle. (more…)
The empty glass of “Festa Norìa”…
This time I want to start from the empty glass. “Empty,” so to speak, since Festa Norìa leaves behind in the glass something as fragrant and intoxicating as one could imagine. For some time now, I’ve made a habit of going back to smell the glass of passito and sweet wines about half an hour after it’s been completely emptied. I invite you to try it—you’ll find a wonderful surprise.
The Sardinia I didn’t know
It was quite a journey—that “walk” that saw the large Vinodabere.it group at work preparing The Guide to the Best Wines of Sardinia 2021. A truly comprehensive guide, anticipated by a series of smaller, focused guides dedicated to each wine category, the result of entire afternoons spent tasting—strictly blind—the roughly 160 samples sent in by producers. (more…)
Happy New Year!
A few words to welcome the new year.
A 2021 that we hope will bring some pleasant surprises, but above all allow us to reclaim that sense of togetherness that has been on hold for far too many months. A desire to travel, to share, to embrace—simple actions that, with a glass in hand, become even warmer and more memorable. (more…)
