Italy - deborahparkerwong

Fleur Geffrier, Antoine Chappey and Tomohisa Yamashita in "Drops of God," now streaming on Apple TV.

25 Wines Spied in “Drops of God” Second Season

January 6, 2026 deborahparkerwong Wine Tasting, Blind Tasting, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Burgundy, California, Champagne, France, Gigongas, Italy, Languedoc, multisensory, Pinot Noir, Rhone Valley, sensory, Sommeliers, Veneto, winegrowing, Winemaking

French wines takes center stage in season two.

Makers of historic sweet wines rejoice. Gen Z adores you.

December 17, 2025 deborahparkerwong Wine, Bordeaux, France, Gen Z, Germany, Italy, Loire Valley, Piedmont, Portugal, Rhone Valley, Roussillon, Sicily, Spain, Sweet, Veneto

The message my students are sending to the makers of the world’s historic sweet wines amounts to a love letter. My passion for these historic wines can only be described as a love affair.

North Adriatic, a guide to the region by Paul Balke

North Adriatic Producer Guide

March 5, 2025 deborahparkerwong North Adriatic, Croatia, Italy, Slovenia, Wine, Wine Tasting, winegrowing, Winemaking

A guide to the producers of the North Adriatic region.

Chianti Classico Offers Free Online Education

November 18, 2024 deborahparkerwong Chianti Classico, Education, Italy, Olive oil, Wine

If studying Chianti Classico has not made your list of New Year’s resolutions, the Consorzi Vini e Olio Classico has just handed you an incentive; a free, online training program – Mooc Chianti Classico.

New World and Old World Heritage

May 8, 2023 deborahparkerwong Chardonnay, Italy, Napa Valley, Wine

Around the World with Alberto Antonini

March 12, 2023 deborahparkerwong Argentina, Australia, Italy, Napa Valley, winegrowing, Winemaking

Deconstructing Aged Amarone

February 12, 2023 deborahparkerwong Wine, Amarone, Italy, sensory, sensory science, SOMM Journal, Valpolicella, Veneto, Winemaking

For Lonardi, the drying process known as appassimento that’s used to make Amarone produces wines that are expressive of terroir. Researchers studying
the compounds found in Corvina—the indigenous grape that is the foundation of the wine’s blend—agree. Typical markers for Corvina include balsamic and tobacco notes that increase during appassimento, and the presence of these markers in aged wines points to specific vintage conditions.

Returning to Radici del Sud

December 30, 2022 deborahparkerwong Italy, Sicily, Sicily, SOMM Journal, Wine, Wine Competitions

The winning wines at this year’s competition are memorable for several reasons: The whites were fresher, the rosés crisper, and the red wines seemingly more elegant than I recall them being in 2015.

The New Gold Rush

July 8, 2022 deborahparkerwong Australia, Beaujolais, France, Italy, Restaurants, Sicily, Wine, Wine & Food Pairing

The San Francisco Bay Area has long been a destination for the wine world’s movers and shakers; you can read about those I meet in my new column, Date by the Gate. This cycle, winemakers and authors made their way to the the area with tastings and book signings that were nothing less than awe-inspiring.

Italian Wine Podcast: Get US Market Ready talks with Deborah Parker Wong

July 26, 2021 deborahparkerwong Italy, Slow Wine Guide USA, SOMM Journal, Wine, WSET

Get US Market Ready host Steve Raye talks with Slow Wine Guide USA National Editor Deborah Parker Wong about her journey and work as an educator, journalist and much more. The 2021 Slow Wine Guide USA is available on Amazon.com.

Valentina Cubi’s Decade of Organic Winegrowing in Valpolicella

July 29, 2020 deborahparkerwong Amarone, Italy, Organic, Valpolicella, Veneto, Wine, winegrowing

When I first tasted the Valpolicella wines produced by Valentina Cubi in January of 2011, I was captivated. After visiting the organic estate a few times over the last decade and tasting the wines during the annual Amarone Anteprima events that are held every February in Verona, my appreciation has only deepened. This year the winery which is located in the Valpolicella Classico region of Fumane marks a key milestone celebrating a decade of organic certification.

The Pride of Piedmont

April 9, 2020 deborahparkerwong Italy, Piedmont, SOMM Journal, Wine, Wine & Food Pairing

In early February an unprecedented gathering of approximately 200 producers of Barolo and Barbaresco arrived in New York City to present their 2016 and 2017 vintages to the trade. They gathered at Center415 in midtown Manhattan for a walk around-tasting that ran for five hours; a boon for tasters who for once had time on our side.

Slow Wine Guide 2020 – your free digital edition

February 10, 2020 deborahparkerwong Biodynamic, California, Italy, Organic, Slow Wine Guide, Sustainability, Uncategorized, Wine, winegrowing

Enjoy your free digital edition of the 2020 Slow Wine Guide.

Alto Adige’s mountains of earthly delight

May 1, 2019 deborahparkerwong Alto Adige, Italy, Sauvignon Blanc, Vineyard

Vineyards and apple orchards lie under the soaring peaks that surround Bolzano, the bustling center of Alto Adige, a pristine and autonomous region in northeastern Italy. Less than a two-hour drive from Innsbruck over the dizzying Brenner Pass, Bolzano is a study in contrasts; a place where Austrian and Italian cultures merge and Old and New World lifestyles converge.

The Simple Pleasures of Italy’s Native Grapes

April 22, 2019 deborahparkerwong Italy, Native varieties, Restaurants, San Francisco, Sicily

San Francisco restaurateur Francesco Corvucci, a Calabrian native whose gift for the cuisines of Southern Italy has brought life to several once-iconic North Beach locations, is a proponent of both wines. “My lists are devoted solely to Italian wines and my cuisine to Italian ingredients and dishes. In practice, the success of this wine style is undeniable; it more than satisfies a traditionalist like me and is very accessible for consumers.”

Your guide to the Slow Wine Guide 2019 (free download)

March 19, 2019 deborahparkerwong California, Italy, Oregon, Vineyard, Wine Bars

The 2019 Slow Wine Guide (free download) arrived in San Francisco on Monday, March 4th, for the Guide’s first stop on a tour of the US that included Portland, Denver, New York and Boston. With more than 100 wineries from Italy and California participating, the tour drew a record number of tasters reflecting the growing interest in wineries whose values and practices are aligned with Slow Wine.

Emilia-Romagna: The Enticing Italian Flavors and Rich culture of Bologna

February 15, 2019 deborahparkerwong Wine, Emilia-Romagna, Food and wine pairing, Italy, The Tasting Panel, Unique Varieties, Viticulture

Best known by Americans for its iconic food products—namely prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Balsamic vinegar, and its effervescent Lambrusco wines—there’s far more to Emilia-Romagna than these familiar tastes.

Fifty Years of Secco Bertani Amarone

December 15, 2018 deborahparkerwong Amarone, Italy, SOMM Journal, Wine

When winemaker Andrea Lonardi took the stage at September’s Full Circle Beverage Conference in San Francisco to present a tasting[…]

Climate change a double-edged sword for Amarone producers

February 22, 2018 deborahparkerwong Amarone, Blind Tasting, Botrytis cinerea, Climate change, Italy, Trends, Unique Varieties, Veneto, Volatile Acidity, Winemaking

This year the Consorzio Tutela Vini Valpolicella marks its 50th anniversary, a milestone that coincides with the release of the[…]

Twelve months of bubbles

December 27, 2017 deborahparkerwong California, Cava, Champagne, Chardonnay, France, Italy, minerality, Pinot Noir, Prosecco, Rosé, Sonoma, Spain, Sparkling wine, Terroir, Veneto, Winemaking

From Asti to Champagne, bubbles were a bright spot in 2017. While sparkling wine is no longer confined to special[…]

The gifts of Bacchus: Gilding the lily with Bordeaux Gold

December 24, 2017 deborahparkerwong Bordeaux, Botrytis cinerea, France, Germany, Italy, Wine & Food Pairing

The Gifts of Bacchus: Gilding the lily with Bordeaux Gold

Incredible bulk: The changing nature of the international bulk wine market is creating opportunities

December 4, 2017 deborahparkerwong Bulk wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, France, Italy, Spain, Spirited, Spirits, Wine

It’s estimated that roughly 25 percent of the world’s wine production is sold as bulk wine, a segment that’s described[…]

Red blends: Greater than the sum of their parts

October 11, 2017 deborahparkerwong Argentina, Bordeaux, Bulk wine, California, Featured, Italy, Languedoc, Portugal, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, SOMM Journal, Spain, Trends, Winemaking

While researching the current popularity of blended wines in preparation for a talk at the 2017 International Bulk Wine and Spirits[…]

Sicily’s native grapes and the dawn of Italian wine culture

September 5, 2017 deborahparkerwong SOMM Journal, Education, Italy, Native varieties, Sicily, winegrowing

Sicily’s native grapes and the dawn of Italian wine culture.

Campania Update: Focus on Falanghina del Sannio DOP

July 31, 2017 deborahparkerwong Campania, Falanghina, Italy, minerality, SOMM Journal, Unique Varieties, Wine, Wine Competitions, Wine Reviews

If you’re keeping tabs on wine quality in Southern Italy with its myriad indigenous grape varieties and oftentimes limited access to distribution, this update on the Sannio DOC should prove to be useful. Through a combination of research trips to Campania and the opportunity to judge the Radici del Sud “Roots of the South” wine competition which has been held in different venues in the town of Bari, Puglia since 2006, it provides a look at the key factors for the region and a snapshot of wine quality.

Q & A with CEO Sid Patel, The International Bulk Wine and Spirits Show

June 26, 2017 deborahparkerwong Bulk wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Carneros, Central Valley, Chardonnay, Languedoc, Lodi, Partnerships, Portugal, Provence, Restaurants, Rosé, San Francisco, Sauvignon Blanc, Sommeliers, Sonoma, Spain, Sparkling wine, Spirits, Trends, Veneto, Wine

San Francisco continues to be one of the world’s most important destinations for leading players in the wine industry, so it’s no surprise that a major conference dedicated to the private label and bulk trade is making its way to the city on July 26-27.

Go with the flow

November 29, 2016 deborahparkerwong Filtration, Italy, Technology, Trends, Veneto, Vineyard & Winery Management, Wine, Winemaking

To filter or not to filter? You’ll find winemakers in both camps. But when filtration is called for, cross flow[…]

Veneto Consortium Debuts at 2016 Wine Bloggers Conference

August 7, 2016 deborahparkerwong Italy, Lodi, Unique Varieties, Veneto, WSET

The Prosecco wines of Italy’s Veneto region, home to the country’s greatest concentration of winegrowing areas designated as DOC and[…]

Lugana’s Turbiana Isn’t Trebbiano

September 7, 2015 deborahparkerwong Italy, Unique Varieties, Wine

The gentle, rolling terrain and southern shores of Italy’s Lake Garda are home to a unique indigenous white grape variety—Turbiana. Mistakenly referred to as Trebbiano di Lugana, the Turbiana grape is a relative of both Verdicchio and Trebbiano, but it’s genetically different from both, and the wines
produced from it differ as well.