Bobal: Past, Present and Future
Iron Age wineries tamed the ancestor of the indigenous Bobal vines of Utiel-Requena.
Read moreCategory: Unique Varieties
Emilia-Romagna: The Enticing Italian Flavors and Rich culture of Bologna
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.
Read more
Iberian varieties victorious for Lodi’s St. Amant Winery
If you enjoy port, the rich, fortified wine of Portugal’s Douro Valley, you’re already a
fan of Touriga. Touriga Nacional as it is known in Portugal is one of the five classic grape varieties that are blended to make Port wines. The Touriga variety that won this year’s Best of Show Red made its way from Portugal to UC Davis where it was selected by St. Amant Winery’s late Tim Spencer and planted at an estate vineyard in Amador County in 1980.
Climate change a double-edged sword for Amarone producers
This year the Consorzio Tutela Vini Valpolicella marks its 50th anniversary, a milestone that coincides with the release of the[…]
Read more
Aszú revolution: Modern styles redefine Hungary’s historic elixir
From grapes desiccated by noble rot in the Tokaj wine region of Hungary burst forth a plethora of traditional and[…]
Read more
Campania Update: Focus on Falanghina del Sannio DOP
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.
Read more
Veneto Consortium Debuts at 2016 Wine Bloggers Conference
The Prosecco wines of Italy’s Veneto region, home to the country’s greatest concentration of winegrowing areas designated as DOC and[…]
Read more
Lugana’s Turbiana Isn’t Trebbiano
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.