Food, Wine and Travel Blog

After more than 45 years of reinvention and revolution, it is tempting to conclude that Tuscany’s wine renaissance has ended. Spearheaded by pioneering winemakers such as Piero Antinori, the Tuscan movement has wholly transformed the region’s viticultural landscape. A surfeit of new ideas, backed up with considerable talent and investment, managed to achieve more dramatic […]

“Super Tuscan” is a wine term that you may have come across before but not known what it means, are we right? So what is the definition of “Super Tuscan” exactly? Super Tuscan wines are super high quality – and generally super high priced – red wines from Tuscany, intentionally made with non-indigenous and non […]

What kind of wine is Barolo? Barolo can genuinely claim to be the King of Italian wines; produced in the Northern Italian region of Piedmont from that most individual of grapes – Nebbiolo. The wine offers a unique structure of mouth-filling acidity and tannin with an aroma and flavor of remarkable delicacy. It is the […]

Pinot Noir was put on this earth to frustrate winemakers and excite oenophiles. In the best years and from the best sites, aficionados of the grape expect (but don’t always get) an exquisite marriage of heavenly perfume and silky, come-hither fruit quality. There is an unspoken contract between the buyer and bottle: the experienced collector […]

The very best Chilean wines: It is incredibly easy to fall in love with Chile – the landscape, its gregarious people, and, of course, the excellent wines. Nothing can prepare you for your first glimpse of the snow-capped Andes: serrated blades of rock and ice which separate Chile from its Argentine neighbor, providing an unforgettable […]

What’s the difference between Burgundy and Bordeaux? In 2015, esteemed wine writers Jancis Robinson MW and Hugh Johnson hosted a landmark event in London: Bordeaux Vs. Burgundy. The debate was lively, robust, and enlightening, with strong arguments put forward underlining the relative merits of both regions. The Bordelais and Burgundy establishments have similar arguments on […]

The 1855 Bordeaux classification: the creation of an elite In 1855, the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce took an unprecedented step that would transform the Medoc region’s fortunes. After much debate and disagreement, it was decided that the area would benefit from a formalized classification. The impetus was the upcoming Paris Exhibition – the Bordeaux establishment […]

What is the most famous grape of Piedmont? Piedmont and Nebbiolo. The two are as inseparable as Burgundy and Pinot Noir, a noble and longstanding marriage between grape variety and terroir. Planted across the Langhe hills to the south and east of the river Tanaro, Nebbiolo is grown to perfection by the best producers, who […]

Once dismissed as a passing fad, today, there is no doubting the massive relevance of rose to the global wine category. There have been numerous articles, blogs, and opinion pieces dedicated to exploring rose’s rise to prominence, the celebrity factor, its newfound popularity with men, the transformation from summer tipple to year-round indulgence. Yet the […]

What is Barolo Chinato? Barolo. It’s a word that elicits instant excitement from sybarites and collectors – Nebbiolo finds its most dazzling expression in the Langhe hills, on the calcareous soils found east of La Morra and surrounding the village of Barolo itself. At its best, Barolo is a tannic masterpiece of finesse and balance; […]

The Best Spanish Dessert Wine Most wine regions and wine nations have their surprises and unexpected turns. Even seasoned Bordeaux aficionados are often surprised to learn that Sauternes, a region famous for sweet wines, also makes some of Bordeaux’s most appetizing dry white. Tuscany, a hallowed and sacred ground for red wines, also makes some […]

Which wines and cheese pair best together? No foodie topic is more open to debate, disagreement, and subjectivity than “correct” cheese and wine pairing. Local cuisine, different cultures, and personal preferences make what seem perfectly acceptable wine and food combinations appear utterly awful to others. Our own feelings on this subject are almost schizophrenic; personal […]