Italy offers an embarrassment of riches to those who explore her lands: miles upon miles of pristine beaches, dramatic mountain passes, rushing rivers, and tranquil forests. One would need weeks – or a few splendid months – to experience all of it. But Emilia-Romagna, a region encompassing Adriatic coastline, Apennine foothills, and acres of rolling plains, has all that and more. It is, in fact, … Continue reading All Aboard: the Italian Food Wine & Travel Group Heads to Emilia-Romagna (#ItalianFWT)
For a country of its size, Italy is wonderfully diverse. Home to two mountain ranges – the Alps, which dominate the northern border, and the Apennines, which form a longitudinal spine down the center – Italy also boasts beautiful beaches, exotic islands, and fertile farm land. Any student of basic geography would tell you that this results in a wide array of climates and soils, all leaving their mark on the wines of a particular place. And that’s before we consider the staggering number of grape varieties that call the peninsula home; indeed, many of them are grown nowhere else in the world.
While each region offers vinous temptations and delectable food pairings (all worth delving into, by the way) today my sights are set on the far northeast corner of Italy: Alto Adige, aka the Südtirol. Its Alpine location abutting the Swiss and Austrian borders offers a clue to its culture, which gives more than a cursory nod to Germanic tradition. Even today, nearly two-thirds of its inhabitants are native German speakers.
Can you believe that Fourth of July is just around the corner? It seems that the weeks since Memorial Day have flown by: before we know it the cool breath of autumn will be here, a welcome relief from scorching summer days. Until then, we will slake our thirsts with beverages that are cool, crisp, and refreshing. And that includes wine! We want to reach into the fridge and pull out a frosty bottle that does double-duty – as a cocktail hour quaff or as an accompaniment to a light summer meal.
Do you remember your first experience with Lambrusco? If you’re about my age, it probably involved a few illicit sips siphoned from an unsuspecting adult’s glass at a family party. Or maybe it was when you and your high school buddies pulled one over on the waitress at the local Italian festival, convincing her that, “Yes ma’am, we are definitely 21.” While we had no … Continue reading Why You Should Learn to Love Lambrusco (Again) #ItalianFWT
This weekend affords wine lovers many excuses to celebrate with a glass of something delicious in hand. Friday, May 5th, best known to imbibing revelers worldwide as Cinco de Mayo, also happens to be Sauvignon Blanc Day. So if tequila shots chased by cold, Mexican beer aren’t your thing, why not pour yourself a few fingers of crisp Sauvignon Blanc? (Bonus points awarded if you’ve … Continue reading Happy Cinco de Giro Derby Day!
This Saturday the Italian Food Wine Travel group is off to Sicily for an exploration of the island’s food, wine, history, and culture. Why don’t you join us? We gather (virtually) at 11 am eastern time, following the #ItalianFWT on Twitter. On the first Saturday of each month the group focuses on a particular region of Italy, sharing travel tips as well as food and … Continue reading A Week-Night Dinner in Sicily (#ItalianFWT)
I’m really excited about this episode of Wine Pairing Weekend: all of us will be writing about wines we haven’t tried before. That might mean trying a grape variety we’ve just learned about, or sampling a wine from an emerging region. Gosh, it could be both! Take a look at what has inspired our group of food and wine writers this month: Wine Predator wrote about … Continue reading New Wines for a New Year: Wine Pairing Weekend Welcomes 2017 (#winePW)
