Tag Archives: italy

Wine Review: E Carrel Brut Sparkling Wine from Savoie France

Posted on April 10, 2017 by waywardwine

Just before you get to Swiss and Italian Alps. Just before you bathe yourself in fondue. Make a wine stop in France’s Savoie:

Savoie is a collection of seven gerrymandered valleys just warm enough to ripen grapes. Romans called it Sapaudia or Sabaudia: land covered in fir trees. Clearly, they had little confidence in its wine potential. But the French needed somewhere to ski. So they annexed Savoie in 1860. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged alp, alps, Brut, bubbly, Carrel, chardonnay, drink, France, italy, jacquere, Savoie, ski, switzerland, travel, wine | Leave a comment

The Founding Women of Italian Wine: Lungarotti Umbria Italy

Posted on February 20, 2017 by waywardwine

I recently had the honor of touring Chiara Lungarotti and her wines around town. She presides as CEO of Lungarotti. The winery sits southwest of Perugia, not far from Assisi in Torgiana’s hills. They also have property in Montefalco. The wine world had long ignored Umbria, Italy’s green heart, isolated in the Apennine hills. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged drink, italy, lungarotti, sagrantino, travel, umbria, wine, Winery | 3 Comments

Wine Review: Pieropan Calvarino Soave Classico Italy 2014

Posted on February 6, 2017 by waywardwine

Snow still falls in Oregon. But it is February. By now, gray, miserable clouds and soul sucking rain should have ruined countless attempts to enjoy the outdoors. But no. I still freeze and have to worry about whether or not that 1980’s Honda Civic will careen into my car.

Time for a flight to sunny Italy, in my mouth. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged drink, garganega, ice, italy, Opera, romans, snow, soave, sun, theater, travel, wine | 1 Comment

A Gaja Barbaresco Vertical (of sorts) 2006 2010 2013

Posted on January 23, 2017 by waywardwine

Last week, I braved an ice-capped Portland armed with Barbaresco. I just wanted to show two vintages. But to be safe, I requested two samples in case one ended up corked. However, our warehouse accidentally picked 2006, 2010, and 2013. Each run about $230 a bottle. I decanted them that morning, put on my boots, and slid slowly to my first appointment. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged barbaresco, drink, Food, food pairing, Gaja, italy, nebbiolo, Piedmonte, wine, wine job | Leave a comment

Primitivo for Frozen Days: Castello Monaci

Posted on January 9, 2017 by waywardwine

Sick of winter already? Me too. Let us draw the shades, turn up the thermostat, play Hawaiian music, don shorts and a t-shirt and grab a pair of sunglasses. Our wine glass might as well play pretend. I say send it to the hot iron tip of the heal of the boot of Italy: Puglia, specifically Salice Valentino DOC: Continue reading →