Theloosetannin

July 17th-Passerina

Passerina is a somewhat rare and ancient white grape that is believed to be indigenous to the Adriatic coast in central Italy. It is widely grown in the Marche and Abruzzo regions, located northeast and east of Rome respectively. It can be used to make a varietal wine or it can be blended with otherContinue reading “July 17th-Passerina”

July 10th-Rossese Bianco di Monforte

Rossese Bianco di Monforte is an extremely rare white grape that is made by five producers in Monforte d’Alba in northwest Italy. Plantings of the grape were once widespread across the Piedmont and Liguria regions but today only small plantings remain. It was rescued from extinction in the 1980s by Giovanni Manzone when he foundContinue reading “July 10th-Rossese Bianco di Monforte”

July 3rd-Pelaverga

Pelaverga is an ancient red grape indigenous to the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. Some theorize it dates back to the 8th century in this area. It is commonly blended with Barbera or Nebbiolo. It can also be made into a varietal wine. Pelaverga is also known as Cari in the areas of Chieri andContinue reading “July 3rd-Pelaverga”

June 26th-Barolo Chinato

Barolo Chinato (kee-NA-toe) is an digestive from the Barolo DOCG in Piedmont, Italy. It was originally created by a pharmacist as a remedy for common ailments, including upset stomach and a colicky baby. It is made by soaking medicinal herbs with a neutral base alcohol, like vermouth, to extract the flavors. The resulting elixir isContinue reading “June 26th-Barolo Chinato”

June 19th-Biancolella and Forastera

Biancolella and Forastera are white grapes that originate in the Campania region of southern Italy. Both grapes are also found on the island of Ischia. Ischia is a volcanic island in the Gulf of Naples that has an extensive history of viticulture. It is believed that the ancient Greeks viticulture in the 8th century. WineContinue reading “June 19th-Biancolella and Forastera”

June 12th-Sciacchetrà

Sciacchetrà is a DOC sweet wine made in Cinque Terre, Italy. On a recent trip to the region, I had the opportunity to stop at Cantina Sassarini for a visit. This wine is not exported to the US, so the best option for sampling it is to travel to the region. It is made withContinue reading “June 12th-Sciacchetrà”

June 5th-Aramon

Aramon Noir is a black grape variety that is indigenous to Southern France. Aramon comes in 3 distinct berry colors, Blanc, Gris and Noir. The Gris and Blanc iterations are nearly extinct due to a decrease in land under vine over the last 50 years. They combine for about 60 hectares according to the statisticsContinue reading “June 5th-Aramon”

May 29th-Ancestral (Pet Nat) Sparkling Wines

Sparkling wines made using the Ancestral method have been a recent trend on the marketplace. They more commonly go by the term Pétillant Naturel (or Pet Nat for short). Unlike traditional method sparkling wines that undergo a full primary and secondary fermentation, Ancestral method wines are produced by stopping the first fermentation before it isContinue reading “May 29th-Ancestral (Pet Nat) Sparkling Wines”

May 22nd-Sparkling Shiraz

Shiraz, or Syrah, may not be an unusual grape but in Australia, it is used to make a unique style of wine. Most of the sparkling wines that are made in Australia are high volume using faster methods to create sparkling character than the traditional method used in Champagne. There are portions of the productionContinue reading “May 22nd-Sparkling Shiraz”

May 15th-Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo

Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC is the rosé wine of the Marche region of central Italy. The wines are made using at least 85% the flagship wine of the region, Montepulciano. The remaining portion can be up to 15% local white grape varieties. Cerasuolo translates to ‘cherry red’, in reference to the color of these wines. TheContinue reading “May 15th-Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo”