On the Hunt for the Pecorino Grape #ItalianFWT
Is Pecorino the Next Big Thing? Phoenix rising from the ashes, Cinderella, rags to riches. They all describe the recent arc of the Pecorino Grape in central Italy. Pecorino is an old grape, believed to be indigenous to the Sibillini mountains in the Marche region of Italy. The grape ripens early, and legend says it … Continue reading
Dreaming of Italian Islands While We Wait for Spring #ItalianFWT
Dreaming of Island Life As a good Minnesotan, I love the winter. Bring on the cold and please bring lots of snow. However, when April arrives, I’m ready for winter to be over. A warm ocean breeze sounds pretty good right now! Join our Italian Food, Wine & Travel group this month as we explore … Continue reading
Looking Beyond Biodynamic Certification at Cantina di Filippo #ItalianFWT
Italian Food, Wine and Travel Writers Explore More Sustainable Viticulture This month, our Italian Wine, Food and Travel group is researching sustainable approaches to winemaking in Italy. Our investigation started as a look into biodynamics, but it turns out that can be a bit problematic. Why? Because certification isn’t right in every situation. The real … Continue reading
Sagrantino to Warm a Minnesota Winter Night #ItalianFWT
Italian Food, Wine & Travel Group Tackles Sagrantino February is my turn to host our group, and I was hoping my buddies would take on the challenge of trying a Montefalco Sagrantino. Sagrantino is a lesser known grape, but it is the king of the Montefalco area within the larger Umbria region of Italy. And … Continue reading
Sagrantino, the Enforcer of Umbria: Preview #ItalianFWT
Sagrantino Grape and the Italian Food, Wine & Travel Group Sagrantino is the bully of the Vitis Vinifera world. Dark, thick skinned, withstands heat and cold. It holds one of the highest levels of tannins in the world of red wine grapes. In Umbria, it has long aging requirements to allow those strong tannins to … Continue reading
Umbria and Sagrantino Grape Invitation #ItalianFWT
Italian Food, Wine & Travel Group Searches for Sagrantino in Umbria Our #ItalianFWT group has visited Italy via her wines for four years! We made our first “visit” to Umbria back in 2015 when we were touring the whole country virtually (my post is here). In February, we’ll be going back, specifically in search of … Continue reading
Sparkle Your Dessert with Moscato d’Asti #ItalianFWT
December is a Sparkling Month for the Italian Food, Wine & Travel Group December is the perfect month for a sparkling focus, as we all have ample opportunities to celebrate in the coming weeks. Our Italian Food, Wine & Travel group is exploring all the different sparkling wines from Italy, including Prosecco, Franciacorta, Moscato d’Asti … Continue reading
Exploring the Toe of Italy’s Boot with Cirò Rosso #ItalianFWT
ItalianFWT Returns to Calabria This is our 2nd virtual trip to Calabria with the Italian Food, Wine and Travel Group. My first post with an introduction to the region is here. On this trip, I’m enjoying a key wine and a couple of foods typical of Calabria. While there are several DOC regions in Calabria, … Continue reading
Finish Up the Rosato, It’s Barolo Time! #ItalianFWT
Seasonal Wines, Yes or No? Q: How many seasons are there in Minnesota? A: Two. Winter and road construction. Alternate A: Two. Winter and 4th of July. Minnesota is a state with four distinct seasons, and we embrace them all. In our wine groups I hear people saying “rosé is not just for the summer, … Continue reading
Eating Pizza / NotPizza with Italian / NotItalian Wines #ItalianFWT
Italian, Not From Italy with the Italian Food, Wine & Travel Blogging Group Wait, I thought this group is dedicated to Italian food, wine and travel? This month we’re coloring outside the lines by exploring Italian grape varieties grown outside of Italy. Wine grapes from France have traveled all over the world, from the US … Continue reading
