Understanding Italy: Abruzzo

The Abruzzo wine region resides due south of Marche along the Adriatic Sea on the east coast of Italy.  Home to possibly the most fun grape name to pronounce: Montepulciano.  One more time, Mon-te-pul-ciano!  Just makes you want to talk with your hands as it rolls off your…

Understanding Italy: Marche

Le Marche wine region in Italy.  Located on the central eastern coast of Italy, and home to Cesare Mondavi (Father of Robert and Peter), this is a region sadly somewhat overshadowed on a global stage by its neighbors Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Abruzzo, and Umbria, yet in no short supply…

Understanding Italy: Super Tuscans

Super Tuscans are wines made in Tuscany, outside of the well known Chianti and lesser known Tuscan regions per DOC guidelines.  In the 1970s winemakers wanted to experiment with blending Sangiovese (the main regional variety) with the noble grapes of Bordeaux (and in a few cases Syrah from…

Conceptual creative map of Italy, Sardinia and Sicily formed of old wine corks in an artistic arrangement on an old wooden counter top with copy space , overhead view

Understanding Italy: DOC, DOCG, IGT & VdT

European wine labels can be confusing if you don’t speak the language they are written in, furthermore they have all types of different classifications from one country to the next without consistent naming or labeling even existing within the same country itself, and to make things even more…