Villa Pillo Tasting

As often happens (well, semi often) the traditional wine of the production of 20 cab sav, super tuscan, rose, merlot clone, resling implant clone knockoff, etc etc, is the best. the low price chianti of Villa Pillo is a great quality/price bargin for 8 euros... in the cantina though. If you need a 6 pack, go for it. You won't be dissapointed.

Valentini Trebbiano 1997

OK.. so there is no label... my cellar is humid and the trip on the motorcycle turned it into dust. Label or not, the amazing thing about Valentini is that the modest Trebbiano grape becomes magnificent in his hands (God bless his soul). And you have to wait for it. at least 10 years if you have the patience and want something special. Not for everybody. apricots, pine nuts, lemons, cinnamon, rosemary and mango. A bit oxidized, but hey .. 10 years.
Great wine from a great winemaker.

Montevetrano 2002

OK... I had the Montevetrano 2002 on the weekend (modestly in Montevetrano near Salerno) and it was amazing. PHuuuuttttt..... to all those people who didn't buy it because the rest of Italy had a bad year. I just goes to show you how a great wine maker like Silvia Imparato can fool the rest of them. I know that wine merchants in Canada didn't want to take it because "it was 2002"... ha.. last laugh is on us. It was an amazing wine with the Cabernet very up front, well balanced with lots of time to develop even more.

Silvia you are wonderful!

BUY THIS WINE!!!!!!! (thanks Fabio)

This was quite a discovery. Along with the great and interesting wines from the south of Italy that we have tasted for the Espresso Wine Guide this year, is this odd box. Amazing sweet wine made from Greek grapes brought to Italy 2500 years age.... a color between the ancient gold and amber, and a unique scent, bitter and aromatic as the notes from the south white wines.. rosemary, thyme, apricots, a type of burnt hay.... a real slice of Italy south in a bottle.

Here's a link to the wiki about this producer & wine (in italian)http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco_di_Bianco

Great for your next wine tasting

Ok.. its not wine, but this is one great beer. It is an original beer that takes its inspiration from the Belgian tradition of "blanches" and that uses a particular type of wheat grown locally. Its aroma is very elegant with notes dominant field of flowers, chamomile and mauve. The typical characteristic spicy nose makes a recognizable "blanche".. this is due in this case the use of coriander in the fermentation. Notes of apricot, pear and fig, bitter, fruity, rich, with a bread crust nose
If you have a chance try this at the next wine tasting. . Great with anything... especially with more beer.

Perfect summertime peace

Dreaming when Dawn's Left Hand was in the Sky I heard a voice within the Tavern cry,"Awake, my Little ones, and fill the Cup Before Life's Liquor in its Cup be dry."

The Rubbaiyat by Omar Khayyam.

When the going gets weird, the weird go Gaglioppo

OK... I have to be truthful... never heard of the "Gaglioppo" grape. It did have it's own personality like Hunter S Thomson did. Not my cup of tea.. a very southern wine, heavy fruit, pressed plums, almost like a Barolo Chinato. Not for everyone but worthwhile tasting just to see and taste something complexly different.