Monthly Archives: July 2025

An Invite to Umbria, A Visit to Montefalco’s Cocco Ilaria, and a Pairing: Orange Spoletino “Ponderata” Paired with Peach Salad + Carbonara

2022 Cocco Ilaria “Ponderata” Spoleto Trebbiano Spoletino DOC, Umbria, Italy Paired with Carbonara with fried zucchini

Fact: The wine world lacks women in wine. But Ilaria Cocco didn’t let this stop her from replanting her grandfather’s 3.5 hectares (about 7 acres) of vineyards in the Montefalco region of Umbria north of Rome, south of Florence and east of Tuscany. The vineyards had fallen into disrepair, and he died in 1998. With her father’s help in 2000, they replanted and she brought the Montefalco vineyards into healthy production using organic practices as much as possible.

Ilaria Cocco in her Montefalco cellar

But soon Ilaria realized she wanted to make wine from her grapes and to carry on her grandfather’s tradition of winemaking Continue reading →

Arizona Wine for Summer Time: Page Springs Cellars Rose and Caduceus Anubis Red Blend with Fresh Apricot Salad and Burgers

Arizona Wine for Summer Time: Page Springs Cellars Rose and Caduceus Anubis Red Blend with Fresh Apricot Salad and Burgers

Weary traveler, calloused and soreTime and gravity followed you hereRest, my sister, and tell meAll about the ocean

Spoils and troubles, they burden you morePay them no mind, they matter no moreLeave them behind and show meAll about the ocean

Look in your eyesI’ve never seen the oceanNot like this one
What wine would you open after seven weeks of travel visiting vineyards in Tuscany, Romagna, Puglia, Umbria, and Austria with a few days each in Florence, Rome, and Vienna? A wine that says welcome back to the complexities and chaos that is today’s United States of America? A wine that speaks to the pleasures of being beside the cool Pacific Ocean again? A wine that pairs well with American summer fare like a fresh apricot feta salad with pecans and a burger? And jet lag?

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