Paradise in Tuscany: Organic Farming at Antonella Manulli’s Fattoria La Maliosa
“During Women’s History Month, we celebrate the courageous women who have helped our Nation build a fairer, more just society,” asserts President Joe Biden in his 2024 Women’s History Month proclamation. “Throughout history, the vision and achievements of powerful women have strengthened our Nation and opened the doors of opportunity wider for all of us. Though their stories too often go untold, all of us stand on the shoulders of these sung and unsung trailblazers.” In conclusion, he proclaims that he calls “upon all Americans to observe this month and to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024, with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.”
Here on Wine Predator, this March we will once again focus on women in wine, stories told and untold, sung and unsung, contemporary and historic, here in the United States, and from Argentina, Chile, France, Italy, and Portugal! Continue reading →
When I purchased this bottle of Mila Vuolo’s Aglianico from Campania, Italy, I had no idea that I’d be introduced to a passionate woman winemaker working organically and biodynamically. All I knew was it was Aglianico and I like Aglianico and it’s hard to find Aglianico and it was under $20. Continue reading →
It’s time to celebrate! After a year of lock downs during the COVID 19 pandemic, now that so many people have one or both vaccines, it feels like the world is starting to open up again. And so yes it’s time to celebrate and what better than sparkling wine and hugs for hard working moms, teachers, and friends?
Well that MIGHT be a bit over the top but you get my drift. Continue reading →
With brown hills above Santa Paula and local snow capped mountains in the background, winemaker Bruce Freeman cradles three of his wines to be featured in the Feb. 11 Verotalk.
Following high winds with two brief yet intense rainstorms which left inches of hail on the ground and snow dusting the local mountains including several inches in Malibu canyon, I dropped by Clos des Amis yesterday afternoon to taste how the 2020 vintage is progressing, and help a bit with clean up.
These 3 Clos des Amis wines will be featured in a Facebook live talk on Feb. 11; details on how to order them below. (Unfiltered, unedited photo!)
In a difficult year with COVID, fires, and sudden record-breaking high temperatures, the 2020 harvest overall was a bright spot for Clos Des Amis winemaker Bruce Freeman who predicted the vintage would be exceptional: “We had beautiful weather, beautiful fruit, and I’m excited about the potential for these wines.” Soon after harvested, he told me that the wines were “already showing elegance and power.” Continue reading →
Now here we are solidly in Autumn, but at another transition: it’s Election Day, and a good time to once again turn our attention to comfort food and wine, which again means Italian. Later this week, we have Primitivo and Zinfandel from Miraflores in El Dorado, then we compare and contrast a Turley Zinfandel with an Italian Primitivo. We’re pairing these wines with food inspired by The Godfather movies.
But today, we again turn to biodynamic Montinore (and that’s not because, based on all of my friends talking about day drinking today, you can drink more biodynamic wine without getting a hangover!) Continue reading →
Last week, I enjoyed watching the sun set, twilight fall, and the glow of the moon in Tuscany, Italy. In front of the house with views of vineyards and the farm of Antonella Manulli, I chatted about sustainability and the Metodo Corino with co-innovators Antonella and Lorenzo Corino and their importer Sheila Donahue of Verovino.
This is one of the oldest places in the world for wine grape cultivation, going back 4,000 years.
As we talked, we all sat outside with our dogs, enjoying the fresh air. Continue reading →
Sangiovese lovingSue shows off her purple teeth: we asked these three after a practice for the US Wine Tasting Team!
“Sassicaia, Sassicaia, all they want is Sassicaia!” wailed the young sommelier from China during a tasting lab of Sangiovese and other Italian indigenous grapes during the VinItaly Wine Ambassador Course in Los Angeles in February 2019.
“How can I get them to try something else?” she asked plaintively. The group of wine professionals gathered weighed in, but none of the suggestions seemed to click. Continue reading →
wine predator.............. gwendolyn alley 