And the Wine Media Conference in 2022 will be…

After the lightening talks, Allan Wright announced where the next Wine Media Conference will be: Continue reading →

Italy’s Large, Lovely Lombardia, Home to Lugana and Lambrusco #ItalianFWT

Lugana DOC from Bulgarini poolside

Where in Italy can you find 90 UNESCO sites? Continue reading →

Blending + Veraison July 2021: Ventura County Vineyards + Beyond

Blending trials at Clos des Amis: Bruce Freeman, Chris Dunn, Jade Dunn (Bruce’s daughter)

While harvest is crazy busy for farmers, so are the days and weeks leading up to harvest.

The more preparation that can be done NOW means less to deal with THEN.

Continue reading →

What it means to be a “native grape” in Italy: VinItaly’s #VIA USA 2021

VIA USA students July 2021

To be named an Italian Wine Ambassador from Vinitaly International Academy requires a deep level of knowledge. Candidates attend extensive online and in-person classes.

For this COVID pandemic period, Continue reading →

Anna’s Cider and Pier City Cider in Ventura County #WorldWineTravel

Ventura County cider near Ventura County line

People think of wine as an alcoholic beverage made from grapes and cider as an alcoholic beverage made from apples.

But actually, any alcoholic beverage made from fruit is wine.

I was first intrigued with this alcoholic beverage made from apples when Continue reading →

Prosecco! Perfecto! Splendido!

5 Prosecco for Prosecco Week 2021

What do you know about Bollicine aka sparkling wines of Italy?

You may be surprised to learn that Bollicine are an important part of the Italian wine scene– and not just Prosecco, which is the most well known, and  is being celebrated this week.

Happy Prosecco week!

I’ve been studying up on Italian sparkling wine for the VinItaly Ambassador Course Agile edition which takes place next week, with the tasting labs and test on Wednesday. Learn more about the course here. I also joined a ZOOM tasting webinar earlier this week; US Wine Tasting Team team mates Kristen Shubert and Lisa Stoll helped me taste five Prosecco DOC (see more about these wines below). Among other information this week I learned:

In Italy, there are 150 plus DOP that include sparkling wine! Continue reading →

3 Riesling from Alsace #Winophiles

3 Riesling from Alsace

Everyone says Alsace is full of picturesque Alpine villages, and that I must go there. The streets are walkable and quaint, the architecture as adorable as if Walt Disney had designed it, the food delicious, the wines delightful. Continue reading →