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The Pendulum Swings: 2012 Brunello di Montalcino
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Jan 2023
The 2012 Brunello di Montalcinos immediately appealed to buyers, consumers and restaurant-goers. While warm and dry, 2012 yielded balanced wines, but the big question has always been: how well will they mature over time?
2018 Brunello di Montalcino: The Rubik’s Cube Vintage
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Dec 2022
Was it hot, was it cool, was it dry, was it rainy, was it balanced–is it classic? These are all questions surrounding the 2018 vintage in Montalcino. I’ve watched the 2018s evolve for years, and now, they are ready to hit the market in January. But will consumers be running out to add them to their collections? It’s time to find out.
Italy's Love Affair with Sparkling Wine
Italy, featured
, Dec 2022
Whether sparkling wine is a casual aperitif, celebratory beverage, revelatory experience or favorite holiday gift, it pays to think outside the box. I can think of no better place than Italy for sparkling wines that overdeliver.
Umbria: Taking It to the Next Level
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Nov 2022
Umbrian wines have always communicated tremendous potential; however, except for a short list of producers, these wines have often been underwhelming. I have long looked forward to the day the region would begin to deliver the best quality possible. That day may be just over the horizon.
The Unrealized Potential of Marche
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Nov 2022
Overall quality in Marche has never been higher. However, my feeling is that many producers have yet to fully realize the potential of this diverse region. I often left my tastings this year wondering what red and white varieties might be able to achieve here.
Decoding Emidio Pepe: 13 Vintages of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Vecchie Vigne
Italy: Center & South, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, Oct 2022
Steeped in tradition, rare, certainly not inexpensive and sometimes earthy to the point of being rustic…to sum it up: intimidating. That’s what comes to mind for many consumers when they think of approaching an older bottle of Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Over the last six decades, these have been among the most distinctive wines made in Italy. Today, the current generation focuses on the future without taking away from their family’s glorious past.
The Rise of Rosso di Montalcino
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Oct 2022
Rosso di Montalcino used to be the catch-all category for producers to generate cash quickly or soak up fruit from younger vineyards before the vines reached maturity. Today, things are changing very quickly. There’s a new focus on the Rosso category, the result of a need to satisfy a younger generation that doesn’t want to wait 10 to 20 years for Brunello to age, as well as the realization that it is increasingly difficult to make balanced, long-aging wines in these recent torrid vintages.
Abruzzo: The Great Divide
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Oct 2022
Producers in Abruzzo are divided and struggling. The most ambitious feel undervalued as they compete against bulk production and supermarket wines that bear the Montepulciano DOC. Climate change is another real challenge. The good news is that this remains a buyer’s market, with a growing number of fantastic wines that are being produced at price points that are nearly impossible to beat throughout the rest of Italy.
Basilicata: Vulture’s Rise from the Ashes
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Sep 2022
For many years now, a core of passion- and quality-driven producers have been working hard to prove that Vulture deserves its place on the world’s stage. While many hurdles remain, I wholeheartedly believe that Vulture is very much on its way.
Cellar Favorite: 2018 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon
United States: Washington, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Sep 2022
There are very few wines that I personally seek out year after year. For a wine to become a recurring purchase for my cellar, it takes a proven track record, unparalleled quality among. peers, vintage-to-vintage consistency and. relative value. The Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon is such a wine, even with steady price increase over the past ten years.