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Emilia-Romagna: Opposite Ends of the Spectrum
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Mar 2023
While Lambrusco is still king in Emilia, over in Romagna, a few wineries are showing the heights Sangiovese can reach if treated properly. The best part is that these lesser-known wines continue to offer great value in the market.
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.
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.
Sicily: Welcome to the Revolution
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Jun 2022
Sicily is hot, and I don’t mean temperature-wise. A significant rise in quality across the island, not just from Etna, has finally broken down many of the old stereotypes that once plagued the producers here. Today we are witnessing a focus on variety and place that has seldom been seen from Sicilian winemakers, and the results come through in the bottle. That said, there’s still an ocean of wine to sort through to find the best.
Wines from Italy’s Volcanic Arc: Campania
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Jan 2022
If one region in Italy has the potential to keep pace with the best that Piedmont and Tuscany have to offer, it is Campania. With each passing year, new releases show a glimmer of their best possible selves, while some are transcending to the next level. Although the number of world-class wines continues to increase, there are still a number of hurdles that Campania must overcome. At the other end of the spectrum, Campania is full of values, readers just need to know where to look.
Italy’s Ace in the Hole: Marche
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Oct 2021
Marche is a land of pleasures and values, bursting with wines packed with potential just waiting to be realized. The last three vintages offer readers a plentitude of exciting wines from the dueling regions within Verdicchio, but also some irresistible reds from Central Italy’s Adriatic coast. The question isn’t if these wines will be discovered, it’s when they’ll be discovered.
Umbria & Lazio: Italy’s Underdogs
Italy: Center & South, featured
, Aug 2021
It won’t be long before the word is out on the superb quality and tremendous value that both Umbria and Lazio offer. Looking beyond the obvious is the trick, and that’s exactly what I will share with you in this report.