by Mary Beth Vierra | Feb 5, 2022 | Featured, Wine Education, Wine Regions
Crackle, crunch, boom— are the sounds invoked by the name given to a rare, nearly lost red grape from the Friulian hills in far northeastern Italy. Meet Schioppettino [ski’OH–pet–TEE–noh], the elegant, perfumed, floral yet pepper-savory red...
by Mary Beth Vierra | Dec 22, 2022 | Featured, Wine Education, Food & Wine, Lifestyle & Products
’Tis the season—for festive celebrations, grand family feasts—and questions about holiday wine pairing. What’s a great wine for the holidays? Which wine for my prime rib? How about my desserts? I recommend drinking seasonally. And this time of year,...
by Mary Beth Vierra | May 14, 2022 | Featured, Viticulture, Wine Education, Wine Regions
Not far from the soaring Alps of northern Italy lies a placid lake in a dream-like setting. At this northerly latitude we expect brisk days and a Continental climate. Instead, we find a pocket of Mediterranean-like climate, where grapevines grow amidst lemon...
by Mary Beth Vierra | Dec 12, 2021 | Featured, Wine Education, Wine Regions
Maybe decade ago, we began hearing a quiet, fizzy buzz about a sparkling wine style born of an ancient production method. You may have heard of it referred to by a few names — pét-nat, méthode ancestrale, Col Fondo, and Sui Lieviti, to list a few. That quiet...
by Mary Beth Vierra | Nov 27, 2021 | Featured, Wine Education, Food & Wine
When I’m asked to name my favorite wine — even my favorite wine right now — I likely won’t have an answer. That’s partially because I love too many wines at any given time. But here’s a response you’ll likely hear from me: First,...
by Mary Beth Vierra | Nov 20, 2021 | Featured, Wine Education, Wine Regions, Food & Wine
Walking the covered porticoes and lively piazzas of Italy at aperitivo hour, you’ll witness the exuberant beauty of Italian Prosecco pulled from chilled ice buckets filling glass after glass at every bar and café. Nothing captures the Italian lifestyle like an...