What wine tourists to Mendoza are most in awe of are the lavish lunches that many wineries offer. In recent years, more and more restós, as they are called, have been popping up, making it difficult for visitors to choose. Below, I have shared with you my three favorite winery lunches—each with a different style and one for each wine appellation: Maipú, Luján de Cuyo and Uco Valley.
Read moreWine of the Month | Magma in Your Glass
For Earth Day this year, I headed back to my old stomping ground, Swirl on Castro, to lead a wine tasting on earth-friendly rosés with, of course, an Italian twist. The line-up was a trio of wines coming from powerhouse winemakers: Mathilde Poggi’s Bardolino Chiaretto 2017 (Le Fraghe, Veneto, Italy), Sam Bilbro’s The Flower Rosé 2018 (Idlewild, Mendocino, CA) and Chiara Vigo’s Vigorosa Etna Rosato 2017 (Fattorie Romeo del Castello, Sicily, Italy). Each one was applauded and appreciated by the crowd, but the rosé that won the vote at the end of the tasting was:
Read more6 Things You Must Do in Rome (That Aren't the Usual Suspects)
Rome is undoubtedly a city full of impressive sights. And, I love gazing into the Pantheon’s oculus, ambling down the maps corridor in the Vatican and circumnavigating the Colosseum with the best of them, but I have a few favorites that I wanted to share with you that are my go-tos when in Rome…
Read moreWine of the Month | Wonder Women of Wine
With March being Women’s Herstory Month and today being International Women’s Day, what better way of celebrating is there than with a collection of wine made by women winemakers and/or coming from women-run wineries? Yes, this month. It’s not just one wine, but a whole tote bag full of them!
Read moreWine of the Month | You'll Cry It's So Good
Lacrima means “teardrop” in Italian and refers to both the shape of the grape and the fact that it has a thin skin and therefore breaks easily, releasing drops of juice. Others, like Ian d’Agata, will tell you it is because drinking Lacrima will produce tears of joy. I will second that! While doing my sommelier course in Italy, this is one of the wines that blew me away—its aromatic quality was like nothing I had experienced before.
Read moreWines You Can Buy With A Few of the Presidents In Your Wallet
Here is a shortlist of wines I love that you can buy with one of the Presidents hanging out in your wallet (give or take a few Washingtons).
Read more5 Romantic Cities in Italy (Not the Ones You Think)
Polignano A Mare, Puglia
We all love the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, Florence, Rome and Venice—oh, how we love them! However, Italy offers so much more than these well-loved (and well-trodden) cities and coasts. A plethora of off-the-beaten-path gems are waiting to host your next romantic getaway in Italy—whether that be a solo trip or one with a significant other. Below are a few of my faves this year. My Valentine’s treat to you. And, as a bonus, I’ve included a regional wine pairing for each. Enjoy!
Read moreWine of the Month | A Do-Good Bottle To Kick Off the New Year
Marco Pasanella with January’s Wine of the Month
While back in my hometown of New York City over the holidays, I was on the hunt for a perfect wine-of-the-month for January. My search led me to Pasanella & Son, a small wine merchant found in the South Street Seaport area of lower Manhattan.
A lot has changed to South Street Seaport since my childhood when my parents would take me and my sisters for ice cream and weekend strolls along the waterfront. Gone are many of the fishmongers and the old Pier 17, which have been replaced by high-end restaurants, European design shops, and exhibitions organized by the Prada Foundation. Some of this is due to the exodus of businesses during hard times post-September 11th or the fallout from Hurricane Sandy in 2012, some of it is just the ever-changing face of New York City…but, I digress. What you notice right away about Pasanella & Son is its respectful nod to history:
Read moreA Weekend in Matera: What to see, do, eat and drink in the city of caves
If you haven’t heard of Matera—a small town carved into a canyon in Southern Italy’s region of Basilicata (the instep of the boot)—you will soon. This year, the city of caves is waking from a long hibernation and making a splash as the European Union’s Capital of Culture. For good reason too:
Read moreWine of the Month | Heart-warming Red from the Dolomites
For December, I knew I wanted to feature a red wine from a mountainous region in Italy that is big enough to warm the heart, but still balanced and versatile to go with all of the food that accompanies the holidays. En route to the Castkills, I stopped in to Kingston Wine Co., just a few hours north of New York City, where owner Michael suggested this beautiful wine from the Dolomites in northern Italy.
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