Valpolicella Is Much More Than a Wine

     Wine-Knows will have a private dinner at the historic wine estate of Dante Alighieri in Valpolicella    

Valpolicella stands out among Italian wines because it isn’t just one wine.  It’s an entire spectrum of styles based upon ancient techniques only found in the hills north of the city of Verona.  Located halfway between Milan and Venice, the Valpolicella region offers a unique winemaking history and offers one of Italy’s most compelling wine stories.

What defines Valpolicella’s character?

Valpolicella’s charm lies in how authentically “local” it is.  The grapes are all indigenous to the area and rarely seen outside the district.  Wines are created primarily with the Corvina grape, although Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara are other locally-birthed varieties often used in the blend.  These rare grapes give the wine:

~ great acidity (think framework)

~ red fruit profile, especially cherries

~ soft tannins (light to medium bodied wines)

~ spicy, almond, & floral nuances develop often in their aging process

Winds from Lake Garda play a vital role in dehydrating grapes stored in open-air buildings

Four styles that make Valpolicella unique:

Few other wine regions in the world offer such a clear stylistic “ladder” of wines, a kind of simple to complex hierarchy.

1.  Vallpolicella is the first step on the ladder.  This “classico” style is fresh, bright, cherry driven, and very approachable even in its youth.

2.  Ripasso (which means “repass”) is next.  It’s richer and spicier because the wine is passed over the grape skins a second time to add extra depth.

3.  Amarone is a powerful, complex dry wine made from partially dried grapes (an ancient tradition called “appasimento” which concentrates flavors).  This method gives Amarone an intense depth of flavor such as dried fruit, chocolate and spice.   As it ages these flavors become even more pronounced. 

4.  Recioto, the last step on the area’s ladder, is a sweet dessert wine made from the dried indigenous grapes of the region.  The historical method of “appasimento” is used to concentrate sugars and aromas, predominantly dried cherries, figs, chocolate & spices.

What foods pair with Valpolicella’s four unique types of wines?

     ~  Starting with the “Classico” Valpolicella and working our way up the ladder, the Classico is a versatile red that works with pizza and pasta, but also pairs with foods that you would typically pair with white wine (e.g. fish).

     ~ Ripasso Valpolicella, exposed to grape skins a second time, easily works with heavier and richer dishes such as roasted meats (including lamb & venison), wild mushroom risotto and other heavier, complex dishes.

     ~ Highly-structured and full-bodied Amarone calls for bold food pairings.  It is perfect with grilled red meats but also works with rich recipes for wild game.  Amarone, however, also can accommodate spicy and sweet international dishes (e.g. smoked or glazed pork, and even duck with oranges).  Bold Amarone also pairs with aged cheeses (including strong blue cheese) making it a perfect accompaniment to the end of a meal.

`    ~ Like Amarone, Recioto, can also work at the end of a meal with strong aged cheeses, but it’s a superstar with desserts such as cherry-based sweets and chocolate.

     Wine-Knows has taken over the entire villa of revered Valpolicella producer, Allegrini for 3 nights

Those of you coming on this October’s trip to northern Italy will see first-hand this jewel-box wine region.   You’ll even view the traditional appasimento method for drying the grapes.  Life is too short for boring wine, and in Valpolicella, boring is never on the wine list.

EATALY---Italy's Gastronomic Shrine

 

                                      Milan's EATALY is a 3 story spectacle for serious foodies

A fusion of two words, EAT and ITALY, this behemoth culinary marketplace began in Turin.  It’s not a surprise that Eataly’s birth was in Turin as this town is also home to the Slow Food movement, a kind of Noah’s Ark of Italy’s heirloom foods that was born in outrage to the first McDonald’s opening in Italy back in the 1980’s.  Many Italian foods were saved from extinction by Slow Food.

                                 Artisanal wines from the 40 regions of Italy are featured

In 2007 the very first Eataly began in an old vermouth factory that had stood empty for years.   Today, there are >40 locations worldwide from Europe to Asia.  Eataly, however, is much more than a place to “eat.”  It is a place to shop, to learn about high-quality Italian food products, and to savor the Italian way of life.  

                                Istanbul's cheese & charcuterie meats is a dream

Eataly’s philosophy is based on “Eat better, live better.”   The company focuses on authentic Italian ingredients, traditional cooking methods, regional Italian cuisine, as well as sustainability and craftsmanship.   Using the Slow Food ethos, Eataly traverses Italy from north to south and east to west to find the best local artisan producers.

                             Japan has several Eataly's including flagship stores in Tokyo

Think of Eataly as Oz’s Emerald City meets Whole Foods on steroids, then add a William Sonoma, a cooking school, a serious wine shop, a second-to-none culinary bookstore, and several dining venues (including a mozzarella bar, a wood-fired oven featuring to-die-for breads and pizzas, and a pasta café).  It’s a one-stop-shopping event for all things food-related under the Italian sky.  In short, it’s a foodie’s nirvana.

                                             Dubai features multiple Eataly stores

Are you coming with us for the sold-out Truffle Tour in October?   While Wine-Knows has visited the original Turin Eataly multiple times, as well as the one in Rome, this will be the group’s first visit to Milan’s Eataly.   This one is a three floor sensation just waiting for Wine-Knows.

In summary, Eataly is a concept:  one that celebrates Italian food culture and culinary heritage.   Wine-Knows can’t wait to share it with you.

TRUFFLES: Buried Gastronomic Treasures

              Truffle treasures are displayed by this Wine-Knows participant on the last truffle tour 

Truffles are the world’s most expensive epicurean item.  A type of exotic fungus that grows underneath the roots of certain trees such as hazelnut, oak, or pine, truffles are found by special breeds of dogs with a  heightened sense of smell.  Trained to find these highly fragrant edibles concealed mere inches under the forest’s floor, the dogs themselves are highly-prized.  Due to the exorbitant price of truffles, these highly trained canines have become equally valuable (some have actually been stolen and held for ransom).  No joke.

     Truffles, weighed tableside in restaurants before serving, can easily add >$100 to a dish

Piedmont is home to the tartufo bianco.  This white truffle, known as the “King of Truffles,” is a coveted culinary diamond by Michelin star chefs around the globe. Tartufo bianco is the most intensely flavored of the many varieties of truffles.   Its step-sister, the not-as fragrant-nor-as-intensely-flavored black truffle, is grown in several parts of the world, but it’s the luxurious white truffle which gourmands covet…and are willing to pay mega Euros for this buried edible masterpiece.

                         Alba's Truffle Festival is Italy's largest & most significant food event

The charming medieval town of Alba is the epicenter for the annual White Truffle Festival in October, a decadent month-long food gala celebrating Italy’s most precious gastronomic pleasure.  Autumn weekends are grid-lock with food aficionados from around the world descending on Alba for smells and tastes of the intoxicating white truffle.  They come for the pageantry honoring the truffle:  Medieval parades, music, dancing, truffle hunts & cooking classes.  The fact that Piedmont is also home to the super-star wines of Barolo and Barbaresco is an added bonus.

                Colorful truffle hunters hawk their gastronomic wares at the Truffle Festival

Wine-Knows' Truffle Festival tour to Piedmont this October is sold out with a waiting list.  If you have one of these coveted spots, prepare to taste truffles in a variety of forms:  truffle butter, truffle salami, truffle cheese, truffle paste, truffle sauce, truffle olive oil.  There are also bags of dry risotto with truffles, or even truffle pasta to bring home in your suitcase.

Valentine's Day is approaching.  Why not splurge and have truffles to celebrate?  Amazon can have them in your doorstep in a matter of days.  If it's made from a white truffle, you'll have an early taste of Piedmont.

Barolo & Barbaresco Are the Same Grape!

                Barolo’s geography, soil & weather are different from nearby Barbaresco

Barolo and Barbaresco are among the greatest red wines on planet earth.  Both of these wines, produced at the foot of the Italian Alps in the Piedmont region, are full-bodied, complex wines.  The Nebbiolo grape is the parent of both Barolo and Barbaresco.  If the Nebbiolo is grown near the village of Barolo, it is called a Barolo.  If the Nebbiolo is planted within the perimeters of Barbaresco village, this Nebbiolo becomes a Barbaresco.

Both Barbaresco & Barolo villages are part of a protected landscape by UNESCO

 Although the communes of Barolo and Barbaresco are located only ten miles apart, the climate and geography produce some distinct differences.  For example, the ripening period in Barolo is slower due to its higher altitudes and a cooler climate.  Barbaresco, in contrast, ripens earlier because to its lower altitude and the moderating marine influence of its nearby river.  Soils are also dissimilar:  the soils of Barolo are sand and clay, while Barbaresco is sand and limestone.

So how does the above terroir differences translate into a wine glass?  Barolo’s robust, full-bodied style generally has higher tannins. For flavor profile, think of Barolo as dark fruits (black cherries, plums), laced with Nebbiolo’s classical taste of roses.   As it ages Barolo’s profile moves toward leather, licorice and even truffles.  On the other hand, Barbaresco is the more feminine of the two:  refined tannins produce a more elegant wine, slightly lighter-bodied.   Barbaresco offers more gentle fruit favors (red fruit versus black).  Like Barolo, Barbaresco also has the rose floral component, as well as licorice.

      In Barbaresco the Nebbiolo grape has a more feminine expression due to its softer tannins

Barolo is often referred to as the “King of Piedmont” wines.  That being said, many consider Barbaresco to be the “Queen.”   Both wines pair gorgeously with the region’s famous white truffles, as well as its funghi porcini (wild mushrooms), Fassona beef (among Italy’s most prized meats, it’s leaner than the others), wild game, and cheeses from the foothills of the nearby Alps.  

 

May your 2026 include many Barolos and Barbarescos!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Italy’s Best Kept Wine Secret

            Located at the foot of the Alps, Franciacorta’s quality rivals that of Champagne

Don’t even think of uttering “Prosecco” because Franciacorta's bubbly is on a completely different planet.  Think of the Franciacorta wine district as the Lamborghini or Maserati of Italian sparkling wine.  In contrast, consider a well-made Prosecco the Fiat.  

Serious wine lovers know that the name Champagne by law can only be used if the wine is made in the geographical district east of Paris known as Champagne.  Cross the Alps into Italy and you’ll find Franciacorta's sparklers commanding equally high prices and delighting even the most experienced wine drinkers.   Producing elegant, complex sparkling wines with great depth and finish, Franciacorta is world-class and deserves its own category.

               The same grapes are used in Franciacorta as are used in the Champagne region

Made in the exact same labor-intensive process (aka expensive) as is used in the Champagne area, the Franciacorta sparkling wines can definitely compete on the world stage.  While both Franciacorta and Champagne use Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, there are some interesting flavor facets due to their geographical differences and terroir.  For example, Franciacorta is mostly glacial soil, while Champagne is limestone. 

Just as terroir plays a significant role in aromas and flavors of non-bubble wines, it does so as well with sparklers.  One can expect some of the same classical notes in both Champagne and Franciacorta (think citrus, almond, along with flavors & aromas of toast, brioche & pastry due to their second fermentation in the bottle). Nuances between these two world-class sparkling wines are present.  Champagne is often austere, while Franciacorta offers riper fruit flavors and a softer mouthfeel.  In many ways I prefer Franciacorta because of this.

Ferghettina’s owner is President of the regional winemaker’s association.

Do you have one of the spaces on the sold-out 2026 autumn tour to Northern Italy?  If so, you’ll be guests at one of the premier makers of Franciacorta, Ferghettina.  We’ll be tasting a full lineup of these award-winning sparklers.

As December is a time for special celebrations, why not pop the cork of a Franciacorta?  (Fergettina comes to the US, and it’s striking hand-made bottle should be a hint of the quality bubbles inside.  Also, Ca del Bosco is another equally compelling Franciacorta.)  I’m betting your guests and you will amore both of these over-the-top bubblies, certain to impress even the most discerning of Champagne lovers at any time of the year, but especially during the festive holidays.

As they say in Franciacorta"Felici festivita," and in Champagne, "Joyeuses fetes." 

Vietnam’s Best Bites & Sips

The upcoming trip Wine-Knows will dine in this private residence owned by the Governor's descendants

The countdown is on for Vietnam….in roughly two months I’ll be enjoying one of the cuisines I most dearly love.  Not only is it one of the planet’s healthiest, but it is a gastronomic feast for all five senses (sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste).  Below are my three favorite bites and two celestial sips from many previous Vietnamese trips.

Anthony Boudain went so far as to call this place's Bahn Mi the best bite in Vietnam

Bahn Mi

More than a decade ago (well before street food became a phenomenon) I watched Anthony Bourdain’s foodie show on Vietnam.  He nailed this much-loved street sandwich inspired by the French colonization: Pâté & grilled pork with layers of fresh veggies on a just-out-of-the-oven baguette.   Every trip I make a pilgrimage to his beloved food-truck.  But I'm not the only one....it’s become so popular that it now has a restaurant.

            Pronounced BAWN SAY YO, this Vietnamese combines the best of France & Vietnam

Bahn Xeo

This is another French-roots street food specialty, although it’s become so popular that many restaurants are now offering it.  Bahn xeo is a savory Vietnamese-fusion crepe.  Common fillings include prawns, pork & bean sprouts, and it’s served with a mélange of leafy greens & herbs on the side.  For eating, think of a taco:  the greens act as a mini tortilla with pieces of bahn xeo & herbs make up the filling.

           Vietnamese street food from a portable grill is served with the country's classic fish sauce 

Betel Nut Leaf Filled with Minced Beef

I’m not much of a red meat eater and either are the Vietnamese.  These miniature treats remind me of stuffed grape leaves on the outside, but the betel leaf version is much more complex.  Adding to the complexity is a plethora of fresh herbs in the stuffing, the unique flavors of the betel, along with the flavors added by grilling over wood.

                                  Tea is made from lotus leaves, flowers, roots and stems

Lotus Tea

I had the honor of going on my first trip to Vietnam with a friend from California who was born in Saigon.  One of her favorite things as a child was lotus tea.  It was love at first sip (actually first smell) for me.  Lotus tea has an intense but delicate floral aroma and an out of this world flavor.  

    According to Forbes Magazine, the owner of this coffee brand is one of the richest men in Vietnam

 Vietnamese Coffee

The French introduced coffee to Vietnam in the 1850’s.  Fast forward to 2025:  Vietnam is now the world’s second biggest exporter of coffee, second only to Brazil. 

I still remember my first sip in Hanoi of coffee and that was over a dozen years ago.  I was so impressed that I brought home >5 lbs with me, never dreaming I could buy it here.  Wrong!    Appears there are many lovers around the world of Vietnam’s coffee.  Vietnamese coffee offers chocolate nuances along nutty flavors.  Keep in mind I’m not a fan of flavored coffees, but this one is way different. 

Coming on Wine-Knows' sold-out February trip to Vietnam?  You'll experience all of these gastronomic delights and more!   Afterall, how could I visit Vietnam without revisiting my favorite bites and sips?

My 2 Favorite Bites of 6 Weeks in Europe

I just returned from a nearly six week food and wine extravaganza spanning five countries.  There were a plethora of outstanding dining venues such as private dinners in several Bordeaux Grand Cru Chateaux, a French two-star Michelin restaurant, and a galaxy of other special restaurants and wineries on Malta, Sicily, the Amalfi Coast, Lake Como, and even Poland.  Want to know my favorite bites? 

      Pistachio gelato & shreds of cooked filo cover the top, while the bottom is Dubai chocolate gelato 

My first earth-shaking bite was in Sicily.  Yes, we were near Mt. Etna, but that had nothing to do with the gastronomic shaking.  It began with one of my clients insisting that I have a bite of her dessert:  a Dubai chocolate and pistachio ice cream.  I declined twice, but on her third insistence (thank you, Sharon!), I relented.  One bite to appease her, right?   It was a seismic moment and I was tremoring with delight.  I love anything-pistachio, however, what in the world was this Dubai chocolate after-shock?

                         Dubai chocolate & pistachio ice-cream bars have become a food fad
 

Since returning to the US I have learned that Dubai chocolate is one of the hottest food items in the U.S.  Google it and you’ll have over 7 million results in a nano-second.  People can’t seem to get enough of it.  On the market for only 3-4 years, it comes in a variety of luxury bars (Whole Foods carries them and even Amazon offers dozens of types).   Dubai chocolate is laced with shreds of cooked filo dough giving it a great crunchy texture.  In between those layers is a rich pistachio-tahini cream.  Pair this with Sicily’s famous volcanic-soil-pistachios which have been infused into a rich pistachio gelato....well, its magnitude goes off the charts.

                 Amalfi lemons are a special variety that are significantly larger & more aromatic

My second undeniably magical bite was on the Amalfi Coast.  This drop-dead coastline has been declared by the United Nations as a World Heritage site.  If you’ve been there you know that lemons are the star of this coast’s gastronomic show.   Ceramic shops are filled with gorgeous lemon platters, bowls, and sets of endless lemon dishes.  Souvenir shops feature an array of lemon dish towels, lemon salt and pepper shakers, and even lemon clocks.  Every store seemingly carries the area's prized limoncello.

The Amalfi lemon has a special status awarded to it by the Italian government, and only lemons grown in the coast's special volcanic soil can be called Amalfi lemons.  Naturally, they command a much higher price than any other lemon.

                                                 Utter simplicity in a perfect bite

All the above said, it’s no wonder that my second most astonishing bite was made with Amalfi lemons.   It was simple beyond words…but so complex:  ravioli stuffed with ricotta infused with lemon zest, and topped with a superb olive oil from the area inoculated with the essence of lemons.   Now this was a World Heritage bite if I’ve ever had one.