The Wine Voyage

Table of Contents - What Is Nero d'Avola? - What Does Nero d'Avola Taste Like? - Where Nero d'Avola Is Grown - Nero d'Avola and Sicily's Wine Renaissance - Nero d'Avola vs. Primitivo - How to Pair Nero d'Avola with Food - How to Taste Nero d'Avola with Intent - Running a Nero d'Avola Tasting for a Group - Bringing a Nero d'Avola Tasting to Your Team - Further Reading I pour Nero d'Avola for people who think they've already tried every big Italian red worth knowing, because most of them haven't touched Sicily's signature grape and it genuinely surprises them. This is the island's most important native red variety, capable of everything from juicy, easy-drinking everyday bottlings to serious, age-worthy wines that rival some of Italy's more famous names — and it's still priced like most people have never heard of it, which won't last forever. This guide covers what Nero d'Avola actually tastes like, where in Sici...

Table of Contents - What Is Nero d'Avola? - What Does Nero d'Avola Taste Like? - Where Nero d'Avola Is Grown - Nero d'Avola and Sicily's Wine Renaissance - Nero d'Avola vs. Primitivo - How to Pair Nero d'Avola with Food - How to Taste Nero d'Avola with Intent - Running a Nero d'Avola Tasting for a Group - Bringing a Nero d'Avola Tasting to Your Team - Further Reading I pour Nero d'Avola for people who think they've already tried every big Italian red worth knowing, because most of them haven't touched Sicily's signature grape and it genuinely surprises them. This is the island's most important native red variety, capable of everything from juicy, easy-drinking everyday bottlings to serious, age-worthy wines that rival some of Italy's more famous names — and it's still priced like most people have never heard of it, which won't last forever. This guide covers what Nero d'Avola actually tastes like, where in Sici...

Table of Contents - What Is Verdicchio? - The Two Main Verdicchio Regions - What Does Verdicchio Taste Like? - Verdicchio vs. Pinot Grigio - Food Pairing with Verdicchio - How to Taste Verdicchio with a Group - Bringing This to a Corporate Tasting - Further Reading I'll be honest — Verdicchio wasn't on my radar for years, and I think that's true for most Americans who didn't grow up around Italian wine. It gets overshadowed by Pinot Grigio and Soave in the "Italian white wine" conversation, which is a shame, because it's one of the most food-friendly, age-worthy whites Italy makes. Once I started pouring it for groups, it became one of my favorite "surprise" bottles — people expect a simple, forgettable white and get something with real structure and staying power instead. This guide covers what Verdicchio actually is, where it's grown, what it tastes like, and how it stacks up against the more familiar Italian whites most people already know...

Table of Contents - What Is Verdicchio? - The Two Main Verdicchio Regions - What Does Verdicchio Taste Like? - Verdicchio vs. Pinot Grigio - Food Pairing with Verdicchio - How to Taste Verdicchio with a Group - Bringing This to a Corporate Tasting - Further Reading I'll be honest — Verdicchio wasn't on my radar for years, and I think that's true for most Americans who didn't grow up around Italian wine. It gets overshadowed by Pinot Grigio and Soave in the "Italian white wine" conversation, which is a shame, because it's one of the most food-friendly, age-worthy whites Italy makes. Once I started pouring it for groups, it became one of my favorite "surprise" bottles — people expect a simple, forgettable white and get something with real structure and staying power instead. This guide covers what Verdicchio actually is, where it's grown, what it tastes like, and how it stacks up against the more familiar Italian whites most people already know...

Table of Contents - What Is Alicante Bouschet? - Why the Red Flesh Matters - Where Is Alicante Bouschet Grown? - What Does Alicante Bouschet Taste Like? - Alicante Bouschet vs. Other Deeply Colored Reds - Food Pairings for Alicante Bouschet - Alicante Bouschet's Reputation Problem - Running an Alicante Bouschet Tasting for a Group - Bringing an Alicante Bouschet Tasting to Your Team - Further Reading The first time I poured Alicante Bouschet for a group, someone asked to see the bottle mid-sip because they didn't believe a wine could be that dark. Fair reaction — most red wine gets its color from the skins alone, while the juice underneath stays pale. Alicante Bouschet breaks that rule entirely. Its flesh is red, not just its skin, which means the wine that comes out is nearly opaque, almost black in the glass. That single fact makes it one of the best "wait, what?" grapes I know for a group tasting. This guide covers what Alicante Bouschet actually is, why it's c...

Table of Contents - What Is Alicante Bouschet? - Why the Red Flesh Matters - Where Is Alicante Bouschet Grown? - What Does Alicante Bouschet Taste Like? - Alicante Bouschet vs. Other Deeply Colored Reds - Food Pairings for Alicante Bouschet - Alicante Bouschet's Reputation Problem - Running an Alicante Bouschet Tasting for a Group - Bringing an Alicante Bouschet Tasting to Your Team - Further Reading The first time I poured Alicante Bouschet for a group, someone asked to see the bottle mid-sip because they didn't believe a wine could be that dark. Fair reaction — most red wine gets its color from the skins alone, while the juice underneath stays pale. Alicante Bouschet breaks that rule entirely. Its flesh is red, not just its skin, which means the wine that comes out is nearly opaque, almost black in the glass. That single fact makes it one of the best "wait, what?" grapes I know for a group tasting. This guide covers what Alicante Bouschet actually is, why it's c...