*This article was shortlisted in the Jancis Robinson 2022 wine writing competition and appears on her site here. It was also selected as a reader favorite. In the summer of 2021, sometime right after the languorous August days that drive respite-seeking Italians to the seaside and just shy of the beginning of harvest season, I embarked […]
*This article was shortlisted in the Jancis Robinson 2021 wine writing competition and appears on her site here. The Amalfi Coast glistens as the Mediterranean mecca for those wanting to indulge their fantasies of la dolce vita. And rightly so. The enchanting beauty of this 50-kilometer stretch of jagged coastline in the Campania region of […]
In Florence there is a place I go to seek respite from the frenetic city, the chaos of everyday life and, above all, my noisy mind. It has become an oasis of sorts. It is a place that, simply stated, makes me feel good, whole, where for a few moments I can put all things […]
Wine wasn’t always what I wanted to do and many years ago I wasn’t even aware that this could be a viable profession. However, as I quietly reflect I see how closely it is tied to my past, a past that really shaped the person that I am today and the trajectory of my life. […]
Anyone who has travelled by car or train through Italy knows how quickly the landscape varies as you make your way down the boot. Traveling southward on the Autostrada del Sole from Rome to Naples, you begin to notice how the verdant, dense mountain ranges of Lazio transform into mountain slopes resembling green ocean waves, […]
When one thinks of Italian wine producing regions, Liguria is not the first that comes to mind. Nor is it second or third or fourth or….well, you get the idea. Needless to say, it is relatively unknown in terms of wine even for Italians. Perhaps it’s because the region itself is quite small and so, […]
The negotiations began at 6am. The alarm was set to ring at the lowest volume but somehow the tone still seemed far too jarring. I gotta get to sleep earlier, her mind grumbled. Just five more minutes. 6:05am. The alarm pierced the silence. She buried her head deeper under the covers. 6:10am. If I get […]
There are few dishes that recall the bel paese as easily as pasta with pesto alla Genovese, or pasta with basil pesto sauce. Perhaps one of the simplest and most deliciously fragrant sauces for pasta, even though pesto is made with only a few ingredients they must be of the highest quality. This is a traditional […]
Historic, traditional, classic, hidden. Osteria del Sole is an establishment that will surely take you back to the Bologna of yesteryear. Opening its doors in 1465, Osteria del Sole is located in the heart of medieval Bologna between Via Orefici and Via Pescherie Vecchie and just a stone’s throw away from Piazza Maggiore. Long, old […]
May is probably one of the most lovely months here in Bologna. The weather is warm, walks to San Luca and picnics in Giardini Margherita are more enjoyable, and Piazza Maggiore and the tiny streets of the historic center are teeming with locals and tourists alike sharing spritz, Pignoletto (local white-wine) and taglieri of cured […]