Podcasts about freisa

Italia tra Storia, Sapori e Grandi ViniTra borghi storici, montagne incantevoli e i grandi vini d'Italia: un viaggio che emoziona!

Il fondatore dell'azienda Bianco è stato Pietro, nato nel 1882, il quale fin da giovane si è occupato della conduzione della piccola realtà agricola ad indirizzo viticolo e zootecnico. Il figlio Angelo, dal quale l'azienda ha preso il nome, ha continuato a fasi alterne e, con varie vicissitudini, fino al termine della seconda guerra mondiale, il lavoro dei vigneti e dei seminativi. La vera svolta nella specializzazione a carattere vitivinicolo è avvenuta verso la fine degli anni '50 con l'acquisto di nuove vigne, impiantate a varietà Barbera e la vinificazione totale di tutta l'uva prodotta, un tempo venduta come tale. Agli inizi degli anni ‘70, con il riconoscimento della DOC Barbera d'Asti, Angelo ha iniziato ad imbottigliare le prime bottiglie e a venderle per lo più a privati. Con l'insediamento del figlio Piero ad inizi anni ‘80, è stato sviluppato un nuovo concetto di vinificazione estremamente legato al singolo vigneto e quindi alle caratteristiche che lo stesso avrebbe potuto apportare al prodotto finale. Ad inizi anni 2000 Piero introduce la pratica del diradamento in vigneto, al fine di migliorare la qualità e la sanità delle uve prima della vendemmia, ottenendo così vini di grande caratura in grado di durare nel tempo. Nel frattempo il figlio Paolo, nonché quarta generazione, studia e si diploma presso la scuola enologica di Alba, continuando anche il percorso universitario e terminandolo nel 2015. Ad inizio 2017, Paolo decide di investire ed insediarsi in azienda andando così ad iniziare un percorso di crescita che, giorno dopo giorno, vede lo sviluppo della tecnologia abbinato, però, alla costanza e sapienza del papà Piero, custode del vigneto, da cui tutto deve avere inizio. Ad oggi sono quasi 6 gli ettari vitati, quasi tutti impiantati a Barbera, con una percentuale restante di Pinot nero, Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Freisa e Manzoni bianco (Riesling renano x Pinot bianco). Vengono prodotte circa 15000 bottiglie, cercando di rispettare l'appezzamento di provenienza e sfruttandone al meglio ogni qualità che può apportare al vino. Il vigneto e il conseguente lavoro meticoloso in cantina permettono di seguire ogni fase del processo, dalla potatura secca alla vendemmia, dalla fermentazione alcolica alla torchiatura, dall'affinamento in legno all'imbottigliamento.

Food Heroes: Luca Balbiano, produttore di Freisa di Chieri, content creator e "folle" presidente dell'Associazione internazionale delle Vigne Urbane. La Cantina Balbiano produce ottimi vini, coraggiosi portabandiera della freisa di Chieri, con Luca già Presidente del piccolo ma intraprendente Consorzio di Tutela del Freisa di Chieri. Ma questo non bastava, e si inventa come creator di contenuti digitali straordinari e poi ancora, gestore della vigna urbana di Villa della Regina a Torino, presidente dell'Associazione internazionale delle Vigne urbane di tutto il mondo. Ascoltiamo la sua storia... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cinque Quinti nasce dalla passione di cinque fratelli, Fabrizio, Martina, Michele, Francesca e Mario, che hanno deciso di portare avanti l'azienda famigliare nata quattro generazioni fa, con un tocco fresco e innovativo. Il nome nasce proprio da qui, siamo cinque fratelli ognuno dei quali con le proprie idee e le proprie capacità ha dato e darà il suo contributo per far crescere l'azienda e raggiungere l'obiettivo comune.Fabrizio e Michele, che della passione per la terra tramandata dal nonno e dei colori magici delle nostre colline ne hanno fatto il loro stile di vita, hanno preso in mano l'azienda nel 2008, espandendo la proprietà terriera di 10 volte. Cento ettari di cui circa la metà è dedicata ai vitigni. Barbera, Cortese, Grignolino, Pinot Nero, Arneis, Bonarda, Nebbiolo, Cabernet, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, Freisa, Dolcetto. Una vera e propria esplosione di profumi, sfumature e sapori. Il più piccolo, Mario, dopo il diploma presso l'Istituto Agrario di San Martino, è partito per la lontana Australia per un'esperienza di viaggio e di lavoro unica a stretto contatto con diverse realtà vinicole locali.L'azienda agricola Fratelli Arditi - da non confondere con l'azienda "Arditi Fratelli" che ha in gestione la Cantina Sociale del Monferrato - intinta dall'arte della tradizione e dai veri valori che si respirano a Cella Monte (entrato fra i Borghi più Belli d'Italia a Luglio 2018), fino ad oggi si è concentrata sulla vendita della materia prima, conferendo le uve a produttori locali.Nel 2016, è nato il marchio Cinque Quinti e l'azienda ha visto il sogno di una produzione propria prendere vita, con la realizzazione del primo vino rosso prodotto con uve della vendemmia 2015. Un vino da tavola, dal colore rosso intenso e un sapore corposo e ricco che riempie la bocca. E' proprio qui che sono entrate in gioco anche Martina e Francesca, che si sono occupate di creare tutta l'immagine coordinata del marchio, così come il sito e le pagine social.Un ufficio a cielo aperto, dove i fogli si trasformano in foglie, i tasti del computer in forbicioni, le scrivanie in trattori. Un lavoro duro che richiede dedizione e impegno costante, pazientemente supportato anche dai nostri genitori, Giuseppe e Manuela. Tutto racchiuso in una bottiglia che speriamo possa diventare vostra compagna di chiacchere, confidenze e risate.

Kjell-Gabriel har tatt med en lite kjent drue til Tom, som til og med er fra Italias mest kjente vindistrikt. Er det en skjult skatt de har funnet? Bli med gutta på reise til Asti i Piemonte og lær mer om druen Freisa. * La Vedetta Freisa d'Asti 2021 / kr. 288,80 / Varenummer 14496801

Welcome to Episode 1136 Stevie Kim moderates Clubhouse's Ambassadors Corner – In this episode Peggy Baudon interviews Francesca Accornero. These sessions are recorded from Clubhouse and replayed here on the Italian Wine Podcast! Listen in on this series as Italian Wine Ambassadors all over the world chat with Stevie and their chosen wine producer. Which producer would you interview if you had your pick? Guest-Moderator "I am relatively new to wine, having stumbled into it by default. I recently returned to bartending after a stretch of years teaching then followed by having two children. Bartending in the food/wine industry offered the chance to re-enter the work world in the evenings while allowing time to be with children in the day. The opportunity to work with wine again sparked a curiosity and an itch to learn more and more about it. Although I intended bartending to be a stop-gap measure of a job until I could return to full-time classroom teaching, the realization occurred that the food and wine industry is a pursuit where complete satisfaction could be gained by pouring wine and making people incredibly happy. Thoughts of starting to build a new career in wine began to percolate. When people look back on their lives, one common regret is not having done the things we wish we had. And with a window of a handful of years until I had planned to return to the teaching profession, the decision to change course and take a leap into the wine world was joyfully made.” (Peggy Baudon) To learn more visit: Instagram @peggybaudon Twitter @peggybaudon LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/peggy-baudon-dipwset-b6aa84199 About today's guest producer: Francesca Accornero represents the 6th generation of winemakers of Accornero. Her family's winery is located in the beautiful commune of Vignale Monferrato in the province of Alessandria, between the Tanaro River and Po River. They farm over 30 hectares of land and produce a range of wines: from Malvasia di Casorzo, Freisa, Barbera, and others which, of course include Grignolino. Francesca and her family have been very successful with this difficult grape - described as an ‘anarchist' grape by Luigi Veronelli. Accornero's work with Grignolino has obviously solved the puzzle of this difficult grape. Ian D'Agata describes Accornero's Bricco del Bosco Grignolino as “a spectacular wine… that showcases the variety's many charms. It is refined, lifted and perfumed: or in a word, beautiful. It is light on its feet but penetratingly precise… exactly what a Grignolino should be about.” To learn more visit: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aziendaagricolaaccornerovini Website - https://www.accornerovini.it/en/rassegna-stampa/ More about the moderator Stevie Kim: Stevie hosts Clubhouse sessions each week (visit Italian Wine Club & Wine Business on Clubhouse), these recorded sessions are then released on the podcast to immortalize them! She often also joins Professor Scienza in his shows to lend a hand keeping our Professor in check! You can also find her taking a hit for the team when she goes “On the Road”, all over the Italian countryside, visiting wineries and interviewing producers, enjoying their best food and wine – all in the name of bringing us great Pods! To find out more about Stevie Kim visit: Facebook: @steviekim222 Instagram: @steviekim222 Website: https://vinitalyinternational.com/wordpress/ Let's keep in touch! Follow us on our social media channels: Instagram @italianwinepodcast Facebook @ItalianWinePodcast Twitter @itawinepodcast Tiktok @MammaJumboShrimp LinkedIn @ItalianWinePodcast If you feel like helping us, donate here www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/

Giovanni Casalegno"Una primavera italiana"Neos Edizionihttp://www.neosedizioni.it/Maya vive con gli zii a New York da quando suo padre si è reso responsabile della morte della madre, guidando ubriaco sulla neve del Monferrato. Glielo ripetono da venticinque anni, lei non ricorda. Ora il padre è morto. Un notaio l'aspetta in Italia. L'apertura del testamento darà il via a una caccia al tesoro dal premio inaspettato.Il padre di Maya tenta, da morto, ciò che da vivo non saputo fare: riavvicinarsi alla figlia mai più rivista dopo la tragica morte della moglie. Maya apparentemente non lo pensa mai, ma il riflesso di questa assenza l'ha resa fragile.Il testamento la condurrà, in un percorso progettato dal padre, a riscoprire la sua casa con l'immensa biblioteca paterna e la terra dove è nata, le colline del Monferrato, le vigne, la gente, i paesi, le chiesette romaniche. Di giorno in giorno anche la verità si farà strada a rischiarare il buio e a restituire infine il respiro pieno della vita.Un romanzo appassionante in cui la narrazione si intreccia con le lettere paterne, le pagine dei libri della mitica biblioteca, le chiacchiere con l'amica ritrovata, la storia del territorio, i giri in bicicletta. Le pievi di Bagnasco, Tigliole, Vezzolano, Buttigliera, Montafia, Cortazzone e Montemagno, sono anche loro protagoniste di un disvelamento al tempo stesso esistenziale e culturale: come a dire che ritroviamo la nostra vera storia solo insieme al valore delle nostre radici.Cara Maya,se stai leggendo questa lettera significa che qualcosa dentro di te è successo…Ho preparato questo piano con cura e con la speranza di ottenere un doppio risultato. Il primo è quello di dirti la verità. Il secondo lo scoprirai quando lo raggiungerai. Tu penserai che si tratterà della mia verità, sì, sarà la mia versione verso la quale ti accompagnerò se vorrai seguirmi. Poi sarai tu a decidere a quale lato della medaglia credere. Sono anni che voglio farlo, ma non ci sono mai riuscito. Il perché lo capirai un po' da sola, in parte te lo dirò io. Non posso pensare di morire con l'idea che mi ossessiona da sempre, che tu possa continuare la tua lunga esistenza con la certezza di aver avuto un padre che ha commesso quello che ti hanno raccontato…Giovanni Casalegno,è nato a Chieri nel ‘62, vive a Moncucco Torinese e insegna Lettere alle Superiori. Si occupa di didattica della storia (La Nuova Italia, 2014-15, Sansoni, 2016). Ha curato due antologie di racconti per Einaudi: Nella tua carne. Racconti erotici (2009) e Storie di libri (2011). Ha scritto anche Dizionario del lessico erotico (Longanesi, 1996, poi Utet, 2000 e 2004), Scrostati gaggio. Dizionario dei linguaggi giovanili (Utet, 2004), Brutti, fessi e cattivi. Lessico della maldicenza italiana (Utet, 2005). Ha inoltre pubblicato La luna, il cibo e i falò. La cucina sulle colline di Pavese (Il Leone Verde, 2008). Per Neos edizioni ha pubblicato due racconti nelle antologie Chieri, Freisa e rubatà (2013) e Brindare alla vita (2015).IL POSTO DELLE PAROLEascoltare fa pensarehttps://ilpostodelleparole.it/

After a week-long trip to Piedmont, Italy with a group of 20 patrons, I give an update on the region and offer some ideas on how to explore the wines on the ground and through the glass. View from La Morra Tips and producers mentioned/that we visited or that I recommend visiting:  1. To explore Nebbiolo, first hit Roero, then Barbaresco, and finally Barolo (first La Morra and Barolo, then Castiglione Falleto, Serralunga, and Monforte). Roero producers: Matteo Correggia, Massucco Barbaresco producers: Produttori del Barbaresco, Punset, Cascina delle Rose, Bruno Giacosa Barolo producer: Marrone, Marchesi di Barolo Marina Marcarino of Punset in Barbaresco   2. Barbera regions: Nizza, Barbera d'Alba, Barbera d'Asti, Barbera Monferrato Nizza producer: Erede di Chiappone Armando Nizza, at Erede di Chiappone Armando   3. Dolcetto regions: Dogliani, Ovada, Diano, Dolcetto d'Acqui, Dolcetto d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Asti Diano producer: Abrigo Giovanni Abrigo Giovanni, Dolcetto di Diano   4. Alta Langa (sparkling wine in the traditional method) Producers: Contratto, Coppo 5. Place to try lots of wines: Banca del Vino White grapes mentioned: Arneis, Cortese (Gavi), FAvroita (Vermentino), Timorasso, Nascetta, Erbaluce, Moscato Red grapes mentioned: Freisa, Grignolino, Ruché, Brachetto, Albarossa, Pelaverga Aromatized wines: Barolo Chianto, Vermouth   There is so much to explore - get out of just Barolo and Barbaresco and you'll open yourself to a totally different side of Piedmont. _____________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week:  Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you'll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.    If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople   To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Diventa un esperto di vino con il podcast di Tannico. In questa puntata imparerai quali sono e cosa hanno di magico i vitigni a bacca rossa del Piemonte: dalla tradizionale Barbera fino a varietà meno note come Freisa, Grignolino e Brachetto. Scopri la più accurata selezione di vini del Piemonte e non solo sul sito di Tannico. Al primo acquisto avrai diritto a uno sconto del 10% su tutto il catalogo (*): https://bit.ly/3xyibEa (*) La promozione è valida solo in Italia e per i clienti non ancora iscritti a Tannico. Sono esclusi i vini rari e le Master Experience. Per qualsiasi informazione o chiarimento ci puoi contattare all'indirizzo tfs@tannico.it

Episode 817 Stevie Kim moderates Clubhouse's Ambassadors Corner – In this episode Julianne Farricker interviews Amanda Courtney. These sessions are recorded from Clubhouse and replayed here on the Italian Wine Podcast! Listen in on this series as Italian Wine Ambassadors all over the world chat with Stevie and their chosen wine producer. Which producer would you interview if you had your pick? About today's guest host Julianne Farricker Julie is a Vinitaly Italian Wine Ambassador and an owner of The Italian Cellar, a wine shop that exclusively sells Italian wines. She has also traveled to all 20 regions of Italy and her next goal is to try every DOCG/DOC/IGT wine. When she is not keeping track of that list or educating customers about the beauty of Italian wine and gastronomy, she is also a high school English and history teacher. If you want to learn more about today's guest host, you can by visiting: Guest Moderator: Julianne Farricker Facebook Instagram: @giuliafarr Twitter @farrjul LinkedIn: Julianne Farricker Website: www.theitaliancellar.com About today's guest producer Amanda Courtney Amanda Courtney is the owner of Amanda's Wine Adventures. She was born and raised in the United States. Currently she lives and works in Italy, focusing most of her time in Barolo, Barbaresco and Etna wine regions. Since living in Langhe in 2011, she traveled extensively to the entire country of Italy, extensively discovering all the specifics of Italian wine, food, and culture. She is a WSET Diploma Student and certified Court of Master Sommelier. She since then has started up a small winery project with her husband Gianni called Delinquent where they work with only indegneous varieties of the Monferrato area: Nebbiolo, Grignolino, and Freisa. If you want to learn more about today's guest producer, you can by visiting: Facebook @amandaswineadventures , https://www.facebook.com/delinquentvino Instagram @amandaswineadventures , @delinquent_vino Website www.amandaswineadventures.com , www.delinquentvino.com More about the moderator Stevie Kim: Stevie hosts Clubhouse sessions each week (visit Italian Wine Club & Wine Business on Clubhouse), these recorded sessions are then released on the podcast to immortalize them! She often also joins Professor Scienza in his shows to lend a hand keeping our Professor in check! You can also find her taking a hit for the team when she goes “On the Road”, all over the Italian countryside, visiting wineries and interviewing producers, enjoying their best food and wine – all in the name of bringing us great Pods! To find out more about Stevie Kim visit: Facebook: @steviekim222 Instagram: @steviekim222 Website: https://vinitalyinternational.com/wordpress/ Let's keep in touch! Follow us on our social media channels: Instagram @italianwinepodcast Facebook @ItalianWinePodcast Twitter @itawinepodcast Tiktok @MammaJumboShrimp LinkedIn @ItalianWinePodcast If you feel like helping us, donate here www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/

A LONG HISTORY OF VINICULTURE. Giacomo Cattaneo Adorno is engaged in wine making and the other historical traditions of “Castello di Gabiano”

In the tradition of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and fertility, after which aphrodisiacs are named, we give you a list of 12+ foods that inspire love and passion, and the wines to match. Date night just got more exciting!! You can let us know if any of these actually work. William Blake Richmond, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Here's the list of the top 14 aphrodisiac foods and the wines to pair with them: 1. Watermelon is rich in L-citrulline, an amino acid that helps improve blood flow. Like Viagra, L-citrulline increases blood flow to the sexual organs but without any negative side effects!  Put it in a salad with feta and arugula (rocket, also and aphrodisiac so you get a double hit of spice in your life). Wine: Spanish rosé. I like a Monastrell-based wine because it's bolder and fruitier than some other Spanish versions, and you need that fruit to stand up to the flavors in this tasty but sweet, bitter, and salty salad. You can use a California rosé too, but Pinot Noir may be too light so get something a bit bolder and made from a different grape.    2. Salmon (and other cold water fish like herring, anchovies, sardines) has lots of omega-3s, which encourage good moods, good skin, good brainpower and a good sex drive!  Since salmon can be prepared in so many different ways, we give a few wine ideas: Raw salmon (sashimi or tartare) goes well with a dry rosé (here you can use a Provence rosé) or Albariño from Rias Baixas, Spain Salmon in a butter sauce (beurre blanc): A slightly oaked Chardonnay like a white Burgundy or an Oregon Pinot Gris could work Grilled salmon: New Zealand Pinot Noir or St. Amour from Beaujolais would be fantastic Blackened salmon: Zinfandel but make sure it's not over-the-top (Here's the wine I said should be the standard for all CA Zin: Nalle Estate Old Vines Zinfandel)    3. Oysters. Both because they are thought to resemble certain female body parts and because Romans in the 2nd century AD claimed that women had much prowess after eating them, oysters have become the standard for aphrodisiac food.  Wine: If you like the magnification of salt, go for a Chablis, Muscadet, Albariño, or Champagne. If you dislike that, stick with a Bordeaux Blanc or a Côte du Rhône blanc, both of which have lower acidity so it won't make the oysters seem quite as salty.    4. Asparagus. Well M.C. Ice had ALL sorts of issues with this one, but it's on all the lists I've found, so it has to make ours too. Another food that is all about increasing and maintaining sex drive, both its intrinsic properties and its "interesting" shape contribute to its effectiveness. M.C. Ice was grossed out by the smell factor and the shape argument really made him squirm.    5. Avocado.  This one comes from the Aztecs. They called the avocado tree "ahuacuatl." That means "testicle tree", because the avocados hang in pairs off the branches, so...yeah. Wine:  Avocado is great alone or in salads, sandwiches, or with Mexican. If you are having Haas avocados, the most popular type in the U.S., you'll notice they are both creamy and nutty. What's a wine that's creamy and nutty? One of my favorite whites: Fiano di Avellino, which has a lovely almond or hazelnut finish. Arneis from Piedmont could work too.    6. Carrot and ginger soup.  Here we go again with the shape thing... but carrots also have beta carotene and lots of other good for you vitamins, which Middle Easterners believed aided in making people more attractive. Ginger is spicy and it helps get your blood flowing. It also tastes delicious when combined with carrots in a soup!  Wine: If you're having roasted carrots (and other dishes that will fit this) you can easily pair them with a red like Côtes-du-Rhône or another Grenache-based wine that will be moderate enough to stand up to char but let the carroty flavor shine through.  If you take our suggestion of the soup (and add coriander, which we mention is known to increase sexual appetite), you'll have a trifecta of goodness that will pair well with Alsace Riesling or a Viognier from California or from the northern Rhône.    7. Truffles. I'm not talking about the chocolate kind. I'm talking about the rare kind found in the Piedmont of Italy that Greeks and Romans both claimed the musky scent of truffles made people's skin more sensitive and that's a good thing for a healthy love life. Wine: Slightly older Barolo or Barbaresco (also from Piedmont) is a perfect fit for the earthy, barnyard, mushroom note of truffles. Especially if the truffles are with red meat, bolder versions of these Nebbiolo-based wines will be perfect matches.  If you are having risotto or pasta with truffles, have Fiano di Avellino from Campania, or a bold white from the Rhône. I would steer clear of fruity, young wine for this pairing.    8. Fennel. The ancient Greeks found this vegetable which is like a celery, licorice mash-up (both also alleged aphrodisiacs), to be a real labido enhancer. Maybe it's because it has plant estrogen in it!  Wine: If you are have a steak with roasted fennel or a soup or stew with a fennel base, a great Northern Rhône Syrah or a more subtle California Syrah will be an excellent pairing. The flavors of a Syrah -- the rich fruit, the black pepper, and the spice will be great with the fennel notes.  For lighter style fennel dishes like vegetarian soups with a fennel base or chicken with a fennel cream sauce, a white Rioja or a slightly oaky Chardonnay can each hold their flavor and structure against the strong celery/licorice notes well.   9. Figs. Like oysters, when cut open, figs allegedly resemble a female body part and for that reason they have always been considered a food for the amorous. Because having them on their own presents a tough wine pairing challenge we recommend having them with a little cheese -- goat, feta or especially blue with counter some of that natural sweetness.  Wine: If you take the idea of having figs with cheese for your date night appetizer or tapas, you are going to need a very fruity, bold red to pair. Zinfandel, or southern Italian wines like Nero d'Avola, Primitivo (Zinfandel), and Negro Amaro can take on both the sweetness of the figs and the salty, penicillin-like note of the blue cheese. A slightly sweet tawny or ruby Port could also do the trick quite well.   10. Pesto (the aphrodisiac trifecta). Basil produces a sense of well-being and boosts fertility. Garlic spices up your desires. Pine nuts have zinc, which increases male potency. Put them together and bam! the most love enhancing potion there is.    Wine: Pesto comes from Liguria, right near the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. Cortese di Gavi and ARneis are classic Piedmont whites that have enough flavor to stand up to the garlic, a nuttiness to go well with the pine nuts, and excellent acidity to make them stand out. If you want a light red, stick with Piedmont again -- a simple Barbera, Freisa or Grignolino will do the trick.   11. Dessert of strawberries, raspberries and vanilla cake or whipped cream. Strawberries and raspberries are said to invite love. Latin American legend tells us that the vanilla plant was created when a beautiful young girl fell in love with a boy from the wrong class, and when a god asked for her hand and she said no, he got so angry he turned her into a vanilla plant.  Wine:  The honeyed, apricot flavors and good acidity of Sauternes or Barsac from Bordeaux would be excellent dessert partners. A late harvest (Auslese) Riesling from Mosel would be great or a lighter style fizzy wine like Moscato d'Asti also work wonders with berry vanilla desserts. Each of these ideas would work but my favorite pairing for berry vanilla desserts is demi sec Champagne 12. Wine! All on it's own, is an aphrodisiac in a bottle! Whether it's because your inhibitions go away or because alcohol also increases blood flow, red wine and Champagne, specifically, have been praised for raising the libidos and amorous intentions of those who consume it (in moderation). Apart from Champagne, which is always a great wine to pair with any food, and to liven up any dinner, here are some love inspired wines to consider: Romeo and Juliet, the greatest love story of all time, lived in the city of Verona. To pay homage, drink the bold reds of the region: Valpolicella and Amarone If you want the more pious route, you could pay homage to St. Valentine, the patron of love, marriage, and relationships. His relics are in a few key spots around Europe and you can choose which you like best for your wine selection! 1. St. Valentine's remains lie in Rome. Although Lazio's wines are a bit lacking, you could get a Sagrantino di Montefalco from Umbria (it borders Lazio in the northeast) or a lovely Piedirosso or Aglianico from Campania (borders Lazio to the south). Close enough, and these are great reds!   2. Relics of St. Valentine's are also in Madrid. There are some wines coming from Madrid now, but if you can't find those, get the rich reds of Ribera del Duero to inspire love. If you prefer white, get the whites of Rueda, in the same zone as Ribera del Duero, due north of Madrid.    3. It's a little unclear whether the relics in Roquemaure in the Rhône are the real deal, but if it justifies drinking Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which is across the river, I'll go with it!  **Note: there are also a ton of St. Valentine stuff in Dublin, so if you want a Guinness, that works too!  Whether its for Valen-wine, date night, or to test the properties of these aphrodisiac foods, we wish you a fun filled night!  Sources:  Gourmet Sleuth (this has many more ideas and is a great article!) Cosmopolitan The Healthy The Independent ____________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors: Wine Access  Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!  Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops. Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps. Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed! Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal    Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople   To sign up for classes (now for UK and Euro time zones!) please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!

Saved from the brink of extinction just 50 years ago, Viognier (pronounced vee-ohn-yay), is a white grape that's native to the Northern Rhône in France – mainly the areas of Condrieu and Ampuis. The grape produces effusive wines with a strong aromatic character -- peaches, apricots, flowers, herbs, and ginger are common -- and when made well it has a medium body with a touch of acidity and a pleasant bitterness. This week we continue the grape mini-series (maxi series now?) by exploring this comeback kid and the pleasure it can bring when in the right hands.    History Viognier's parentage is a bit ambiguous, but it is related to Mondeuse Blanche, which makes it either a half sibling or grandparent of Syrah (as MC Ice points out, we could definitely make a word problem out of this – it’s a brain twister to think about, but possible!). The grape is also tied to Freisa and may be related to Nebbiolo, both which are native to the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy.     Viognier was once grown pretty widely in the northern Rhône but the combination of the phylloxera outbreak in the mid- and late-19th century, followed by WWI, the Depression, and WWII drove a lot of growers to cities and left vineyards abandoned. By 1965, only about 30 acres (12 hectares) of Viognier vines remained in France, and the variety was nearly extinct.   In the mid-1980s, interest started to grow both in France and from winegrowers in Australia and California. Growing interest lead to more plantings and today the grape is grown in Condrieu, Chateau Grillet, and Côte Rôtie in the Northern Rhône, all over the southern Rhône for blends, the Languedoc in southern France, as well as in North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Israel, Japan, Switzerland, and Spain.   Climate and Vineyard Viognier needs a long, warm growing season to fully ripen, but not so hot it develops excessive levels of sugar before its aromatic notes can develop. Viognier must get ripe to allow flavor to develop and that happens late, often after sugars develop. Viognier is a small thick-skinned berry with good resistance to rot. It does well on acidic, granite soils. Older vines – more than 30 or 50 years old are best for the grape. There are at least two clones of Viognier. The older, original one from Condrieu is highly aromatic and tight clustered. The other is healthier, higher yielding and looks and tastes different according to some. This clone, likely made at the University of Montpellier, is widespread in Australia. Winemaking begins in the vineyard – picking decision is vital: Pick too early and the grape has no flavor, and makes a flat wine. Pick too late the wine is flabby and oily. Must be ripe but not overripe, with lower yields. Although it is likely best to make the wine in stainless or neutral oak with perhaps some skin contact for a few hours before fermenting, the barrel fermentations, malolactic fermentations, and aging on lees can squash the unique flavor and scent of Viognier.   Flavors and Styles Viognier is like peach, apricot, clementine, honeysuckle, chamomile, jasmine, thyme, pine, spice, ginger, crème fraiche, and honey with a full body and can be oily, or sometimes a bit bitter. It is low in acidity. When aged in oak it tastes like vanilla bean and with malolactic fermentation it is creamy and custard-like. It is almost always high in alcohol, with 14.5% ABV being common. The best Viognier from France often doesn’t age, and even loses aromas after a few years in the bottle. Some of the styles from Australia and the US, which have been aged in oak, last a few more years. The grape is often bottled as a single variety but can be blended with Roussanne, Marsanne, and Grenache Blanc. We didn’t mention this in the show, but the wine can be off-dry or even late harvest and sweet. Condrieu and Château-Grillet produce sweet wines in warmer years.   Regions... France Northern Rhône: Viognier is grown as single variety in Rhône appellations Condrieu and Château Grillet on right (west) bank of Rhône River. In Côte Rôtie, winemakers can include up to 20% of Viognier though most growers add no more than 5%. Condrieu Includes seven communes along 14 miles, and makes wines that are usually dry, delicious young, and very aromatic wit structure. The area includes steep hillside vineyards, that face south-southeast to maximize morning sun, not hot evening sun. The soils are granite with a deep sandy topsoil called arzelle. This soil makes the best wine. Yields must be low, and picking must be after the grape has full aromatics. Top producers: Guigal, Rostaing, Delas, Pierre Gaillard, Vernay, Francois Villard Chateau Grillet This appellation is owned by one producer, it is a monopole. It is just 7.6 acres/3.08 ha on granite soil with mica – making the wines higher in acid. Vines are 80+ years old and although the area seems ideal, there have been problems with wine quality. Recently the owner of Château Latour of Bordeaux acquired the monopole; there’s hope for restoration of its former glory.            Côte Rôtie We did a whole podcast on this area, but north of Condrieu is Côte Rôtie, a Syrah appellation that can include up to 20% Viognier in the wine (in reality it’s more like 5%). Viognier helps darken the color of the Syrah in co-pigmentation but it takes up valuable real estate so it’s not used as much as it could be. Other French areas: The southern Rhône, where it is blended, the Languedoc and Ardeche, where it makes serviceable Vins de Pays varietal or blended wines.   Other Europe: Switzerland, Austria, Italy   New World Australia Yalumba was the pioneer producer in South Australia’s Eden Valley in 1979. The Virgilius is their top wine (aged in oak). McLaren Vale, Barossa, Adelaide Hills, Heathcote, Geelong, Central Victoria, and more grow the grape, which is a challenge to growers because it stays flavorless for much of the growing season and then transforms into something delicious – patience is a virtue! One of the best uses for Viognier in Australia is its blends with Shiraz: Clonakilla (Canberra), Yering Station (Yarra), Torbreck (Barossa)   United States California Viognier came in 1980s to California when John Alban (Alban Vineyards in Edna Valley), Josh Jensen of Calera (Central Coast), and Joseph Phelps (Napa), brought it into the United States in small quantities. The plantings and interest grew as a group of producers dedicated to growing Rhône varieties, called the Rhône Rangers, grew in numbers and popularity. Today California has more than 3,000 acres of Viognier. Yields are high compared to France, the wines can often be overblown if grown in too-hot weather but the greatest examples are full-bodied and rich. Top Producers: Tablas Creek, Crux, Qupé, Alban, Calera, Kunde Virginia Viognier is a signature grape of Virginia because the thick skins of the grape work well in the humidity and the diurnals of the mountains mean Viognier can ripen but maintain acidity over a long growing season. The typical VA Viognier has great fruit, slight bitterness, medium body and good acidity. Top producers: Barboursville, King Family, Horton Other US: Oregon, Washington (we mention ABEJA), Texas Around the World: New Zealand, South Africa, South America (Argentina has a lot, Chile some – all young plantings)   Food: The wine is great with dishes that have rosemary, thyme, saffron, and creamy sauces. Expect to spend more than $50 a bottle for good Viognier (we had the 2017 version of the Guigal below. It was US$50).   ___________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!  Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!    Wine Access  Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!  I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).  They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops. Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps. Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!  Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal 

This week we are talking about Super Tuscan wine. Super Tuscans come from as the name suggests, the Tuscany region of Italy which is located in central Italy. “Super Tuscan” is a term used to describe red wines from Tuscany that may include the use of non-indigenous grapes, particularly Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.   Wine Recommendations Tenuta Monteti Caburnio 2010 - priced around $21. 55 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Alicante Bouschet, 15 % Merlot, 5 % Cabernet Franc, 5 % Petit Verdot Nose: Dark fruit - blackberries, black currant, black plums, floral (like lavender and rose) Dry, full body, medium plus acidity and smooth, soft medium level tannins Flavors: dark fruit, vanilla, touch of rose and lavender You can tell this wine has spent some time in oak and in the bottle - soft edges but still quite a bit of acidity so probably would be great with even more age We were not expecting the floral component - we feel this is a bit of French influence showing. This wine is complex and structured, can stand up to food or good for sipping on its own   Toccata Classico 2015 - priced around $29. This wine was given to us as a sample The grapes in this blend are 50% Sangiovese, 30% Cab Sav, 5% Merlot, 5% Freisa, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cab Franc  Nose: sweet & smokey BBQ ribs, ripe black cherries and blackberries, vanilla Dry, full body, medium tannins, medium plus acidity Flavors similar to aromas, plus black plum This is an intense wine that needs food with big flavors and/or a bit of fat. Most people will probably want food with it. This one could also age a bit longer, especially if you want to accentuate those umami flavors.   Sources Wikipedia  Wine Folly  Vinepair  Oxford Guide to Wine

A grape that MUST be in your arsenal, especially if you like Italian food, Barbera is diverse, food friendly, and darn tasty. The trick to the grape is to figure out the style you like and the place it's made. In this podcast we cover it all!   Overview: Barbera is one of Italy's top 5 most planted grapes, one of the 15 most planted in the world! 60%+ is in Piemonte, but it's found in almost every region We have no real idea of the parentage, but we know it's not related to the other Piedmont grapes...a strange anomaly that needs more investigation!    About the Grape Large bunches, oval, very dark blue berries – darkest of all the reds of Piemonte  Productive, ripens late, can get out of control quickly so pruning is a must. Even at high yields it tastes ok because of its acidity Drought resistant, versatile in many soil types, adaptable   The Wine The best are bright with good acid, cherry notes, earth, spice, low tannins With barrel age the wine can be plummy, round, softer and more complex -- oak can "beef up" the wine Barbera is a good blender but on its own can be tasty although it needs food There is A LOT of variety in winemaking and character Producers: Great producers of Barolo and Barbaresco make good Barbera Giacomo Conterno, Braida, Marchesi Gresy, Vietti, Paolo Scavino,  Giuseppe Mascarello, La Spinetta, Gaja Famed wine: Bricco dell'Uccellone     Appellations Italy Barbera d’Asti and Barbera Monferrato Superiore DOCG, up to 15% Freisa, Grignolino, Dolcetto. Asti – Barbera is queen  Nizza is the top wine – 100% Barbera, strict rules Lighter in color than other appellations in Piedmont Unofficial Classico region – between Nizza Monferrato, Vinchio, Castelnuovo Calcea, Agliano, Rocchetta, Belveglio – Barbera’s traditional best zone Barbera d’Alba DOC Smoother, richer, velvety Barbera – complex, powerful, dark in color Alba is popular because good winemkaers are here – best Barolo is made here and those winemakers also make Barbera limits the quality and quantities of the wines labeled with the Barbera d'Alba DOC.  Barbera del Monferrato DOC Barbera is blended with up to 15% Freisa, Grignolino, Dolcetto and can be slightly sparkling Tart, fruity, light, sharp acidity, can be frizzante , not in the market Lombardia: Oltrepo Pavese, some blended with Bonarda.  Usually good acidity, good with full food Emilia-Romagna: often blended with other stuff   Other regions: California First planted in 1880s Today: Bonny Doon in Central Coast, Peterson in Sonoma, many producers in Sierra foothills/Amador County, Lodi, Napa, Paso, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Central Valley Other US: Washington, Arizona, Oregon Australia: Barossa Top producers: Brown Brothers, Crittenden Argentina:  Mendoza makes good Barbera, used for blending Greece, Israel, Uruguay   Thank you to our sponsors this week: YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople     The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine    The Great Courses Plus has a wonderful National Geographic Live! Series that I recommend checking out: Celebrating Human Cultures! It explores fascinating civilizations around the world like: aboriginal Australia, the women of Afghan, the people of Cuba and it's led by photographers, travel writers, and other experts from National Geographic. It's a great glimpse into how other people live around the world!   HelloFresh! A meal kit delivery service that shops, plans and delivers your favorite step-by-step recipes and pre-measured ingredients so you can just cook, eat and enjoy! Delivered right to your door, with a variety of chef-curated recipes that change weekly, this is a new way to eat and cook! We love it!  For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit www.hellofresh.com and enter WINE30. You won't regret it!     

This is  our Four Wines episode for January 2018, our chance every couple of months to share recommendations with you for wines we’ve recently enjoyed but weren’t for an upcoming episode.   Wines featured in this episode: Alvarez de Toledo Roble 2009 100% Mencia grape and aged for 10 months in American and French oak barrels Deep purple color Medium intense nose of black plum, blackberries, pepper and a hint of floral and smoke It’s dry, full bodied with medium plus acidity, light tannins and flavors of black plum, fennel, leather, and a little smoke This is a food wine and pair well with cured meats like hard salami With the amount of acid we think this could probably be aged longer Priced around $10   Domaine de l'Espigouette Vieilles Vignes Côtes du Rhône A blend of 70% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, 5% Carignan, 5% Cinsault This wine has a nose of black cherry, blackberry, dried prunes, dusty earth and a hint of floral like lavender It’s dry, with medium plus acidity, medium - tannins and medium bodied with flavors of blackberry, lavender, dried bay leaf, pepper and a hint of wood Really nice blend - complex but not overpowering Fruit forward and lots of acid but still can be enjoyed on it’s own. Great with a red pasta sauce or pizza Priced around $14   Smithereens by Skinner 2015 White Blend This wine was given to us for free at the WBC This is a blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 21% Viognier, 19% Roussanne, 9% Picpoul and 3% Marsanne It was aged for 11 month, 60% in neutral french oak and 40% in stainless steel Aromas of white peach, white flowers, and golden apple It’s dry with medium acidity and body Flavors of crisp apple, flowers, and yeast The texture and body of this wine is perfect for colder months and has a beautiful balance between acidity and body We think this would pair well with lots of food - roasted root vegetables or Greek food but can still be enjoyed on it’s own Priced around $18 you can purchase this wine here    G.D. Vajra Langhe Rosso 2014 From Piedmont Blend: Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Barbera, Albarossa, Freisa, and Pinot Noir This wine smells like a bouquet of flowers - mostly rose with a hint of sweet dried fennel/black licorice- almost like the Good and Plenty candies! The label features a bouquet of flowers. It’s dry with medium acidity, light tannins and ripe juicy red plum and blackberry flavors, candied orange peel and rose This wine is also fruit forward and floral and we loved the complexity in flavors this wine brings. It’s a little lower in acid compare to the other reds wines featured in this episode so if you are looking for a sipping wine to drink on it’s own, this is the wine Priced around $16   We’re coming up to our 100th episode and to celebrate, we want to make you part of the show! Call into our new voicemail and tell us how the podcast has impacted you, or a short, fun story from your wine journey, or something you’ve learned about wine that’s made a difference for you. The number to call is 937-889-WINE (937-889-9463).  If you can’t leave a voicemail, you are welcome to email us at weeklywineshow@gmail.com.  

Martina Barosio works with her family at the Scarpa winery in Nizza Monferrato, within Italy's Piemonte region. Also in this episode, Erin Scala retraces a timeline of Nizza Monferrato.

Mario Andrion is the enologist at Castello di Verduno, located within Piemonte's Barolo zone in the town of Verduno. Also in this episode, Erin Scala explores the Pelaverga grape variety.

Maria Teresa Mascarello is the proprietor of Cantina Bartolo Mascarello, in the Barolo area of Italy's Piemonte region.

Marta Rinaldi works with her family at the Giuseppe Rinaldi winery in the Barolo area of Italy's Piemonte. Also in this episode, Erin Scala delves into Freisa.

Alex Sanchez works with the Brovia sisters at the Brovia family winery in the Piemonte, Italy. Also in this episode, Erin Scala charts the rise of single vineyard Barolo.

Fabio Alessandria of G.B. Burlotto returns to the show for an in-depth discussion about his work at the winery in Italy's Piemonte region. Also in this episode, Erin Scala talks treading.

Renato Vacca is the winemaker and owner of the Cantina del Pino winery, in Italy's Barbaresco area.

Gaia Gaja is the daughter of Angelo Gaja, and works for the Gaja winery in Piemonte. Also in this episode, Erin Scala explores the history of the shift drink.

Giuseppe Vaira works with his family at the G.D. Vajra winery in Barolo, Italy. Also in this episode, Erin Scala explores the world of blind hearing.