Joel | January 10, 2010
Fontanafredda Barolo Lazzarito vigna La Delizia 2000, DOCG
You sometimes hear of Barolo’s haunting, ethereal character. Appropriate. The historical spirit of Barolo seems filled with ghosts and memories:
Of fathers and mothers grown old working the vineyards, and
times when you had to walk to get anywhere;
Wheat and maize planted between vine rows,
hail storms that destroyed [...]
Joel | August 24, 2009
The next time you drink Barolo, offer a toast to the Marchesa Falletti Giulietta Vitturnia Colbert di Maulévrier. It was she who wanted her nebbiolo wine to celebrate in name the place of its origin: Barolo.
Indeed, Marchesa Giulietta was “…a cultured…and generous benefactress and the leading light in a generation of Barolo makers who [...]
Joel | July 21, 2009
Gaja Magari 2006, Toscana IGT
Magàri is one of those Italian words that has several meanings:
“I wish !”, “if only..”, “maybe / perhaps”.
“Of course !”, “you wish !” or “you bet !!!”.
All are pretty fair translations.
But magàri’s specific meaning is really defined by situation - one needs context to truly understand.
I don’t know for sure if [...]
Joel | March 25, 2009
Mosaic artists of infinite patience have long decorated interiors and architectural spaces throughout Italy. Piecing together small bits of stone, “smalti” in Italian, mosaics tell of their ancient stories and perhaps envision future ones. A mosaic of Piedmont varietal and terrior, the wines of Icardi reveal to us the past and remind us of the [...]
