Last week, wine writers and educators gathered for a lunch at Ristorante Tosca here in D.C. to meet with Matteo Bruno Lunelli and taste some exquisite Ferrari sparkling wines-not to be confused with the car company. Produced by his family’s Trentino, Italy-based winery, the Ferrari winery makes a lineup of first-rate traditional-method (bottle fermented) sparkling…
Cupcake Vineyards’ Generous Portfolio
What does it mean to call a wine “generous” or “giving?” Ask Cupcake Vineyards’ winemaker Adam Richardson, who uses those words to describe his growing portfolio of wines. According to Richardson, Cupcake wines all share a similar appeal: a balanced style that makes it easy for new wine drinkers to transition from one Cupcake wine…
A Climber to Appreciate: Napa Valley Red Wine
“The Climber,” vintage 2010, is an easy-drinking relatively light red wine with delicate flavors of red fruit, particularly bright red cherry along with a touch of tannic grip. Its eye-catching label alone may be enough for many to try this wine. It bears a black silhouette that cuts through the label, which upon close examination…
Winemaker Cristian Ridolfi presents Bertani Amarone in D.C.
Recently, winemaker Cristian Ridolfi presented wines from the Vento, Italy-based Bertani winery during a lunch for members of the wine trade at Georgetown’s Cafe Milano. Most of the presentation and sampling focused on the winery’s most prized wine: Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico. Amarone is made in the moderate climate of Valpolicella–a smaller region within…
Showcasing Portugal’s Alentejo Wine Region
When you think about Portuguese wine, Vinho Verde—the crisp and often prickly white wine—or Port wines might come to mind. But a recent event hosted by the Alentejo Wine Commission at the Portuguese embassy in D.C. showcased a much more diverse portfolio. Alentejo—a southern region best known for producing about half the world supply of…
