Category: Italian Wine

A History of Piedmont

Tuscany is often referred to as the Bordeaux of Italy. So Piedmont is surely comparative to Burgundy, at least according to the engaging personality of Chiara Boschis at E. Pira who says “we are all small artisan producers, rather like the Burgundians”. This view is further supported when you consider that production of the indigenous […]

Franciacorta, Italy’s ‘Champagne’ region, is bubbling to the surface…

Last week I visited Lombardia’s Franciacorta region accompanied by Edwin Dublin, one of Berry Bros.’ sparkling wine experts, who also works in our No.3 St James’s Street shop. For both of us this was our inaugural visit to the region. Over two days we visited seven cantine: Lantieri di Paratico, Bellavista, Biondelli, Monte Rossa, Cavalleri, Uberti […]

Barolo 2008 update; excessive green-harvesting, the other contagion; and London’s finest, Brooks’s Club, visits the Langhe…

Evviva! Vintage 2008 should be gathered up with open arms by (true) Nebbiolo appassionati around the globe. For 2008 is a classic vintage, that enjoyed a cold winter, a long growing season and a normal October harvest, a month after the much touted 2007. Generally it has yielded more (refreshing) acidity, a marginally lower pH […]

Olek Bondonio: no ordinary Piemontese, no ordinary Barbaresco producer…

Joining Berrys’ impressive line-up of Barbaresco producers (Rivella, Cascina delle Rose, Luisin, Roagna, and Marinacci) at this year’s ‘Grand Tour’ Italian tasting at Lindley Hall, London on September 6th will be one Olek Bondonio, whose first vintage was in 2005. He is just one of the increasing number of exciting Barbaresco producers now emerging from […]