A drunk sommelier's Wine Review

I've been struggling with red wine allergies which you wouldn't know by the looks of my blog. Today, I break tradition by having a white wine - thanks to my red wine allergy that seems to be occurring only outside of Italy, I'm scared to jump back into French or American red wines. This Sancerre is buttery, light bodied, with dominant grape flavor that's very mellow and accessible. I don't generally like white wines and neither does my friend- she may even agree with me that this Sancerre lacks that crass Chardonnay flavor. Sorry to those who adore chardonnay but this wine is far more refined and easy on the palette, goes down easy and delicious with seafood.

When I came to Italy for my first time ever in 2015, I certainly did not expect to fall in love with so much. There were many opinions offered by friend and foe alike regarding Italy and the people of Italy. That being said, I also had made some wonderful Italian friends so it was not entirely a blind trip and my expectations of the people were already high considering how great my friends were. To say the least, the people don't disappoint, the food and drink surprises, and the great work that has been done by the government and the locals to preserve such a rich and precious chunk of history surpasses any expectations I had. At every turn around the various cities I visited on my first trip were pleasant surprises;  The numerous frescos that are visible from the street down below if you peer into oft open windows in Florence The sistine chapel's Michael Angelo vibrant colored paintings that cannot be done justice by pictures The local folklore in Bologna that t...

Sad to be leaving Rome (words I never thought l'd say considering my previous trip was not quite as pleasant since we encountered many a hoodlum. I'm delighted to report this was not the case this time and that even traveling as two ladies and walking everywhere at different times of day and night, we felt quite safe for the majority of time - you still have to be smart and alert, listen to your instincts but hopefully your experience will be as pleasant as ours has been.) We saved the best for last; Brunello di Montalcino which I feel captures the essence of Italy. It's opinionated, flamboyant, spicy, leggy, dark fruit flavored, and let's face it, quite appealing to the palette. Easily my favorite Italian, it certainly has strong tannins but not overly acidic with a lasting finish. It's bold, full bodied, and stands up to other strong tastes as you might encounter in cured meats and I imagine bolder cheeses. My trip around Italy from a couple of years ago...

I'm feeling reflective today. Not in a bare it all online manner but more in my usual introspective, private manner. We finished off our Roma trip with two realizations: 1) what loving yourself is all about 2) what being loved should be like I'll drink to us hopefully following that from here on out. That being said, this blog literally should revolve around wine and this one isn't any different. If Aglianico was a man, it would be smooth, velvety, pleasant smelling (might be the smell of diamonds and honey getting it on), knowing all the right spots to hit, and still maintaining a high level of dignity - quite the man. Absolutely worth the extra euros to get this bottle over an unfamiliar Nero D'Avolo (though after the glass cork in the last post,😆 it's still tempting to be on the lookout for interesting corks.) We enjoyed this at vinando which is absolutely worth the walk across many an unnerving Italian cross walk from the colosseum. Not sure yet about the tipsy...

Ok, aside from the dolcetto which though dry, tends to be a little too light and sweet for my palette, the Nebbiolo is the other Italian lady of the vine I've been avoiding. I remember this to be exactly as I found it, spineless, a little herby, and low tannins. It's an easy drink but it almost feels as though you're drinking a $7 bottle while you just paid $30 for it. I don't entirely dislike Nebbiolos and find them to pair about as well as dolcettos with pastas and pizzas but I wouldn't skip a Nero D'Avola for those varieties. In a reflective moment, I'm either finally getting smarter or I'm understanding the whole eat, pray, love thing. I love to eat Italian food and I pray that eating the food does not make me super fat. Ha! Again, feeling the need to note a restaurant name because it was beyond fantasy and kudos to my darling friend for yet another great find: Da Francesco. Go!

I don't know how it's possible that I missed this last time but apparently Nero D'Avola comes with a glass cork - it's Sicilian so of course it's cool and different. Hard to not start a mini collection of these.  This wine is one that improves ten fold after five minutes of airing out. The first taste tends to be leathery  but in the most flattering manner, it is also hollow. Again, it's a very accessible wine as long as you can wait a few minutes before drinking more of it. After what I have just said, it does seem off to say that the wine is fresh but it really feels quite young. I love traveling and the proof is in the pudding, I'm having an amazing time in Roma. Today for instance, while visiting the Colosseum/Colosseo, we found a secret entrance that I must share here. Instead of waiting in the long lines right at the front of the Colosseum, walk another 6 minutes down to Palantine Hill ticket office right off Via di San Gregorio and enjo...