Displaying items by tag: Veneto

The wines of Valpolicella dance across the tongue with the same lift and loveliness as the name itself. Ideal with humble pastas as well as lighter red meats and game birds, it is well-suited to the table. As the  more modest bottling of the Valpolicella region, it is largely (and unfairly) overlooked among Italian reds these days.

Valpolicella is the so-called “everyday” red wine of the eponymous production zone that is situated just north of the city of Verona, and extends west and east of the city. Other reds here include the iconic Amarone della Valpolicella as well as Ripasso, a wine made via a method of refermentation and remaceration, in which a Valpolicella is “repassed” over the skins of grapes used for Amarone.

Summary: 

Valpolicella is home to some of the world’s most unique wine styles all of which are based on grape varieties indigenous to the region. 

Discover the natural and human factors that influence their production and the trends driving their evolution. 

Educator Deborah Parker Wong was awarded the title of Valpolicella Wine Specialist by the Consorzio Tutela Vini Valpolicella in February 2018 and has conducted a series of trade tastings marking the 50th anniversary of the DOC.

Presenter: Deborah Parker Wong

Deborah Parker Wong, DWSET is Global Wine Editor for SOMM Journal, The Tasting and Clever Root magazines and was recently appointed California Editor for the Slow Food Slow Wine Guide.

She teaches as an adjunct professor in the Wine Studies departments at Santa Rosa Junior College, Napa Valley College and Cabrillo College and owns a Wine & Spirit Education Trust school offering Level 2 and Level 3 certifications.

In addition to writing and speaking about wine, Deborah consults to producer groups, judges wine competitions and scores wine for Planet Grape Wine Review. Her motto is: To learn, read. To know, write. To master, teach.

Summary: 

The winegrowing area of Conegliano Valdobbiadene, historic birthplace of Prosecco, a wine that has skyrocketed to international popularity in a remarkably short period of time, is currently at a crossroads.

While some producers are happy to ride the huge wave of success by producing just what the market expects and wants, others are re-evaluating who they are and how to best express their long viticultural tradition and complex, multi-faceted terroir.

This webinar will pickup precisely where the previous one: Conegliano Valdobbiadene left off, providing profiles of many of the wines, wineries and producers — big and small, old and new — that exemplify the many aspects that make the winegrowing area of Conegliano Valdobbiadene truly unique.

Presenter: Alan Tardi

Alan Tardi first became interested in wine through food, working as a cook, chef, and chef-owner in New York City.

As a freelance food and wine journalist, Tardi has authored numerous articles for publications including The New York Times, Wine & Spirits Magazine, The Wine Spectator, Decanter, and Sommelier Journal.

In 2003, Alan moved to the village of Castiglione Falletto in the Barolo region of Italy, where he spent several years working in the surrounding vineyards and wineries through all phases of the growing and production process.

This led to his first book, 'Romancing the Vine: Life, Love and Transformation in the Vineyards of Barolo' (St Martins Press, 2006), which won a James Beard Award for Best Wine and Spirits Book of 2006.

In 2015, Tardi became the first-ever US Ambassador of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco.

His new book, “Champagne, Uncorked: The House of Krug and the Timeless Allure of the World’s Most Celebrated Drink” (Hachette 2016) recently won a Gourmand Best in the World Award.

The grape varieties of Veneto 

Veneto’s grape varieties are almost equally divided between white and red. More than 60% of the cultivated varieties are native or Italian grapes. Among them, the indigenous Glera, Garganega and Corvina Veronese account for almost half of Veneto’s total plantings.

Today, Veneto represents Italy’s most productive wine region and accounts for 25% of Italy’s total DOC/G wine production.