Overlooked Siblings of Italian Wine Superstars  Virtual (Zoom) Tasting Friday, July 10, 9:00PM Eastern 6:00PM Pacific  As the younger sibling of an extremally successful brother, I have always had a special place in my heart for talented actors and sports stars that were overshadowed by their more successful siblings. Think Frank Stallone, Joey Travolta, Billy Ripken, Dom DiMaggio, and Jerry Van Dyke. The same is true in the world of Italian wine. Piedmont superstar Barolo overshadows its sibling Nebbiolo D’Alba. In Tuscany, the much-acclaimed Brunello di Montalcino is in the spotlight while it’s little brother Rosso di Montalcino operates in the shadows. And finally, Amarone Della Valpolicella rarely lets it younger sister, Valpolicella Rapasso get the attention she deserves. Another similarity between the overshadowed wines and their entertainment/sports counterparts is that they work cheap. While the more famous wines command prices of $40-$50 and beyond, d...

Mrs. Wine Guy and I just got back from tasting wine in the Piedmont region of Italy (North West Italy).  Beautiful part of the world with outstanding wine  They are known for Nebbiolo especially from Barolo and Barbaresco, Barbara, Dolcetto, and Moscato D'Asti.  If you get a chance go you will not regret it. Three things I learned: #1: Not all Barolo is created equal. There are 11 sub-regions in Barolo.  Four of them (Cherasco, Verduno, Roddi and La Morra) have primarily sandy soil.  These tend to be aged in large neutral barrels so oak is not as apparent. Barolo from this area is fruitier, less tannic, and less complex than other sub-regions.   These are the areas that traditionalists believe produce the most accurate expression of what Barolo should be. Another two sub-regions, Barolo and Novello, are grown in soil that is a combination of clay and sand. They provide a more balance between fruit and tannin and are more complex than the wines gro...