June, the first act of a familiar estival trilogy, at times seems solely to exist as a place holder – one designed to energize an eager audience patiently anticipating the excitement and invigorating heat of yet another summer. Minds begin to fill with fanciful thoughts of leisure in exotic places – of white, sandy beaches, mountain […]
In Vino – Acquerello!
May 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Gianpaolo Paterlini is wine director of Acquerello, one of the finest Italian restaurants in America. I recently had a chance to discuss what makes he and his wine program tick. (This is the first of a two-part feature) SlaveToTheGrape: What was the first hint that you were developing a fascination with wine? Gianpaolo Paterlini: With […]
It takes a Forest!
February 21, 2012 By 4 Comments
From childhood, our imaginations are repeatedly stirred by captivating tales of noble forest-dwellers the likes of Robin Hood interspersed with fantastical worlds inhabited by gnomes, fairies, trolls, wolves and the like. As we grow, the forest enchants us through the infinite expanse of places it challenges our minds to explore and discover. Whether scaling one […]
The Republic of Venice – part two.
December 30, 2011 By 1 Comment
In the Republic of Venice part one, the delightfully expressive wines of the great northern Italian district of Soave took center stage. Yet, in the land of Shakespeare’s Capulets and Montagues there is another dominant voice of the vine that has celebrated the Veneto’s rich wine heritage for centuries – Valpolicella. Flanked to the west by […]
The Republic of Venice – part one.
December 14, 2011 By 1 Comment
This is the first in a two-part series on the wines of the Veneto. The Republic of Venice, through commerce and conquest, flourished for nearly eleven-hundred years! From the late seventh-century until its collapse in the late eighteenth century the Venetian city-state was one of great power and influence. Its strategic position at the intersection […]
Franciacorta – bellissima!
November 18, 2011 By 3 Comments
Many vineyard lands in the world regale our senses with wines that proffer the joyful frivolity of effervescence. Legions are those who have sworn fealty to their refined expression as witnessed in the consistently captivating and oftentimes remarkable wines of Champagne. Yet the land of Gaul is not alone in delivering delicious sparkling wines to […]
