Do you delight in discovering Italian grapes outside of Italy? Then the next Italian Food, Wine and Travel chat on Saturday, March 6, is for you! We’re getting together on Twitter starting at 8 am PT/11 am ET. You’re invited to follow along by using the #ItalianFWT hashtag.
Wherever they’ve emigrated, Italian farmers have brought native vines from their homeland. Of course, plenty of others cultivate these varieties, too, whether as homage to their heritage or because wines made from these grapes are so darn tasty.
Lately, I’ve been turning up Italian grapes as I explore the Pacific Northwest wine regions close to home. But my first encounter with an Italian grape outside of Italy was a Nebbiolo I tasted years ago at tiny Va La Vineyards in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Native to northwestern Italy, Nebbiolo is a light-skinned red grape that yields the elegant Barbaresco and powerful Barolo. In the hands of Va La’s Anthony Vietri, Nebbiolo plays a starring role in a savory, earthy, velvety, and tangy field blend that is simply “wow.”
Here’s the full list of #ItalianFWT bloggers participating in this upcoming event and the wines we’re covering:
- Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla: “Cheesy Bites, a Colorful Board, and a Barbera…from California”
- Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm: “Italian Grapes Grown Outside of Italy and Served Out of a Box? Che Diamine!!!”
- Andrea at The Quirky Cork: “Tuscany Meets Turkey with Chateau Murou Montepulciano Sangiovese”
- Jeff at foodwineclick: “Italian Grapes from Unti Vineyards at the Winter Grill”
- Martin at ENOFYLZ: “A Splendid Cal-Ital: 2016 Giornata Nebbiolo Luna Matta Vineyard”
- Jennifer at Vino Travels: “Remy Wines: Italian Grapes in Oregon and a Winery After my Heart”
- Terri at Our Good Life: “Millier Wines: Italian Grapes in Lodi Paired with Grilled Salmon Tacos”
- Nicole at Somm’s Table: “2 Italian White Wine Blends Born in California”
- Gwendolyn at Wine Predator: “Italy in California: from Aglianico to Zinfandel” and “Italy in California: Nebbiolo from Humbolt’s Terragena and Santa Barbara’s Silver”
- Susannah at avvinare: “Vermentino, A Star In and Out of Italy”
- Linda at My Full Wine Glass: “Native Italian grapes find a home in the land of Pinot Noir”
Hope you can join us!