Dedicated to Sommeliers
This category contains useful information dedicated to sommeliers and aspiring sommeliers or those working as such. You will find information from associations, insights, ideas for Christmas gifts, gossip and personal opinions. 😋
Bellenda: extraordinary vertical tasting of Prosecco S.C. 1931 at Vinitaly 2017
Every year, as is now customary, I write an article on the winery that most moved me at Vinitaly, and for the 2017 edition I chose Bellenda. I take this opportunity to thank Agnese Ceschi and Lavinia Furlani of Wine Meridian for contacting me and...
Sauternes Barsac Crus: all the tastings of the 2016 Primeurs in Bordeaux
Sauternes is one of the most famous French wines in Italy. The AOC Sauternes is at the southern end of the Bordeaux wine-growing area and consists of two different appellations: Sauternes and Barsac. For us humble Sauternes enthusiasts, this represents a wine...
Frost 2017: disaster in Italian vineyards, photos and thoughts directly from winegrowers
Everyone's been looking at the thermometer for the past couple of nights in northern Italy: after a beautiful March, with above-average temperatures that brought forward the shoots in many areas, the frost of these nights arrived, bringing temperatures back down to below...
Millésima Blog Awards 2017: a fabulous week in the France of wine
As you probably know, I won the 2017 Millesima Blog Awards and picked up the trophy in France, in Bordeaux, during Primeur Week. The prize consisted of a fabulous week tasting wines from the finest Bordeaux Chateaus together with my colleagues....
Vinitaly 2017: Joska Biondelli presents 3 Franciacorta wines, 2 are exceptional.
It is 3pm and I am in the Franciacorta tasting room at Vinitaly's Palaexpo Lombardia where Jouska Biondelli is about to present the new vintages to the press. I am already familiar with this Franciacorta winery that was founded just 7 years ago, and I am very curious...
Vinitaly 2017: (almost) 200 extraordinary wines and 40 wines not to be missed
Yes, I know... it's Sunday evening and Vinitaly 2017 started this morning! As you may know I was in France, for the Millésima Blog Awards.... And I really didn't manage to make this article earlier. The connection in the beautiful Chateaus of Bordeaux....
Millesima Blog Awards 2017: an extraordinary experience for us winners!
I've been in France since last Saturday as the winner for Europe in the Food & Wine Pairing category of the Millesima Blog Awards, a guest of Millésima for a week to visit the wonderful food and wine reality of Bordeaux. I promised myself I would write a lot...
From the stars of Report to the stables of Franciacorta... but to go back to talking about wine instead of controversy?
Today I have dared a deliberately provocative title that I hope you will understand after reading my article. Of one thing, however, I am absolutely certain: to accompany a wine, which is nothing more than the product of the passion and culture of one or more artisans,...
Millesima Blog Awards 2017: but what are 3 Americans, 2 Hungarians and an Italian doing in Bordeaux?
The countdown to Bordeaux has now begun, where I, along with the other five winners of the 2017 Millésima Blog Awards, an international English-language competition dedicated to wine bloggers, will have a magical experience discovering this...
God save the wine at the Four Seasons in Milan: what are you doing next Thursday?
On Thursday 30 March 2017 in Milan, in the beautiful 15th-century frescoed convent of the Four Seasons Hotel*****, one of the most scintillating editions of the GOD SAVE THE WINE event ever will be "aired". The Festival, organised by Andrea Gori of "Vino da...
Identità Golose 2017: Paul Pairet, Cristina Bowerman, Davide Oldani and Heinz Beck
The thirteenth edition of the Identità Golose congress, which took place in Milan from 4 to 7 March 2017, had extraordinary exponents of international cuisine during all the days. To my recollection, the last time I had a fever I was five years old. In...
Will you come by for a toast with Cerasuolo di Mortilla on Saturday or Sunday?
On Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 February, in the afternoon, I will be at the Mortilla wines stand at GolosItalia, at the fair in Montichiari (BS). If you are a #winelover you cannot miss this appointment: over 640 exhibitors divided into thematic areas - food, wine,...
Remembrance Day: a toast to my grandparents so as not to forget.
I started preparing this article on 27 January... then of course it took a while to reconstruct everything. I know this is a wine blog, but on the occasion of Remembrance Day I wanted to make a toast to my grandparents and my...
Cascina Lorenzo: Once upon a time there were Alto Sebino wines, a recipe and 3 bloggers!
This title makes one think of the beginning of a joke... you know the one that circulated in the mid-1990s.... - there was a Frenchman, a German and an Italian - seasoned with the most improbable clichés? And instead this article is about a story of courage, of people....
Millesima Blog Awards 2017: Perlage Suite winner for Europe in the Food & Wine Pairing category
I mean, this week started off really well: today was the official announcement of the winners of the Millesima Blog Awards 2017 and... did I win ? I have a dream week ahead of me at the sponsor's beautiful château, Château Pichon Baron, where...
The 3 pillars of visibility: Hosting, WordPress, Content... effective!
Today I want to talk to you about the 3 pillars of visibility and quality that will enable you to achieve all your goals (and, guess what, it's not willpower!). For once we will leave food and wine aside, also because I remind you that...
Millesima: Blog Awards 2017 - Perlage Suite is 1 of 3 finalists for Europe
When I opened my e-mail this morning, I found wonderful news: my wine blog Perlage Suite is one of the 3 finalist blogs for the Europe area at the Millesima Blog Awards 2017! I am really happy about this unexpected nomination! Although I have...
Liguria: from the vine to wine between history, places and food
I had never been to Liguria before driving through it this summer on the road to Provence. I saw a very special region nestled between the sea and the mountains, with a very different landscape between the coast and the hinterland. I invite you to the trip in...
Oysters: things to know, tasting, pairings and a delicious recipe
Today I received a very welcome gift from La Piazzetta del Pesce following my appreciation for their innovative I Love Oyster format that I discovered at GourmArte 2016. I personally love oysters, but most of all I love experimenting with pairings....
Zushi Japanese Restaurant in Brescia and Prosecco Banda Rossa by Bortolomiol
Yesterday I was a real magician because I managed to reconcile 4 things in 4 hours (it never happens to me), and I liked the last of the 4 so much that I decided to share it with you, flying, in this article. I was in the Brescia area for work, so I decided to go to...
Calvisius caviar and Lanson Champagne at Ristorante Templari, Brescia
Wednesday 7 December at the Templari Restaurant in Brescia was a special evening dedicated to Calvisius Caviar and Lanson champagne, worked by the skilful hands of Chef Alessandro Ferrera. Unfortunately, last week I too fell ill and did not ...
Wine-themed Christmas gifts for sommeliers
Like every year I publish my wishlist of wine-themed gifts... which are perfect for Christmas, but also for birthdays and any other occasion there is something to celebrate! Well even if there is nothing to celebrate it is actually always nice to make or get....
Men and women: 10 things you don't understand
I know, you're reading the headline "Men and Women" and wondering whether you're on a wine blog or a lifestyle magazine... but after all, even those magazines talk about wine and cooking, so every now and then even I can make an Off Topic! No, you won't find...
Oysters: what they are, how to grow them, recognising them, combining them
Today I have tried to encapsulate in one post everything I know about oysters, a food that I love above all else, and I thank I Love Oyster so much for providing me with a really well-crafted booklet from which I have drawn some of this information. Ah, the I Love... format.
GourmArte 2016: good food products, some interesting wines, but the star is the cuisine!
Last Monday I went to GourmArte 2016... a bit against the grain since they were all at the Fivi Market. My choice was first of all practical: GourmArte is in Bergamo, i.e. a stone's throw from home... and being in a delivery period I have very little time!...
GourmArte 2016 - Bergamo hosts food and wine excellence Made in Italy
Tomorrow starts GourmArte, the Fair in Bergamo that from 26 to 28 November 2016 invites us on a journey to discover gourmet delicacies from all over Italy, especially those of the Christmas season. The beauty of this initiative lies in being able to stroll among the various...
Franciacorta Riccafana and Restaurant I Templari of Brescia: a successful combination!
Last night I went to dinner at the Ristorante I Templari in Brescia: excellent wines, promising cuisine, good service and really pleasant company were the ingredients of a very nice evening indeed! That's why I decided to start this article...
Tatù and Alessia Berlusconi present the brand new #FashionNoVictim Chilli Spray in Milan
I have just returned from Milan, where I was at the presentation of the brand new Chilli Pepper Spray for self-defence by Tatù, the Piedmontese start-up that in just over two years has churned out fashionable objects of great taste and with a spirit of solidarity. Niente Paura S.r.l. is...
What really pisses off those who like to eat and drink well
This morning I want to spend half an hour of my time to talk about an idea that is very close to my heart. I want to talk about the difference between production cost, real value and perceived value, and how a fourth word creeps into these three concepts:...
Comitissa Gold 2002 Lorenz Martini: Happy birthday daddy!!!
A quick thought for my dad, who turned 60 today. Today I spent a lovely day with my family at Ristorante Tentazioni in Pisogne, and I asked Sandro and Giacomo the kindness of bringing a bottle from home for Dad. When I was in...
South Tyrol: a wonderful day hunting for bubbles
This morning I got up comfortably, also because the bed at Sartori's Hotel in Lavis (TN) was really comfortable! Tomorrow I have a really full day and so today I'm taking it easy in Bolzano, a city that I always like a lot! I arrived around...
Trentino: a wonderful day hunting for bubbles
This morning, incredibly, I woke up half an hour before my alarm clock, so I was able to calmly get ready and set off in the direction of Rovereto! This weekend I'm in Trentino-Alto Adige on the hunt for the best sparkling wines for my guide 500 bubbles in...
Piedmont: a wonderful day chasing bubbles
I'm a bit excited: finally, Friday 7 October 2016 saw the start of my journey of Italy's best sparkling wines to toast the Fiat 500's 60th birthday together! I left a bit behind schedule... but I didn't expect...
"Eat Pray Love'... reflection with tasting of the historic Nautilus cru
I'm going a little off-topic tonight, I know. But a blog, by definition, is also the author's diary. So tonight, before I tell you about the tasting of the historic cru Nautilus, a classic method sparkling wine made only from red grapes aged for 24 months in the depths of Lake...
Risottare la pasta: tasty recipe for linguine with perch and 'nduja
How to risotto pasta is a question I have often been asked by people who have seen me cook. Perhaps because for me risottare spaghetti or other pasta shapes is almost an obsession, I do it all the time, especially with dry durum wheat pasta....
Restaurant menu: the 10 rules for creating the perfect menu
Sure, the Sommelier is the creator of the wine list while the Chef is the creator of the restaurant menu, however in order for the restaurant menu to be excellent, Sommelier and Chef must work together to create the perfect menu! Some may argue that....
Franciacorta Festival: Berlucchi presents Franciacorta Brut Nature
Last Saturday, on the occasion of the Autumn Franciacorta Festival, I went to the presentation of the new Berlucchi Millesimato paired with three starred fingerfoods by Chef Stefano Cerveni of the Restaurant Due Colombe di Borgonato di Corte Franca, 1 star...
Sette Terre Wine Fest: a beautiful evening among the wines of Bergamo!
On Friday evening I was in Bergamo Alta at the Sette Terre Wine Fest, which on this evening was sponsored by AIS Bergamo, and I had a really great experience! The Sette Terre Wine Fest is really worth a visit, also because for only 10 € you can taste the...
Thanks to Sony for the RX100M4 for my wine guide 500 bubbles in 500
Today I'm too tired to write an article... but since my beloved wine blog Perlage Suite has been missing me too much, I'll say goodnight with an evening thought. The air is pervaded with the reassuring scent of mama's ossobuchi, daddy frosting cassata....
Porquerolles: the fascinating wines of la Ila de Hyéres in Provence
Provence - Côte d'Azur is a region in the deepest south of France that fascinates with its colourful and romantic image that it has masterfully built up over the years. It is also for this reason that Francesco and I chose it as the perfect holiday destination....
Sommelier: 5 things not to tell him not to piss him off
I decided to write this article because I am really tired of hearing certain nonsense about sommeliers. I am also quite fed up with so many improvisers who have been given a voice by social networks and the web without any preparation. With a bit of provocation and a bit of...
Looking for a classic method sparkling wine? Try Biondelli's Franciacorta!
Looking for a sparkling wine with which to make a good impression without spending too much? Do you prefer Italian sparkling wines to their more famous (and expensive) French cousins? Do you love the Metodo Classico? Today I want to propose a brut sparkling wine with an excellent quality/price ratio that you can buy with your eyes ...
BBQ ribs: baked recipe with craft beer
Thanks to an American acquaintance I learnt how to make perfect baked bbq ribs at home (of course I'm talking about pork ribs), then I perfected the bbq ribs recipe and I must say that now I am really satisfied! In summer, the urge to make...
Is the customer (almost) always right?
This article was written to explore the relationship between the Sommelier and the Customer, but surely the principles on which it is based are useful for any business. I decided to write it after analysing some of my own working relationships to put a focus...
Classical Method lesson at Riccafana for the Franciacorta Festival
Last Saturday, on the occasion of the Franciacorta Summer Festival, the first lesson on the Metodo Classico of Perlage Suite was held at the Riccafana winery, held by the very talented oenologist Angelo Divittini. I think all participants can say it: it was a...
AIS 2016 exam questions and answers: let's study together?
Are you an aspiring sommelier and have your AIS exam in a few days (or a few months)? Come on and cheer up, I am sure you will pass the AIS exam and become a sommelier!!! ? Surely you are looking for AIS exam questions and answers to practise your study... well you are...
Exciting tasting at Poderi Gallino in Piedmont
Yesterday I had the classic example of a pleasantly exhausting day: waking up at 6 a.m. after 3 a.m. to finish the graphic design of my client's back label (I'll tell you about this company as soon as it's ready, we're really doing a...
In the palace/cellar of Marchese Umberto Fracassi: tasting, talk and music
I woke up early this morning to complete, and perhaps a little rewrite, the article on the afternoon at Marchese Umberto Fracassi's. Being an experience I had a few months ago with Francesco, I couldn't quite manage to complete it now that we parted because...
China Special: Trends, fashion and consumption of Italian wine
How to sell Italian wine in China is a topic that is very close to my heart, especially after Vinitaly 2016 and Jack Ma's promises to Matteo Renzi... and the latest wine-themed website I have created: TASTEvie.com that helps Italian producers sell their...
A rainbow of beauty on Lake Iseo contemplated with a Sauternes
Woke up at dawn this morning... after a very restless night's sleep, I got out of bed at 6 a.m. The beauty of my job is definitely that I can manage my schedule in total autonomy, but I must say that getting up so early has its advantages because you have...
Vinitaly again: many friends, a treat and a prize!
I've been writing a little less these days... but you know, when a great Love ends, it sucks a lot, a lot of energy out of you... and while you're thinking about whether you'll end up like Bridget Jones being eaten by an Alsatian shepherd in her flat... or in my case by a Paco (2.5 Pomeranian...
Monchiero, brief history of a mythological Barolo
Today I am making a leap from Le Vigne di Alice's Prosecco Metodo Classico to Monchiero's Barolo, setting aside Vinitaly for a moment, where I had the pleasure of re-tasting Fabrizio Merlo's Barolo di Sylla Sebaste, to return to the Langhe, to those splendid...
My greatest discovery at Vinitaly 2016? Prosecco Metodo Classico PS
Life is a Bubble is the slogan of Le Vigne di Alice, which I count as the best winery discovered during this Vinitaly 2016. Those who know me well know that I have always hated Prosecco... or at least that was until Tuesday, the day of my extraordinary oenological discovery!...
Vinitaly is in Verona, let's leave the Salone del Mobile to Milan!
If you've been following me for a while, you know how much I've rubbished the organisation of Verona Fiere for the 49th edition of Vinitaly, but if you don't, I suggest you read Vinitaly, another love story -ended tragically- in Verona, which even from the title hints at the tone...
Vinitaly 2016: young winemakers meet young bloggers
Today I am writing to you, for the first time, from the train on my return from Vinitaly 2016. A bit to optimise time and a bit to avoid finding myself in Edolo (I am insanely sleepy...)! In fact, with the iPad, life as a blogger is much better! 😉 This article will...
Which wineries you cannot miss at Vinitaly: download my map!
Dear winelover, at 1.30am on Sunday night I can finally go to bed. As I promised you a few days ago, I have prepared a map of Vinitaly with the wineries and wines that I recommend you taste! Obviously this map is constantly evolving: from tomorrow ...
From the new website to artist labels, the new image of the TreRè family
It is a little past midnight on a beautiful sunny Sunday where, for a change, I have been working all day! But before I fall asleep, I want to tell you about a lovely family that produces wines that are able to tell the story of my land...
Restaurant Zù in Riva di Solto: a nice Easter with the family, food aside
For this Easter 2016 I thought I'd try Ristorante Zù in Riva di Solto... accomplice being the beautiful lake view location that I love, and my parents and aunt coming to visit. I'll be honest, I've never had such a hard time writing an opinion in my life....
National preview of Barolo Cru Bricco delle Viole by Sylla Sebaste
Today I want to tell you about a winery that I had the pleasure of discovering thanks to Fabio Carisio, Mr Art & Wine, when I was in Barolo last month (Read the first episode of my #WineDiary on Barolo here!). Sylla Sebaste was born in 1985 thanks to Tersilia...
Recipe of linguine with prawns, aubergines and oregano flowers paired with Stefano Cola's Franciacorta DOCG
Scampi pasta is amazing, so today I want to give you my recipe for linguine with scampi in white, aubergines, shallots and oregano... with a nice Franciacorta to match! Unfortunately I couldn't find any excellent scampi so I decided to use these....
Happy Birthday Perlage Suite!
It is 11.29pm on 16 March 2016 and a little break from work is obligatory to tell you how Perlage Suite Wine Blog came into being... since today is its first birthday! I am a little bit excited because this wine blog represents for me the materialisation of the...
Sicily: Tales of wines & cuisines from one of Italy's most extraordinary regions
I am very attached to Sicily, partly because, having visited every corner of Italy, I cannot find a place in Italy as amazing for its natural, artistic, gastronomic and human beauty, and partly because it was the birthplace of my...
Identità Golose 2016: Milan stars in the Kitchen of Freedom
Identità Golose is the first Italian Congress dedicated to Cuisine d'Auteur conceived by Paolo Marchi in 2004, which this year celebrates its 11th edition in grand style. I was at Gusto in Scena in Venice a few days ago, and as 'admirable' as the great...
Matteo Morra: (almost) starred cuisine in Barolo
Matteo Morra is the very young chef patron of the eponymous restaurant housed at the excellent Sylla Sebaste farm in Barolo, and I cannot thank Mr Art & Wine Fabio Carisio enough for making me regain a lost passion for the...
Taste on stage: Marcello Coronini PROMOTION
Before I talk about my personal experience at Gusto in Scena, I want to make a premise about Cucina del Senza, as food and wine critic Marcello Coronini calls it. Cucina del Senza is based on a philosophy that I share: I love cooking...
AIS Examination Questions Level 3 2016
Thanks to my reader Francesca, who just yesterday took her third-level written exam at AIS Mantova, with whom I am just now chatting on Facebook and praising our favourite speaker, Bruno Piccioni (without taking anything away from all the others...
Becoming a Sommelier: 3 basic tips for NOT getting nervous before the exam.
Facebook has been displaying 'Memories' for some time now, that is, it reproposes old posts that you have published on the platform in previous years. Today it reminded me of this photo, taken at the La Baita wine shop in Faenza, a lovely little place... where I went back just...
Barolo: 2 days in wineries and restaurants with Mr Art & Wine
I take the opportunity of the 2 wonderful days spent in Barolo to inaugurate a new section of Perlage Suite: the #WineDiary! This section will host my personal and oenological 2016 diary and, if you like it, I will continue it in 2017! Barolo: Friday 5...
La Riccafana and Riccardo Fratus's bio-franciacorta
Have you ever wondered whether organic wine is a fad or a synonym for quality? Whether you're a bubbly enthusiast (like me) or a sommelier (like me), it's never too late to delve into an oenological topic destined never to go out of fashion! That's why I decided...
The Neapolitan pizza recipe... with a chilled Cajun craft beer!
I dedicate this recipe to all lovers of true Neapolitan pizza like me... and to my dear friend Walter Scarpi, who with Gianfranco Amadori makes a very good craft beer in Marradi. A preview reserved for my Newsletter subscribers,...
Countess Alessia Berlusconi marries Riccardo Fratus' Riccafana in Milan
La Contessa, Alessia Berlusconi's winery, is starting a wine partnership with Riccardo Fratus' Franciacorta winery Riccafana at Enoteca 21 in Piazza Duomo in Milan. My title, deliberately provocative, was also created to attract...
Tagliatelle with ragout and centesimino di Romagna: Grandma's recipe
Tonight I am writing to tell you about an indigenous grape variety of Romagna that I adore, the centesimo... and I will tell you about it in combination with a dish that for me remains the king of my table: tagliatelle with meat sauce! I grew up with my beloved grandmother, and I've been rolling the dough since...
Christmas in Pisogne: Irresistible temptations with the family.
Today I am writing to share with you the wonderful Christmas I spent with my family in Pisogne, on Lake Iseo, at Ristorante Tentazioni di Giacomo and Sandro Pittelli, two young twins of Calabrian origin who I am sure will go far. Giacomo is exceptional in ...
Post-Christmas family lunch? I chose Bellavista!
Before I tell you about my wonderful Christmas that I spent with my family at Ristorante Tentazioni in Pisogne, I will take a little leap forward to the day after: Boxing Day! You'll find out why in a few days.... Granted, I wasn't having a Christmas....
New Year 2016: my wish to be (eno)happy.
Tonight I am writing you my New Year's resolutions for this New Year's Eve 2016 on the fly, as I slip out of a 2015 that was really hard to put on. I spent the first six months of the year hard, in a mental and physical state that would have destroyed anyone. Then,...
Berlucchi, fingerfood and Deb & Rose: #BellaMilano
Today I'm writing to tell you about a wonderful experience I had a few days ago with Francesco... if you're in Milan with your boyfriend or friends, it's the perfect place for a quality aperitif... we had a really good time and can't wait to do it again! But let's start with...
9 Wine-themed Christmas gifts for sommeliers and #winelovers
Today I am writing to inform you of my wishlist of wine-themed gifts for this Christmas... which I will then DISINTERESTATELY link to all my friends ;-D I anticipate that selecting them was tough... then I finally decided to profile the #winelover so...
Sommelier at last <3
Today I am writing to share with you a very special emotion... Laura and I passed the AIS exam on 11 March 2015, but the AIS Sommelier diploma ceremony took place only last Friday, 27 November! And so... I am finally a sommelier! If you're...
The Duomo Market in Milan - Berlucchi Franciacorta Lounge opens
Today I am writing to inform you of this beautiful initiative dedicated to all lovers of Franciacorta wine resident or passing through Milan! Just now I received this email: We are happy to announce that Berlucchi has opened Berlucchi Franciacorta Lounge in Milan. The...
Casoncelli Bergamaschi: recipe with wine variant
Tonight I am writing to tell you about the sin of gluttony I committed this weekend.... which is to give you my recipe for Casoncelli bergamaschi! I must say that it was the first time I had ever made them... in my life I have only ever made Cappelletti and Tortelli di Zucca....
Morbegno in Cantina: a delightful event differently organised.
Morbegno in Cantina: a delightful event differently organised. A provocative title of mine, which I repeat to underline the concept of differently organised. But let us go in order: what is Morbegno in Cantina? I quote the official website of the...
Reportage - Ca' del Bosco method: quality or publicity?
I have always wanted to write this article, so I am very happy to have had the opportunity to do so thanks to Alessandra Viola, Ca' del Bosco's Public Relations Manager. Today I finally cleared my head about the Franciacorta giant....
Biondelli presents Prémiere Dame organic Franciacorta at Expo
Those who know me know that I am always rather sceptical of the word bio associated with wine... in fact I am very sceptical of the concept of bio in general on such a sick planet. That is why when dear Claudia Bondi invited me to the event in...
Christo, Berlucchi and the Franciacorta Festival
Last weekend, Lake Iseo came alive with two truly extraordinary events: the Franciacorta Festival for all #WineLovers and the Santa Croce Festival in Monte Isola for all #FlowerLovers. About the Santa Croce Festival held in Monte Isola...
Countdown to the Franciacorta Festival!
From 19 to 20 September, Franciacorta will be celebrating its annual festival with a series of truly unmissable events for all lovers of bubbles! And there will be something for everyone: winelovers will be able to take part in vertical and...
Al Bano: the fashion for making wine between scandal and truth
Today on Intravino I happened to read an article entitled 'Why Slow Food on Al Bano's wine at the Coop for €1.91 is wrong (convincingly explained)' that did not convince me at all. I tend to like Intravino a lot, however, sometimes I...
My recipe for muffins in combination with 'Forget-me-not' dessert wine
Today I want to delight you with a slightly unusual article: my recipe for muffins to go with Leone Conti's albana di romagna passita. These muffins are really quick and easy to make if you have all the ingredients and tools you need at home. To that end...
How to sell wine: the first product strategy to increase sales
In this article I will give you the first most important wine marketing strategy to increase sales. My aim is to make you see things from a different point of view than yours, an external one, to make you realise how much an aspect that you may consider marginal...
Is SEO dead? How to position your website in Google's top 20.
SEO is dead. Defunct. As outdated as that plaid lumberjack shirt in your wardrobe... or those wedges you were so desperate to buy. Flee like the plague when you hear about selling 'SEO services'... or read this article and...
The half-century of Mama AIS
Today I want to write you something that has nothing technical or constructed... but is just a little diary of the heart. On the occasion of "Mama AIS"'s birthday, I want to let myself be carried away by passion... and tell you about how my love for the...
Loazzolo DOC: 30 years and counting!
On Sunday 22 June, I was a guest of the Scaglione family in the province of Asti on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Loazzolo DOC and took part in a wonderful dialogue on wine together with other important personalities such as Antonello Maietta, President...
Emotions among the vineyards of Friuli
Today I am going to do something different than usual... I am writing to you not to help you do something, but to share with you the emotion that is possessing me to the core in these two days among the vineyards of Friuli. With a bit of presumption, to you who follow me and read...
Questions & Answers of the 2015 AIS Examination
Thanks mainly to the work of Elisa Maniezzo, a dear reader of mine whom I often hear by email and with whom I have discovered several things in common, today I post a few questions that have characterised the 2015 AIS exams... including my own ;-)...
Communicating wine: the ultimate guide to stop selling (and start earning)
In this guide you will discover techniques and strategies unknown to most wine sellers. Basically you will learn 2 fundamental tricks to effectively improve the way you sell wine. I will soon publish a comprehensive...
5 techniques for studying less and better for the sommelier exam
In this article, I want to give you 5 tools that have made a difference in the way I study in the hope that they will help you whenever you have to take an exam... and in particular to pass the AIS or any other association's sommelier exam. How many...
How to pass the AIS examination and become a sommelier
[Update 22/5/2015] Today an aspiring sommelier named Elisa emailed me to ask for more information about the third-level AIS exam I recently took at the Alta Romagna delegation. She reminded me of a few things I had ...
Vinho do Porto: travelling through the secrets of Venus!
I decided to 'dust off' this report I did in 2012 for another magazine... because Port is a wine that is very close to my heart! In this article I want to shed some light on the intricate world of Port wines, which, guess what, are not only Ruby and not produced by...
How to recognise if a wine tastes corked?
How many times have you happened at a restaurant to smell a wine with your gaze lost in the void, desperately searching for a neuron capable of making such an unknown synapse? In this short guide I will teach you three easy tricks to tell if a wine tastes corky! When a...
Wine e-commerce: why vintner Fiorenzo Sartore is wrong.
"I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse" Vito Corleone, the Godfather" I recently read an article on intravino.com (EnoMagazine which I really, really like... and I sincerely thank those who edit it for the beautiful work they do!) that gave me many insights...
How to sell wine in China?
In this guide I will reveal how to sell your wine in China based on market research by Daxue Research. Italian wine in China is an important reality and you too can be a protagonist in this market! I would like to say that this is the longest guide ...
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