While most large cities in the world have the best cathedrals and museums, my favorite places to visit are the smaller towns and villages in a country. I enjoy the slower pace and less crowds, but I also love to see a place with ties to older customs. It is like stepping back in time, and since I’m a history geek, it resonates far more than a famous sculpture or painting. San Gimignano is exactly the type of place I love to explore.
We are going back to Italy for our next wine.
I’m not a big white wine drinker. I tend to prefer heavier, more robust red wines. White wines are usually either too fruity or too sweet for my palate. In addition, there are more health benefits in red wines, so I figure if I’m going to consume the calories, I might as well get the positive effects that go along with a red wine.
In preparation for our next “big” trip, I am again tasting the wines of Italy.
Barbaresco is one of the great wines of Piemonte, a region located in Northwest Italy. Barbaresco is made from the Nebbiolo grape, which has been grown in the Piemonte as far back as the 13th century. Nebbiolo is a late maturing grape, and is tempermental, very sensitive to different soils and climates. The grapes in this wine are grown at an elevation of 600 to 1300 feet above sea level.
Well, I’m finally leaving my beloved Spanish Reds for a bit and turning to Italy. As usual, my wine selections often reflect my future or recent travels, and Italy may be next wine country on the agenda. Historically if I drink Italian wines, I gravitate to Chianti wines (minus any fava beans of course!)