On February 21, 2017, we tasted wines made from the Aglianico grape, a red grape and southern Italy’s answer to Nebbiolo (the famous grape in Barolo and Barbaresco wines)! Aglianico was the principal grape of the prized Roman Falernian wine and was praised by the Latin poet Horace. It was brought to the region by the Greeks almost 3000 years ago. This grape continues to flourish on the ancient black lava flows, producing full, deep purple, inky wines, redolent with black curr

The Nebbiolo grape is to Barolo what the Pinot Noir grape is to Burgundy. Both grapes have made their wine-producing regions famous, for good reason since they both produce high quality, long-lasting wines. What about 2006 as a vintage? They can be described as wines of good depth, sturdy structure and fine elegance, already more open than the ’05s (which were rough-edged at this stage of their life) and which display appealing, snappy tannins and a nervy acidity. Our wines

Barbaresco and Barolo communes are situated in the Piedmont area of Italy about 10 miles apart and both produce wine from 100% Nebbiolo grapes. Yet, despite the proximity of these two wine producing zones that use the same grape, they produce two distinct styles. Many refer to Barolo as ‘masculine’ and the Wine of the King and Barbesco as “feminine” and wine of the Queen. Or to draw from the title of a popular book, “Barbaresco is from Mars, Barolo is from Venus”. On May 12,

As attendees arrived at the Faculty Club on October 21, 2014, they were treated to a wonderful reception wine, Tatone Montepulciano from Abruzzo, Italy, provided by Vinaio Wines of Toronto. It’s a medal winning wine carried by Vintages and labelled a Vintages Essential which means it’s available all-year round from Ontario’s Vintages stores and for the modest price of $15.95. Everyone who sampled it was very impressed with its full body, great depth of flavour and were stun

Brunello is considered to be one of the richest and most prestigious wines produced in Italy, largely due to its exclusivity. Our guest speaker for the evening (May 21, 2013) was Ben Hodson of Trialto Wines. HOW THE WINES RANKED THE WINES 2004 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli $99 “The estate’s 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli is a big, strapping wine loaded with dark fruit, smoke, new leather and minerals. The Montosoli, from one of Montalcino’s top sites, shows