Cover the sidd%c3%b9ra valley where mistral winds and a soil composition of granite dust  sand  clay and limestone form a unique terroir  opy

Sardinia: Winemaking in the Extreme

Italy, Italy: Center & South, featured

Eric Guido, Nov 2023

Wild, rich, exotic, warming and seductive, the wines of Sardinia are unlike any others in Italy. While sometimes over-the-top, it's impossible to deny the sheer pleasure of exploring wines that showcase the unique personalities of the island's indigenous and not-so-indigenous varieties.

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Tipping the Scales: New Releases from Umbria

Italy: Center & South, featured

Eric Guido, Oct 2023

Fans of big, robust, age-worthy reds and whites should note that producers in Umbria are pushing the quality needle from Montefalco to Orvieto. The region is determined to prove its worth on the international wine scene.

Coverplaneta's buonivini's vineyard in noto copy

Surpassing Expectations: New Releases from Sicily

Italy: Center & South, featured

Eric Guido, Sep 2023

It’s incredible how much Sicily has improved in such a short period. What was once a selection of hit-or-miss, over-stylized, oaky and often rustic wines has become one of my favorite annual tastings. Quality continues to rise, and prices remain fair, meaning consumers can now find some seriously world-class wines here.

1 cover looking out across the gentle hills of cugnoli from cristiana tiberio copy

Chomping at the Bit: New Releases from Abruzzo

Italy: Center & South, featured

Eric Guido, Aug 2023

Following my visit to Abruzzo in 2022, I cited a list of issues within the region that were holding producers back. Some even toyed with the idea of leaving the DOC altogether. However, the response from the Consorzio over the last few years, while not without its own issues, has been quite positive.

Aglianico del vulture continues to impress  and improve copycover

Southern Italy: Diamonds in the Rough

Italy: Center & South, featured

Eric Guido, Jul 2023

Southern Italy struggles with several issues that have prevented it from realizing its true potential. The regions of Basilicata, Calabria, Puglia, Lazio and Molise each wrestle with their own challenges, yet there are many diamonds in the rough.

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Campania: Change Is Imminent…Or Is It?

Italy: Center & South, featured

Eric Guido, Jun 2023

Even with a tremendous surge in quality, Campania’s wines have yet to win over the average consumer. A core of old and new producers is determined to change that.

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Emilia-Romagna: Opposite Ends of the Spectrum

Italy: Center & South, featured

Eric Guido, Mar 2023

While Lambrusco is still king in Emilia, over in Romagna, a few wineries are showing the heights Sangiovese can reach if treated properly. The best part is that these lesser-known wines continue to offer great value in the market.

1 an umbrian vineyard landscape shows the mixed biodiversity that still prevails here copy

Umbria: Taking It to the Next Level

Italy: Center & South, featured

Eric Guido, Nov 2022

Umbrian wines have always communicated tremendous potential; however, except for a short list of producers, these wines have often been underwhelming. I have long looked forward to the day the region would begin to deliver the best quality possible. That day may be just over the horizon.

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The Unrealized Potential of Marche

Italy: Center & South, featured

Eric Guido, Nov 2022

Overall quality in Marche has never been higher. However, my feeling is that many producers have yet to fully realize the potential of this diverse region. I often left my tastings this year wondering what red and white varieties might be able to achieve here.

The hilly landscape of torano nuovo and pepe's old vine trebbiano azruzzese in the distance copy

Decoding Emidio Pepe: 13 Vintages of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Vecchie Vigne

Italy: Center & South, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured

Eric Guido, Oct 2022

Steeped in tradition, rare, certainly not inexpensive and sometimes earthy to the point of being rustic…to sum it up: intimidating. That’s what comes to mind for many consumers when they think of approaching an older bottle of Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Over the last six decades, these have been among the most distinctive wines made in Italy. Today, the current generation focuses on the future without taking away from their family’s glorious past.