This year marks the twentieth anniversary of Millésime Bio which has arguably become France’s most compelling organic wine exposition. As in previous years, it once again convened in Languedoc’s Montpellier and I had the opportunity to experience the show for the fourth consecutive year. For me, it’s a pause from the retail side of wine buying – a chance to revisit the producer/supplier side of the job. As usual, it involved the intersection of cultural, linguistic, visual, and visceral stimuli that allowed me to hone and redefine my palate as a taster. I discovered a few producers whose wines that I had never tasted, and gained further insight into some of the producers that we currently support. Below are some of the highlights that I hope will trickle into our selection soon! (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘I Clivi’
Gemma’s Pick: Toasting the New Year with I Clivi’s Spumante
Posted in New Year's, Wine, tagged bubbly, Champagne, I Clivi, sparkling wine, Wine on December 27, 2012 | 1 Comment »
Wondering how to ring in the New Year? Our Cambridge wine buyer, Gemma, recommends welcoming 2013 with Az. Agr. I Clivi Spumante, a bubbly made from the native varietal Ribolla Gialla, cultivated in Italy’s prestigious Collio growing appellation. The grapes are 100% organically farmed and no sugars are added. (more…)
Christmas Wines: Two Special Bottles from Italy
Posted in Christmas, Wine, tagged Christmas, I Clivi, Roagna, vineyards, Wine on December 21, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
The holidays are in full swing – the season of festive gatherings and dinners with friends and family! These occasions often require a few different approaches when deciding what to uncork. Larger parties call for versatile, inexpensive wines to appease a broader range of palates and cuisines. For these purposes, our Cambridge store offers a good selection on the “$15.95 and Under” shelf. For more intimate gatherings this weekend and next week, Gemma, wine buyer for our Cambridge shop, weighs in with two special suggestions - one white and one red – both from Italy. (more…)
VinItaly 2012: Tasting New Vintages and Reconnecting with Growers
Posted in Beverages, Italy, Travelogues, Wine, tagged Andrea Oberto, Azienda Agricola Iuli, Cascina Corte, Erbaluna, Ferdinando Zanusso, Gabriele Buondonno, Giovanna Tiezzi, I Clivi, Lauren Friel, Lo Spaventapasseri, Millésime Bio, Oleana, Pacina, Richard Kzirian, Sandro Barosi, Stefano Borsa, terroir, VinItaly, VinNatur, Violette Imports, Wine, winemaker, winemakers on April 18, 2012 | 1 Comment »
With Giovanna Tiezzi of Pacina
As Formaggio Kitchen Cambridge’s wine buyer, the long-awaited arrival of spring means traveling to Verona for Italy’s most significant wine expo, VinItaly. The enormity and intensity of the show are both invigorating and challenging as it offers an expansive view of Italy’s wine scene, not only with thousands of indigenous grape varietals, but also with a genuine diversity of both terroirs and winemaking styles. Feeling overwhelmed is unavoidable. (more…)
Wine Recommendations for Easter Sunday
Posted in Beverages, Easter, Wine, tagged Chianti, Fattoria La Striscia, Ferdinando Zanusso, I Clivi, Mario Zanusso, Wine on March 22, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Wondering what to serve with your Easter feast? Gemma, wine buyer at our Cambridge location, is recommending a light, crisp white for appetizers and a fuller-bodied, flavorful red to pair with a traditional lamb dish. Both are from sustainable producers that we know and trust – below are descriptions of the two selected wines. (more…)
Four Sparkling Wines For the Holidays
Posted in Beverages, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, Wine, tagged Aubry Fils, biodynamic, bubbly, Champagne, Domaine des Vignes du Maynes, Ferdinando Zanusso, Henri Billiot, I Clivi, Mario Zanusso, organic, Philippe Aubry, Pierre Aubry, Ribolla, spumante, Wine on December 19, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
South End wine buyer, Julie Cappellano, and Cambridge wine buyer, Gemma Iannoni, offer their top picks for bubbly to celebrate the holidays and ring in the New Year! Their selections subscribe to our philosophy of selecting authentic, terroir-driven wines from producers using organic, sustainable, or biodynamic viticultural practices. (more…)
Thanksgiving Wine Picks: Red, Red, White
Posted in Beverages, Thanksgiving, Wine, tagged Beaujo, Beaujolais Nouveau, Dolcetto, Domaine des Côtes de la Molière, I Clivi, Ribolla, Roagna, Thanksgiving, Wine on November 17, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Wondering what to serve with your Thanksgiving meal? Leave it to Formaggio Kitchen’s wine buyers to handle those details for you! South End Wine Buyer, Julie Cappellano, and Cambridge Wine Buyer, Gemma Iannoni, have chosen three delicious wines that will save you the time and effort:
Molière ’11 Beaujolas Nouveau (Burgundy, France)
There aren’t many producers out there that go to the lengths that Bruno and Isabelle of Domaine des Côtes de la Molière do – they make biodynamic Beaujolais Nouveau without added sulfites! (more…)
WINE EXCLUSIVE: I Clivi’s Ribolla Gialla and Ribolla Spumante
Posted in Beverages, Italy, Wine, tagged Brazan, Galea, I Clivi, Mario Zanusso, Ribolla Gialla, Ribolla Spumante, spumante, Tocai Friulano, Wine on November 15, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The man behind the wine: Mario Zanusso
Just in time for Thanksgiving, we will have two I Clivi wines made from Friuli’s star varietal, Ribolla Gialla. One bottle is a still white wine and the other is a spumante sparkling wine – both zippy and refreshing. This is the first arrival of these wines in the Massachusetts market and both will be available exclusively at Formaggio Kitchen Cambridge and Formaggio Kitchen South End.
If you’re looking for a dry, refreshing, organic and affordable white to drink every day, pick up a couple of bottles of the 2010 Ribolla Gialla! The still Ribolla has a fresh, citrusy mouth feel with plenty of minerality and is low in alcohol, which is important in order to highlight the fine aromas that shine in this wine. (more…)
Celebration Libations: Wine for the Holidays
Posted in Beverages, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, Wine, tagged Champagne, Derain, holiday, I Clivi, magnum, Tocai, Wine on December 21, 2010 | 2 Comments »
Wine buyers, Julie and Gemma, share their picks for your holiday celebrations.
As we enter this season of sharing food with family and friends, we compile a list of our favorite wines to serve at parties and gatherings. Our top picks this year embody the qualities we showcase in our stores. Made in family-run wineries on small farms, using sustainably-grown grapes and natural fermentation, these wines are clear expressions of the terroir of the farms and the care of the producers. On their own, these lovely wines invite you to delve into their complex aromas and flavors. Paired with carefully selected cheeses, they demonstrate their full, orchestral potential. (more…)
Un Grande Vino: I Clivi Magnums
Posted in Beverages, Italy, Producer Profile, Wine, tagged harvest, I Clivi, Tocai, Tokay, Wine, winemaker, winemakers on November 2, 2010 | 1 Comment »
“Questo è un grande vino,” said Ferdinando Zanusso, referring to his ’99 Galea Bianco.
’99 Galea Bianco Magnum
The Zanussos produce wines under the name I Clivi in Friuli, Italy, and this past September, I stayed with them to help with the grape harvest. The night before I left, Ferdi led me through a vertical tasting of 10 vintages of I Clivi wines. (more…)
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