What are the first words or even feelings that come to mind when you hear “Italian Wine”? 

For me it’s every wine that begins with the letter B (Barolo, Brunello, Barbera, the list goes on) coupled with a whimsical and romantic sensation while imagining magnificent rolling hills lined by cypress trees and luscious greenery in the distance.  Of course, I am basing this vivid snap off of those exquisite photos of Tuscan Estates as seen in the Wine Spectators of the world (clearly a must visit), but its so true, right!

Piedmont and Tuscany (Piedmonte and Toscana if you want to go all seductive Italian on me) are Italy’s most prestigious wine regions. It would be remiss of me if I did not delve into these old world regions seeing as they are some of the best wines in the world filled with rich history.

Aside from the production of stellar Italian wines, I felt a calling to dive deeper into both areas because of a single producer - La Spinetta. I’ve been admiring them from a far through their passionate and authentic social media posts and their 2017 il Rosé di Casanova, which I refer to as having a strawberry sour-patch kid finish! Although, I have yet to visit, their heart and soul through viticulture and the human hand behind these wines is prevalent at first sip. Sustainability at it’s finest my friends.

For a bit of background and because all wines have a story to tell, La Spinetta (meaning “top of the hill”) was first established by the Rivetti family in 1977 in a little place that’s well known for their super sweet dessert wines, Moscato d’Asti. Following their intuition, the Rivetti’s believed there was more that Moscato could stand for and set out to produce the region’s first single-vineyard Moscato wines, Bricco Quaglia and Biancospino. Essentially, the rest is history, really.  (Read on for more thrilling details about their first red wine and Nebbiolo/Barbera blends to follow - here).

By way of wine, I sipped my way through these vineyards in my humble Manhattan apartment starting with their first love Moscato d’Asti and worked my way toward those robust reds that Italy is famous for, Barbera + Sangiovese.

Enjoy the ride!

Cheers!