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Etna Bianco: Stunning Whites forged on the slopes of Europe’s highest active volcano
Etna Bianco: Here’s everything you need to know about these exciting whites.
Riesling Rising in the Langhe
Although Piedmont’s ancient varieties steal the limelight, one outsider has shown impressive results in the Langhe: Riesling.
Pieropan Soave Classico Calvarino 2021-1987
On April 27th, Andrea and Dario Pieropan hosted me for what was a memorable vertical tasting of the their Soave Classico Calvarino. While...
Paolo Scavino Bric del Fiasc Barolo Vertical
Held at the winery for kerinokeefe.com on April 11, 2023 Kerin O’Keefe June 2023 ©kerinokeefe.com...
Don Fiorino 2016 Barbaresco Riserva (free access)
An ode to Barbaresco’s late parish priest Don Fiorino Marengo who in 1958 united 19 growers and founded the Produttori del Barbaresco cooperative cellar, the wine is a blend of grapes from the best vineyard sites.
Barbaresco 2020 Vintage Report
Barbaresco 2020 vintage report by Kerin O’Keefe.
Barolo 2019: The Definitive Report
Kerin O’Keefe evaluates the 2019 Barolo vintage
Valle d’Aosta’s Savory Secrets
Italy’s smallest region in terms of size and population, mountainous Valle d’Aosta turns out high quality, delicious wines, mainly reds...
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2017
Vintage report on Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2017 Here you find my vintage evaluation of Brunello di Montalcino 2018, updated with new...
Remembering Barolo Trailblazer Luciano Sandrone
My tribute to the great barolista Luciano Sandrone
Enrico Serafino Barolo and Barbaresco back to 1949: Indestructible Wines
Tasting decades-old fine wines is always a humbling, often memorable experience. Tasting a selection of older vintages of Enrico...
Top Italian Wines of 2022
Picking my top 50 was extremely difficult as I tried so many extraordinary wines, but here they are: 30 reds, 10 whites and 10 sparklers that excelled in 2022 and that showcase the class, stellar quality and unrivaled diversity of Italian wine. Enjoy!
Franciacorta Rising
Franciacorta turns out world class Metodo Classicos that get better every year
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 vintage report
Brunello di Montalcino 2018: here’s everything you need to know about the vintage and the wines.
Metodo Classico, Metodo Ancestrale, Asolo, Lambrusco di Sorbara and more
Just in time for the holidays, here are some of Italy’s top Metodo Classico and a few Metodo Ancestrale too from – Lessini Durello...
Barolo 2019: A Sneak Peek
Kerin O’Keefe evaluates the 2019 Barolo vintage
Barolo 2018: Finesse, fragrance and freshness (updated with new reviews)
The 2018 Barolos boast elegance, energy and enticing aromatics. Defined by extremely refined, well-integrated tannins and balance,...
Barbaresco 2019 Vintage Report: A Hallmark Vintage
The stunning 2019 Barbarescos shine a spot light on what was a fantastic vintage in the Langhe. And even though how a given vintage unfolds...
Alta Langa: The Classy Sparkler from the Piedmont Hills
Italy makes world-class bottle-fermented sparklers, aka Metodo Classico, and some of the very best come from the hilly slopes of Piedmont...
Alto Adige: Italy’s White Wine Wonderland
Italy’s northernmost wine producing region, Alto Adige makes some of best white wines in the country. Part of the Trentino-Alto Adige...
Brunello di Montalcino 2017: concentrazione, alcol ed alcune stelle lucenti (aggiornato con i punteggi delle recensioni)
Il 2017 è stato uno degli anni più caldi e secchi mai registrati, e questo si riflette chiaramente nella maggior parte dei Brunello di...
In cima al mondo dei vini bianchi: Alto Adige
In cima al mondo dei vini bianchi: Alto Adige di Kerin O’Keefe You can find the original English version of this article here: On Top...
Brunello di Montalcino 2016: finezza, longevità e…l’elefante nella stanza
Dopo l’incredibile successo del Barolo 2016 che ha debuttato lo scorso anno, la frenesia intorno ai Brunello 2016 appena usciti è...
Olivio Cavallotto 1930-2021: Pioneer in single-vineyard Barolo and organic viticulture
Olivio Cavallotto 1930-2021, pioneer in single-vineyard Barolo and organic viticulture
Barolo 2016: un moderno Classico – Aggiornato e con le recensioni
Tra marzo e aprile di quest’anno, ho recensito 359 Barolo della fantastica annata 2016. Le recensioni, ora disponibili...
Un tributo a Renato Vacca, grande vignaiolo di Barbaresco
ll 14 marzo, Barbaresco ha perso uno dei suoi viticoltori più appassionati, Renato Vacca. Titolare della cantina Cantina del Pino, Vacca...
A tribute to Barbaresco grower-producer Renato Vacca
On March 14, Barbaresco lost one of its most passionate winemakers, Renato Vacca. Owner of the boutique winery Cantina del Pino, Vacca was...
Brunello di Montalcino 2015: il buono, il brutto e il cattivo (e il grande)
Per fortuna, nonostante le sfide, un buon numero di produttori hanno azzeccato tutte le mosse ed hanno realizzato Brunelli 2015 eccezionali con frutta succosa, freschezza ed equilibrio. Mentre alcuni mostrano un buon potenziale di invecchiamento, la maggior parte dei migliori vini avrà bisogno solo di qualche anno per arrivare al momento ideale per essere goduti, ma dovrebbero mantenersi bene per ulteriori 8-10 anni.
Barolo 2016: A Modern Day Classic
Living just an hour drive from Piedmont, I spend a lot of time in the region, and travel there for days at a time at least nine or ten...
Il momento migliore per bere quel Barolo? Forse proprio adesso!
Uno dei più grandi equivoci sul Barolo è che bisogna aspettare decenni prima che i vini siano pronti da bere. Sebbene una volta questo...
Col Fondo: il nebuloso caso del vino torbido
Se sei un appassionato del Prosecco Col Fondo, il tradizionale Prosecco che subisce una seconda fermentazione in bottiglia ma invece di...
Col Fondo: The Murky Case of the Cloudy Wine
If you’re a fan of Prosecco Col Fondo – the traditional Prosecco that undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle but instead of...
Bunch thinning – too much of a good thing. Diradamento: sicuri che sia una cosa buona?
The English version of this article has been published here: https://www.winemag.com/2019/03/14/is-there-really-a-benefit-to-crop-thinning/...
Brunello di Montalcino 2014: un’annata dall’eleganza facilmente approcciabile
La 2014 è stata una delle annate più fredde e piovose della memoria recente in Italia e Montalcino non ha fatto eccezione. Tuttavia, grazie alla competenza dei produttori più dedicati, ci sono alcuni deliziosi Brunelli di questa annata appena rilasciata, vibranti e carichi di finezza, con poche eccezioni si possono già godere ora e nei prossimi anni. Offriranno puro piacere e bevibilità mentre si aspetta che i 2013 si sviluppino pienamente.
Gianfranco Soldera, grande produttore di Brunello, muore a 82 anni
Gianfranco Soldera, uno dei vignaioli simbolo di Montalcino – noto per la produzione di eccezionali vini di notevole finezza ed...
Vini italiani: i miei top 30 del 2018
Un’annata di assaggi sicuramente molto gratificante, i grandi rossi italiani hanno dimostrato tutto il loro potenziale suscitando...
Addio Giuseppe Rinaldi (in italiano)
Giuseppe “Beppe” Rinaldi, uno dei produttori più rispettati delle Langhe, è scomparso domenica 2 settembre all’età di...
Addio Giuseppe Rinaldi
One of Barolo’s most outspoken and respected producers, Giuseppe “Beppe” Rinaldi passed away on Sunday, September 2nd, at the age of...
2013: Radiant, cool climate Brunellos for the cellar
If you want to experience the energy, elegance and age-worthy structure that first drew wine lovers and collectors to Brunello di...
Bruno Giacosa è deceduto a 88 anni
Oggi il mondo del vino italiano ha perso una delle sue leggende, Bruno Giacosa, all’età di 88 anni. I Barolo e Barbaresco di Bruno...
The Volcanic Wines of Italy
What sets apart some of the most exhilarating Italian wines today? New benchmarks for complexity and longevity have one thing in common:...
I Vini vulcanici d’Italia
Alcuni dei vini Italiani più interessanti e intriganti hanno una cosa in comune: le origini vulcaniche dei loro terreni. Mentre i vini...
Traveling Back in Time With Nebbiolo
On November 18th, I traveled in a virtual time machine: a vertical tasting of 8 Nebbiolo-based wines from Alto Piemonte from 1842 to 1970....
Alto Piemonte: the “Other” Nebbiolo
If you’re a fan of Nebbiolo – the sole grape behind Barolo and Barbaresco – you’ll love the radiant, mineral-driven Nebbiolos and...
2012 Brunello: a return to finesse and age-worthy structure
If you love wines with elegance, fragrance and longevity, then you’ll love the just-released 2012 Brunellos. And even though I’m one of...
The Terroir-Driven Food of Italy
Terroir isn’t just about wine. Chefs in Italy are looking local for their ingredients, from Caffè Cibrèo in Florence to Osteria...
The wine writer (by Jessica Bordoni)
Passion and knowledge. These are the keys to the success of Kerin O’Keefe, one of the world’s most influential wine critics. Born near...
Scrivere di vini (di Jessica Bordoni)
Passione e competenza. Sono queste le chiavi del successo di Kerin O’Keefe, tra le firme più autorevoli e influenti del giornalismo...
Producers Strike Down Piemonte Nebbiolo DOC
After a meeting between producers and their consortia of the Piedmont region that lasted for more than four hours yesterday (September 12),...
Why You Should Be Worried About Piemonte Nebbiolo
If you love Barolo, Barbaresco and other wines made with Nebbiolo, brace yourself for the worst proposal I’ve heard in years, and one...
Italy’s Amphora Wines: Back to the Future
Searching for the best way to make pure, terroir-driven wines, a few brave producers in Italy have traded in their temperature-controlled...
Italy’s Great Pinot Grigios
Wine snobs may look down upon Pinot Grigio, but I’m proud to say that I like it—as long as it’s the good stuff. There are extremely...
Trentodoc: Italy’s Mountain Sparkler
I’ve written a lot about Italian bubbles over the last few years, and with good reason: They just keep getting better and better. And the...
Italian Legend Giacomo Tachis Dies
The wine world is mourning the loss of Giacomo Tachis, one of Italy’s most celebrated enologists, who passed away on Saturday, February...
Discover Italy’s Old Vine Wines
You’ve no doubt seen the term “old vines” on many wine labels (think Old Vine Zinfandel) but in Italy, the term takes on a whole...
My favorite wines of 2015
Italian wines have never been more exciting. Here are some of the best that I tried over the last 12 months. One of the best aspects of my...
Italy’s Most Collectible Wines
Thanks to a string of outstanding vintages over the last two decades, Italy’s most celebrated wine regions are on a roll: Barolo...
11 Reasons You Should Be Drinking Prosecco
Of course, you really only need one: It’s terrific. Some say no other beverage defines the Italian philosophy of la dolce vita, or...
Walter Massa Timorasso 1990–2012: The most famous unknown wine
Kerin O’Keefe explores the recovery and rise of Timorasso, the indigenous varietal that has achieved eminence in obscurity thanks to the...
The Superiority of Prosecco Superiore
Discover Conegliano Valdobbiadene, home to Prosecco’s most celebrated vineyards. I’m not a big fan of slogans, but after a recent...
Tasting the native wines of Sardinia
The idyllic island is not just a vacation destination: Consider it your new go-to region for compelling Italian wines. Situated off the...
The Great Debate: To Decant or Not?
Forget about arguments for or against trendy topics like Natural Wines and the existence of terroir, because nothing causes more debate...
Hot Italian Wines: Is 15% abv the New 14%?
Vineyard practices and climate change have yielded wines with high alcohol levels that used to be seen only in New World bottlings. Italian...
Brunello 2010. Some fantastic wines alongside under performers
After the wild success of the 2010 vintage in Barolo and Barbaresco, Bolgheri and Chianti Classico, all eyes are on Montalcino. Although...
Italy’s long-lived whites
It’s generally assumed that Italian white wines are cheerful and made to be consumed during the first year after the harvest. And while...
Making sense of Montalcino
Forget recent debates over new oak, excessively low yields and native grapes versus international varieties. Today, the hottest topic in...
Tradition Rules at Giuseppe Quintarelli (by Paolo Tenti)
This hard-to-find Valpolicella estate is worth discovering, explains Paolo Tenti. When wine lovers hear the name “Quintarelli,”...
2009 Brunello di Montalcino: Enjoy Soon
My tasting of the 2009 vintage revealed that it was another challenging year in Montalcino, and the main problem was the weather. Scorching...
Antonio Mastroberardino, Father for Campania Wine, Dies
Antonio Mastroberardino, the visionary behind the successful wines from southern Italy’s Campania region, died on January 28 from natural...
Gianfranco Soldera – Case Basse (by Paolo Tenti)
Paolo Tenti catches up with the Brunello di Montalcino producer who lost most of six vintages when his cellar was vandalized. Gianfranco...
Whole-Bunch Fermentation Spreads to Piedmont
The technique already divides growers in Burgundy, and now producers in Barolo and Barbaresco are arguing over it, too. While the debate...
Moscato d’Asti: Rappers’ delight
Moscato’s rapid accession to the drink of choice for the hip hop crowd has propelled this delicate light sparkler into the spotlight....
COS: A Sicilian Success Story
A young trio who started making wine during a long summer break, spurred a viticultural renaissance in southeastern Sicily. Kerin...
Addio Franco Biondi Santi
The Italian wine world lost an icon when Brunello legend Franco Biondi Santi, dubbed “The Gentleman of Brunello,” died over the...
Biondi Santi
Drunk by the Queen, hidden from view during WWII: the wines of Biondi Santi. (The head of the renowned estate, Franco Biondi Santi, died...
Interview with Piero Antinori
There was little sign of the celebrated Tuscan sun in late February as I made my way through the rain-swept narrow streets of Florence...
Harnessing the Power of Mt. Etna
Harnessing the Power of Mt. Etna His unorthodox winemaking methods and gripping wines have made him the area’s most talked-about...
Brunello di Montalcino 2008 and 2007 Riserva
The latest releases from Montalcino’s cellars have had their first outing and they’re a mixed bag. The 2008 Brunellos and 2007...
Col d’Orcia
The first thing to do was to pull up tobacco and wheat; after that it was years of studying Sangiovese. All that work has paid off, says...
Ornellaia and Masseto: A Tale Of Two Wines
Kerin O’Keefe delves into the background of the famed Italian wines Ornellaia and Masseto. When Lodovico Antinori founded his estate...
Giuseppe Sesti: Brunello Written in the Stars
A medieval Montalcino castle inspires a stargazer to make his own wine. When Giuseppe Sesti, a historian of astronomy, purchased an ancient...
Police arrest suspect in Soldera wine sabotage
Police have arrested a former employee of Brunello producer Soldera in connection with the destruction of thousands of litres of wine. As...
Tenuta San Guido
Sassicaia is the Italian wine world’s rock star, and not just because of the unusual rocky soils where the wine’s grapes are...
Montalcino rallies round as Soldera’s Brunellos are destroyed
Vandals have destroyed thousands of litres of ageing Brunello in the cellars of cult producer Gianfranco Soldera. The cellars at...
Italy and the American palate: debunking the myth
Wine drinkers in the United States have long been pigeonholed as obsessed with dark, oaky, powerful wines, and this perceived preference...
Modest maestros
From the shadows of Italy’s famous consultant winemakers, who drove the country into the spotlight with cult bottlings from international...
Montalcino: time to get in the zone
Forget blending scandals and infighting over the make-up of Rosso – the biggest issue facing Brunello di Montalcino is the creation of...
Lugana. World Class White with Finesse
Lugana is one of the most exciting white wines made in Italy thanks to its unique growing conditions, very old vines and native grape...
Meet the mavericks
They’re wild, they’re wacky, they have unconventional ideas – and they make some of Italy’s finest reds and whites....
US love affair with Italy
Why the US can’t get enough of Italian wine. Food and wine have always been important for Italian Americans, and today many star US...
A Rosso by any other name
Rosso di Montalcino used to be a light, simple quaffer, not a rich powerhouse like its big brother, Brunello. So why are so many Rossos now...
Brunello: 2005 now, 2004 Later
The tail-end of the vintage was a washout, leading some to write it off. Yet many smaller estates have made impressive Brunellos in 2005,...
Chianti Classico divorce papers come through
The Chianti Classico Consorzio has confirmed that after 78 years of distancing itself from the Chianti denomination, the divorce is now...
The Quiet Revolution
From its high as Italy’s flagship white, to its mass-produced, dilute low, Soave has improved quality, rebuilt its image and earned a...
Rebels without a cause? The demise of Super-Tuscans
Once considered the future of Italian winemaking, Super-Tuscans might finally have run their course. Kerin O’Keefe considers the past,...
Brunello: no change in the rules, producers vote
Brunello di Montalcino producers have voted by a landslide to leave the wine 100% Sangiovese. In yesterday’s highly publicised assembly...
Brunello: Image or substance, truth or dare?
“By law, Brunello di Montalcino can be made only with 100 percent Sangiovese cultivated in Montalcino. Otherwise, it’s not...
Brunello on the brink
An overhyped 2003 vintage, a fraud scandal, and the threat of a US ban has left Brunello in crisis. Could subregions be the answer, asks...
Sicily. A continent of wine
Once infamous for making industrial quantities of concentrated musts and uninspiring sweet wines, Sicily is fast shaking off its bulk-wine...
Gaja Barbaresco over four decades: 1961-2003
Angelo Gaja, one of Italy’s most charismatic and successful winemakers, is credited not only with drawing Barbaresco out of obscurity...
Brunello’s Moment of Truth
While the notion of terroir has been both celebrated and ridiculed in some of the world’s greatest wine-producing areas, one of Italy’s...
The Great Escape
It is rare today to find vines that have not been grafted to American rootstock to counter phylloxera, which destroyed so many of the...
Frescobaldi now in full control of Ornellaia
Tuscan producer Frescobaldi has bought the remaining 50% shares of Ornellaia from Constellation and now owns the elite Bolgheri estate...
Kerin O’Keefe racconta Franco Biondi Santi, il gentleman del Brunello (di Franco Ziliani)
Kerin, che vive in Italia e ha sposato un italiano, è una wine writer che a differenza di tanti altri suoi colleghi di lingua inglese non ha abboccato alle sirene dell’ineluttabilità dell’internazionalizzazione del vino italiano, e dei vini italiani sa apprezzare e raccontare, con intelligenza, buon gusto e garbo, l’originalità e quella diversità che ne contribuisce a creare il fascino e la grandezza.
Italian wine culture in danger of outsiders and ‘vultures’: Tachis
Giacomo Tachis, the most celebrated Italian winemaker, has outlined a bleak future for corporate-owned Italian wines – and says those who...
Pioneer Luigi Veronelli dies
Italy’s most celebrated wine and food critic Luigi Veronelli died at his home in Bergamo yesterday after a long illness. He was 78....
Trend vs. Tradition. Italian wine styles under siege
A modern-day war is being waged in Italy’s most renowned and treasured wine regions. Of course there are no real battlefields and no...
Nebbiolo is viognier cousin, conference hears
Nebbiolo, one of Italy’s most famous black grape varieties, is related to the aromatic viognier, DNA boffins have found. The noble...
Anti-Berlusconi label becomes collector’s item
A hand-painted Barolo label lampooning Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has become a collector’s item. The label scandal...