Wine of the Month | An Artist's Barolo

May 31, 2019 Leslie Rosa

Winemaker Massimo Martinelli’s abstract artwork

Earlier this month, I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Massimo Martinelli along with his muse and life partner, Angioletta De Giorgis, at their estate—a happy mix between home, winery, vineyard, art studio, and a small boutique hotel they run called Antica Meridiana Relais Art. A dynamic duo if ever there was one! Massimo, the longtime winemaker at Renato Ratti and even president of the Barolo Consorzio for a period, retired some years ago, but has continued to make small quantities of Dolcetto on the side. In 2012…

Top 3 Winery Lunches in Mendoza

April 30, 2019 Leslie Rosa

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What wine tourists to Mendoza are most in awe of are the lavish lunches that many wineries offer. In recent years, more and more restós, as they are called, have been popping up, making it difficult for visitors to choose. Below, I have shared with you my three favorite winery lunches—each with a different style and one for each wine appellation: Maipú, Luján de Cuyo and Uco Valley.

Wine of the Month | Magma in Your Glass

April 24, 2019 Leslie Rosa

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For Earth Day this year, I headed back to my old stomping ground, Swirl on Castro, to lead a wine tasting on earth-friendly rosés with, of course, an Italian twist. The line-up was a trio of wines coming from powerhouse winemakers: Mathilde Poggi’s Bardolino Chiaretto 2017 (Le Fraghe, Veneto, Italy), Sam Bilbro’s The Flower Rosé 2018 (Idlewild, Mendocino, CA) and Chiara Vigo’s Vigorosa Etna Rosato 2017 (Fattorie Romeo del Castello, Sicily, Italy). Each one was applauded and appreciated by the crowd, but the rosé that won the vote at the end of the tasting was:

6 Things You Must Do in Rome (That Aren't the Usual Suspects)

March 29, 2019 Leslie Rosa

Rome is undoubtedly a city full of impressive sights. And, I love gazing into the Pantheon’s oculus, ambling down the maps corridor in the Vatican and circumnavigating the Colosseum with the best of them, but I have a few favorites that I wanted to share with you that are my go-tos when in Rome…

Wine of the Month | Wonder Women of Wine

March 8, 2019 Leslie Rosa

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With March being Women’s Herstory Month and today being International Women’s Day, what better way of celebrating is there than with a collection of wine made by women winemakers and/or coming from women-run wineries? Yes, this month. It’s not just one wine, but a whole tote bag full of them!

Wine of the Month | You'll Cry It's So Good

February 21, 2019 Leslie Rosa

Lacrima means “teardrop” in Italian and refers to both the shape of the grape and the fact that it has a thin skin and therefore breaks easily, releasing drops of juice. Others, like Ian d’Agata, will tell you it is because drinking Lacrima will produce tears of joy. I will second that! While doing my sommelier course in Italy, this is one of the wines that blew me away—its aromatic quality was like nothing I had experienced before.

Wines You Can Buy With A Few of the Presidents In Your Wallet

February 18, 2019 Leslie Rosa

Here is a shortlist of wines I love that you can buy with one of the Presidents hanging out in your wallet (give or take a few Washingtons).

5 Romantic Cities in Italy (Not the Ones You Think)

February 12, 2019 Leslie Rosa

We all love the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, Florence, Rome and Venice—oh, how we love them! However, Italy offers so much more than these well-loved (and well-trodden) cities and coasts. A plethora of off-the-beaten-path gems are waiting to host your next romantic getaway in Italy—whether that be a solo trip or one with a significant other. Below are a few of my faves this year. My Valentine’s treat to you. And, as a bonus, I’ve included a regional wine pairing for each. Enjoy!

Wine of the Month | A Do-Good Bottle To Kick Off the New Year

January 28, 2019 Leslie Rosa

Marco Pasanella with January’s Wine of the Month

While back in my hometown of New York City over the holidays, I was on the hunt for a perfect wine-of-the-month for January. My search led me to Pasanella & Son, a small wine merchant found in the South Street Seaport area of lower Manhattan.

A lot has changed to South Street Seaport since my childhood when my parents would take me and my sisters for ice cream and weekend strolls along the waterfront. Gone are many of the fishmongers and the old Pier 17, which have been replaced by high-end restaurants, European design shops, and exhibitions organized by the Prada Foundation. Some of this is due to the exodus of businesses during hard times post-September 11th or the fallout from Hurricane Sandy in 2012, some of it is just the ever-changing face of New York City…but, I digress. What you notice right away about Pasanella & Son is its respectful nod to history:

A Weekend in Matera: What to see, do, eat and drink in the city of caves

January 11, 2019 Leslie Rosa

If you haven’t heard of Matera—a small town carved into a canyon in Southern Italy’s region of Basilicata (the instep of the boot)—you will soon. This year, the city of caves is waking from a long hibernation and making a splash as the European Union’s Capital of Culture. For good reason too:

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