It's time for the new olive oil! I think we can collectively agree without much hesitation that 2020 so far has felt like our lives have been paused. But as many farmers have told me, agriculture goes on despite pandemics even if it regularly has its own challenges (particularly terrible are the fires in California right now). Also, global warming continues to be a threat with harvests that are anticipated and unexpected abrupt weather. But the grape harvest is coming to an e

Selvadolce is no ordinary winery, and the owner Aris is no ordinary winemaker. As you drive up the road from Bordighera, a sleepy seaside village, you get a view over an incredible bit of the Ponente side of the Ligurian coast, a stone's throw from the French border. Upon entering the gate, Aris welcomes you with open arms and a couple of friendly collies. There he stands, a down-to-earth farmer yet king of a spectacular place, uniquely nestled between the Italian Riviera and

Valpolicella is a region of contrasts. It comprises flat plains and steep hills, ugly industry and farm beauty, cheap wines, and expensive ones. Veneto is the largest wine-producing region of Italy and lies to the northeast. Its claim to fame is Valpolicella, a series of valleys and ridges shaped like a hand in the foothills of the Alps. The area has two subzones; the single-valley Valpantena, and the original area the Valpolicella Classica (“a” when we refer to the region” “

One of the up-and-coming grape varieties in Italy at the moment is the white grape Timorasso which originates in the southeastern corner of Piemonte. Colli Tortonesi has always been a wine region growing grapes like Barbera, Cortese and Timorasso - in fact, at one point Timorasso rivalled Cortese (that you may know from the white Gavi) for being the most common white grapes in all of Piemonte. Back in the day, there were plenty of small vineyards, but as the old farmers start