Guides
9 articles
How to read an Italian wine label without being seduced by it
DOCG, DOC, IGT, Riserva, Classico, vintage and QR code: what an Italian wine label really tells you, and what it keeps quiet about quality.
A wine cellar at home: what you really need to age wine
Stable temperature, humidity, darkness and calm: what matters when storing wine at home, in a wine fridge or a cupboard, and which bottles are worth the wait.
The wine list without the anxiety: a survival guide for the restaurant table
How to read a restaurant wine list, talk to the sommelier, handle the tasting, understand the mark-up and bring your own bottle without embarrassment.
Buying wine at the supermarket: how to choose without guessing
Appellation, vintage, bottler, codes, alcohol and medals: how to read the label and the shelf so you can choose well when buying wine at the supermarket.
Ten Italian wines for beginners: how to train your palate
Ten Italian appellations, from sparkling wines to Moscato d’Asti, chosen to train your palate on acidity, tannin, saltiness and sweetness.
Does the vintage really matter? It depends on the wine, and on the climate
Which wines live or die by their vintage and which barely notice, why hot summers are no longer exceptions, and what the numbers say about Italy’s 2025 harvest.
Wine glossary: twenty Italian wine words explained without the posturing
Tannin, sapidità, perlage, extra dry, sur lie, cru: twenty wine words explained simply, with the right numbers and a few uncomfortable truths.
How to become a sommelier: the routes, the levels and the real timelines
AIS, FISAR, ONAV, WSET, up to Master Sommelier and Master of Wine: how the paths to becoming a sommelier work in Italy, and how long they really take.
How to give a bottle of wine as a gift without embarrassing yourself
How to choose wine as a gift: the person first, the story before the price, birth-year vintages, the magnum, dinner-party etiquette and the right note.