I love discovering new grape varieties, and Italy, especially Piemonte, never stops delivering. I consider myself familiar with many of the region’s indigenous grapes, including Freisa, Ruchè, Nascetta, and Grignolino. But Slarina? That was a completely new one for me. So when I spotted it on the list at Vinomio in Vercelli last week, I had to know more. What was this grape? What does it taste like? What is its story? And once I tasted it, I knew the Cascina Val Liberata 2021 Cenerina Slarina, Monferrato is the Please The Palate wine of the week. 

Vinomio opened three summers ago, in 2023, and it instantly became my favorite place to go. Whenever I am in Vercelli, I make my way there, sometimes with friends, sometimes alone, but almost every day of my visit. Aperitivo turns into a glass, which turns into another story, another discovery. For the few days each year that I’m back, I’m a regular.

Moscato is usually synonymous with sweet, which is why I was so surprised when I tasted Forteto della Luja’s Pasucrà. It is a wine that defies the typical expectation of Moscato sweetness and is unique and unexpected. Completely dry, with no residual sugar, it was utterly delicious. That is why the Forteto della Luja Pasucrà 2024 Piemonte Moscato Secco DOC is the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.

With Cabernet Franc Day approaching on December 4th, this week’s choice is a celebration of one of California’s most distinctive red grapes. The Covenant 2023 Landsman Cabernet Franc from Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, delivers exotic aromas, ripe red fruit, and a subtle toastiness. It is a wine that is as intriguing as it is delicious, and that is why it is the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.

Most people think of Prosecco as one thing: a cheerful, easy-drinking sparkling wine, perfect for brunch or celebrations. And, Prosecco DOC, which comes from the plains, is crafted in a clean, consistent style. But journey north, into the hills of Conegliano Valdobbiadene, and you will discover Prosecco DOCG. Here, at Bellenda, Prosecco is not just a category; it is a conversation between past and present, a story told through multiple styles, all from the same grape.

When Tyler Eck, owner of Dunites Wine Co., told me about the most memorable wine he had ever tasted, he recalled a Rhône wine he once shared with his father over dinner. What stayed with him was how the wine evolved and how each sip seemed to offer something new. I thought about this as I tasted his 2024 Albariño. Each sip revealed something fresh, something unexpected, something alive. That sense of evolution in the glass is exactly why the Dunites Wine Co. 2024 Albariño, San Luis Obispo Coast is the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.

Family, heritage, and bold flavors come together in the BoaVentura de Caires Winery 2020 Venture Red Wine, an Iberian-inspired blend from Livermore Valley, California. Named after Brett and Monique Caires’ son, Venture, who carries forward the legacy of the family’s wine-loving patriarch, this inky, rounded red is a tribute to tradition and hands-on craftsmanship, making the BoaVentura de Caires Winery 2020 Venture Red Wine - Iberian Blend the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.

For years, truffle hunting lived high on my travel bucket list. I imagined the misty forests, eager dogs, and the buried treasures of Italy's culinary world. Last winter, and again this winter, I finally made the journey during the heart of white truffle season, exploring two of Italy’s most revered truffle territories: Piemonte and Umbria.

Summer may be over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a beautifully crafted rosé. The Barton & Guestier Côtes de Provence “Tourmaline” 2024, the Please The Palate wine of the week, combines tradition, artistry, and Mediterranean spirit in a bottle. Limited-edition and collectible, this rosé features a vibrant label designed by Montreal-based French artist Isaure Atelier, whose expressive style captures elegance, lightness, and the warmth of Provence.

We drove up to Santa Maria to meet Michael Brughelli for lunch at Au Bon Climat in the Santa Maria Valley, where he makes his wines. Everything about him feels thoughtful and deliberate, from the way he talks about farming to the way he builds his wines, one careful step at a time. His focus is entirely on Santa Maria Valley, and he farms at the highest level year after year, believing in the cumulative effects that come only with consistency and patience.

Deep, bold, and layered, the Peltier Schatz Family 2018 Teroldego is a standout expression of a variety rarely seen outside Northern Italy. Sourced from two estate vineyards in Lodi’s heart and Clements Hills sub-AVA, this wine beautifully marries dark fruit, spice, and velvety oak, making the Peltier Schatz Family 2017 Teroldego, Estate Reserve, Lodi the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.

Ribolla Gialla is one of those quiet grapes. It is not flashy or bold with loud aromas, but quietly confident and mineral-driven. Native to Friuli Venezia Giulia in Italy’s northeast corner (and known as Rebula just across the border in Slovenia), Ribolla Gialla is an ancient white variety with wines that are light and crisp, with delicate floral and mineral notes and that unmistakable bright acidity that makes them so food-friendly. It’s a grape that thrives on transparency, and with Tenuta Stella, I got to see just how expressive it can be. During a virtual tasting, we tasted three versions of Ribolla Gialla: still, sparkling, and Riserva - the same grape, three very different personalities.

The north face of Mount Etna has a pull that’s impossible to resist. The volcano may rumble and puff, but it is the vineyards scattered across its slopes that command quiet awe. Here, centuries of lava flows have left behind ribbons of black rock and nutrient-rich ash. This patchwork of soils, layered eruption after eruption, now gives birth to wines of striking elegance, finesse, and tension.

Growing up in the central valley of California, we’ve inherited a sense of pride from our Greek parents and have continued to farm vineyards and make wine, incorporating the Mediterranean lifestyle an...

French Colombard is a white grape you do not often see on a wine label. It is more commonly used in blends or brandy production and rarely gets the spotlight. But in the right hands, such as with Patrick Cappiello of Monte Rio Cellars, Colombard can shine. Bright, fresh, and full of character, the Monte Rio Cellars 2023 French Colombard, Lodi is the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.

Peltier Winery & Vineyards is a fourth-generation farming family operation where the winery itself was established in 2001 by third-generation farmer Rodney Schatz and his wife Gayla in the heart of C...

Ruché, pronounced Roo-kay, is a nearly-lost red grape from Piemonte, Italy that was rescued in the late 20th century when a local priest revived his church’s old Ruché vines and began crafting a dry wine. Even today, production remains small in Italy. So to find a Ruché grown and made in the United States is all the more surprising, which is why the San Rucci 2022 Ruché from San Benito County is the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Allison Levine. Check out our conversation below. Allison, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?With my […]

Cambria is a women-owned, women-led producer of 100% certified sustainable, estate-grown Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the Santa Maria Valley AVA in Santa Barbara County, California.Founder Barbara Ban...

A few years ago, I was in Sonoma and met with winemakers Bibiana González Rave and Jeff Pisoni. Over sushi, they told me about their joint project, Shared Notes, a collaboration between the two accomplished winemakers and partners in life. It was a story of harmony, respect, and balance, expressed through elegant Sauvignon Blanc and inspired by the wines of Bordeaux’s Graves region.

I was immediately captivated by the nose of the Lambrusco with its aromatic rush of dark fruit, violets, and spice. Fittingly named Inciostar, meaning “ink” in local dialect, this wine is not like the Lambrusco that I have had from Emilia-Romagna. This Lambrusco is from Lombardy, in the province of Mantova (Mantua). Here, Lambrusco takes on a distinctive character that is bolder, more structured, and deeply tied to its clay-rich soils and ancient heritage. That is why the Cantine Virgili 2024 Inciostar Lambrusco Provincia di Mantova I.G.T. is the Please The Palate wine of the week.

Attending the annual Etna Days was both thrilling and daunting. On the first day, I walked into a room filled with more than 500 wines from 110 producers spread across every slope of Mount Etna. Where would I even begin? North, south, northeast, east, southeast? With Etna’s 142 contrade, the officially recognized sub-zones, each defined by its own soil, elevation, and microclimate, the possibilities felt endless.

CMB Family of Wines is a family-owned and operated portfolio of premium wine brands based in California’s Russian River Valley, on the Laguna Ridge at Martin Ray, one of the state’s oldest continually...

While attending the Simply Italian wine event in Los Angeles this week, I participated in a seminar about a region of Italy that I was not very familiar with. That might seem like a surprise since I have studied Italian wine and have traveled to Italy many times. The wine is Frascati, named after a tiny ancient town in the hills just southwest of Rome. A white wine that balances acidity and sapidity, I enjoyed the entire flight. But, one wine, the Villa Simone 2023 Frascati Superiore D.O.C.G Riverva, stood out and is the Please The Palate wine of the week.