~ Filippo Antonelli in his Cantina ~ Filippo Antonelli is as gentlemanly as they come.  While clearly confident in both his wines and himself, he exudes a certain humility that almost seems at odds with with his personality.  When I…

~ Red Pepper Spread & Crusty Bread for the Merlot ~   Once bitten twice shy is a good rule that someone coined.   It’s a rule I likely should have heeded.  But alas, my lust infatuation with Italian Merlot is well…

Consistency isn’t easy.  And while it’s nice to drink expensive wines it’s impossible for most to do this on a regular basis. So it’s imperative to have a stash of wines on hand that can be opened on a whim…

    It’s brooding, it’s tight, it needs to be decanted for 90 minutes plus….but what emerges on the other side is an absolutely gorgeous, richly crafted Brunello.  That such excellence can be achieved on the scale that Castello Banfi manages…