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exploring taste – Spring/Summer 2016 people – The wine writer

W hen did you discover a passion for wine extremely eloquent. That afternoon, I learned about the family,

and oenology?
the wine, but also got a new insight into the Italian wine world.
Right after college, when I met my future husband, Paolo Veronelli Editor had just started a series of books, I Semi,
about influential Italian producers. I went up to Bergamo and
Tenti. Paolo is Italian, from Varese, and already knew a lot presented my case to the great Luigi Veronelli as to why Franco
about Italian wines. In 1989, we spent the summer in Tuscany Biondi Santi, thanks to his constant belief in the great potential
and then we toured the Langhe and Valtellina. That was just of 100% Sangiovese, the unique growing conditions in
the beginning, and these trips started my fascination with Montalcino’s best vineyards, and the importance of not using
Italian wine. As soon as I moved over, we started spending invasive cellar techniques or harsh chemicals in the vineyards,
time in wine territories all over Italy. I was blown away by the made an ideal subject. Veronelli agreed, and I spent six months
diverse number of wines made with native grapes and by the in Montalcino and wrote the book. “After years of drinking
numerous local dishes. One of the reasons I started writing
was because I was disappointed that my favorite Italian After this first important publication, you maintained a
wines were almost never given any press in the US and UK strong focus on Brunello and, in 2008 the Brunello producers’
magazines and rarely showed up even in the Italian guides. I consortium gave you an award for your article “Brunello de- wine like a cocktail, Americans
thought consumers were really missing out, and that so many constructed”. Can you explain this title to us?
producers were being overlooked.
I’ve always been a huge fan of vibrant, terroir-driven wines Montalcino is an extremely complicated growing zone, despite
made with native grapes. Today everyone’s writing and talking the fact that it’s one township. So I broke it down into different are now pairing wine and food.
about elegant Italian wines made with indigenous varieties. But zones, and explained to readers the pros and cons of each area,
in 2002, I was like a lone voice in the desert because back then while always pointing out the crucial role of the winemaker
the majority of wine critics raved about Italian wines made as well.
with international grapes and aged in barriques while they And of all the world’s wines,
pretty much ignored or outright attacked Italy’s traditional And so we come to 2012, the year that saw the release of your
wines and the producers who made them. second book: Brunello di Montalcino. Understanding and
appreciating one of Italy’s greatest wines. This is one of the most Italian wines are absolutely
After studying English Literature at the University of important and influential books on the subject. What were your
Massachusetts, you became a journalist. Can you tell us which reasons for writing it?
publications you first contributed to?
It always struck me that while there are dozens of books on the best to pair with food
My first articles appeared in 2002 in M Magazine, part of the all the great wines of France, books on Italian wines almost
Milano Finanza group. In the same year, I also began writing always cover the entire country or large parts of the country.
for Decanter.com and I segued over to the magazine shortly I wanted to give the greatest Italian wines the respect their
after. I was one of their lead Italian correspondents until 2013, French counterparts have been awarded for years, by thanks to their naturally fresh
when I started working for Wine Enthusiast, where I am solely dedicating an entire book to a single denomination and
responsible for the magazine’s Italian reviews and coverage. delving deep into the history, the growing area, the grape
In 2003, I started writing for US Wine News, while in 2004, for and the people behind the wines. From the outset I wanted to
The World of Fine Wine and my work has appeared in many write books on Brunello, Barolo and Barbaresco – the three acidity and flexibility.”
other on-line and print publications as well. greatest denominations in Italy. I had a lot of material already
on Brunello, and started there.
In 2004 you published your first book, dedicated to the work
of legendary winemaker Franco Biondi Santi, The Brunello After that, as you mentioned, came the book Barolo and
Gentleman. Can you tell us something about how you became Barbaresco – The King and Queen of Italian Wine. Can you tell
interested in him? us more about your findings?

After trying Biondi Santi’s 1981 Riserva in 2001, I decided I My biggest find was helping to break the myth on who created
had to meet this winemaker. I interviewed him several times Barolo as we know it today: a dry red wine as opposed to its
by phone before finally going to his estate, in 2002. He was original sweet version. The universal myth is that a Frenchman,

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