Drinking Sangue In Palermo

Yes, “Sangue,” meaning blood. It’s a sweet wine typical to Palermo–a cross between Marsala and Zibibbo. The locals drink it at the Taverna Azzurra in La Vucciria market. And here, Eric and I are raising a glass–definitely to a sweeter time. Hang in there, we’ll get through this! I got through drinking Sangue, after all….

The Vendemmia In Sicily

Currently throughout Sicily grape growers are measuring the sugar, acid, and tannin levels of their grapes in preparation for the annual vendemmia, or grape harvest. Up to now, wine-making has been about caring for the vines, pruning the growth, and ensuring that the fruit has received enough air, sunlight, and water for an abundant and…

A Palmento On Etna (Where The Magic Happened)

A palmento is a building and the antique mechanism inside of it where wine grapes were made into juice (mosto) that eventually became wine. This outstanding palmento photographed at Benanti vineyard offers visitors an opportunity to understand the wine-making process from ancient times and how that translates to today’s stainless steal, squeaky-clean laboratories and cantinas….

Drink This Landscape Next Saturday: Order By Midnight

Drink this landscape with us next Saturday! Order by midnight tonight! Join me, Allison Scola of Experience Sicily, with author and wine expert Benjamin North Spencer of Etna Wine School for an online, synchronous wine tasting on Saturday, August 22. Benjamin will be hosting from Sicily, and I’ll be your stateside emcee. Order your Experience…

An Almost Winery Tour In Sicily

Although you currently can’t visit an Etna vineyard like these folks, Experience Sicily can “bring” the wines to you! Join me with author and wine expert Benjamin North Spencer of Etna Wine School for an online, synchronous tasting on Saturday, August 22. Benjamin will be in Sicily, and I’ll be your stateside host. Order your…