Travel with us to a time long ago, and a place far away. The Castel San Gottardo was built in 1100 into an existing cavern in the sheer cliff, high above the town of Mezzocorona, in the kingdom of Trento in Northern Italy. Legend has it that a winged serpent called a basilisk lived in the ruins of the castle. This dragon-like creature’s body was covered by bony scales that were thought to make it invincible. It would spend its days swooping down into the village, eating the villagers and destroying their crops with its fiery breath.
Sangria is a classic wine cocktail that is fruity, festive and fun. It is usually made from a combination of red or white wine, fruit juice, sliced or muddled fruit and sugar. There are hundreds of recipes for this cocktail, some of which call for added brandy or other liqueur and/or added sparkling water.
While Virginians are enjoying sights of spring flowers beginning to bloom and the gradual greening of the local landscape, the iconic words “Winter is Coming” are being echoed aloud as the eighth and final season of HBO’s highly successful cult series “Game of Thrones” begins Sunday, April 14th, 2019.
The term “Super Tuscan” has been used since the 1980s to describe a wine made from grapes indigenous to Tuscany, which may be blended with non-indigenous grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Syrah. There is no legal definition for the term “Super Tuscan” in Italian wine law, and these blends fit only under a lower wine classification within the law, because the higher classifications restrict which grapes can be used.
Italy is the world’s largest producer of wine, representing about a quarter of the world’s production. According to Italy’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MIPAAF), there are 350 grapes that have been granted an authorized status plus at least an additional 500 documented, but not officially authorized local varieties. One of these documented grapes is the ancient Sicilian grape variety called “Frappato.”
