This year, instead of donning one’s newly acquired dress or suit, new shoes, and matching accessories—perhaps including a proper bonnet—those who celebrate Easter will not head to church to gather and worship, but instead will be at home with only their immediate family, or even alone. These are times of safety first, stay in place, and quiet contemplation.

Italy is famous for its treasure trove of indigenous grapes, and this week, City Vino features a couple of these treasures with you. Both Negroamaro and Gaglioppo hail from Italy’s southern regions of Puglia and Calabria.

Montepulciano pronounced “mon-ta-pull-channo” is one of the more confusing names in the wine world, as it is both a place name and a grape name. To make matters more complex, wines made in Montepulciano are not made from its eponymous grape. Confused? Exactly!

There is much debate in the world of wine about the impact that soil has on wine. Soil types differ by the size of particles, mineral and nutrient content, amount of decomposed organic material, and water retention capacity. Volcanic soils are different as they can be formed by a variety of events like slow flowing lava, explosively expelled rock, and airborne ash that settles to form a new layer.