Category: Italy
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A Visit to the Cocchi Vermouthery in Asti, Italy
A visit to Cocchi in Italy, where they make still and sparkling wines plus wine-based vermouths, americanos, and more.
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A Visit to the Nardini Distillery in Bassano, Italy
Nardini, a company known for grappa but which produces a range of liqueurs and amari as well, is headquartered in Bassano del Grappa, Italy, and dates to 1779. I had the chance to visit the company this past fall and wow! We started our tour in the distillery, or rather, one of the distilleries.…
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A Guide to Botanicals Used in Cocchi Aromatized Wines & Vermouths
A closer look at 23 botanicals used in Cocchi products.
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Vermouth: History and Legal Regulations
A ton of information about the history of vermouth (both sweet and dry kind of come from the same place) and its legal definitions in the European Union.
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Distillery Visit: Limoncello Di Capri in Italy
This limoncello is not like the others. A trip to the tiny island distillery where Limoncello Di Capri is made.
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Distillery Visit: Molinari Sambuca in Colfelice Italy
Molinari Sambuca is an anise liqueur originally created in Civitavecchia, a port city north of Rome. Much like Schiedam in the Netherlands where the spices that came on ships ended up in local spirits (juniper for genever and other ingredients for liqueurs in that case), star anise reaching Civitavecchia wound up in in local spirits…
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Disaronno Distillery Visit in Saronno Italy
This July I visted the town of Saronno, Italy, and the blending and bottling house where they make Disaronno liqueur (formerly known as Disaronno Amaretto). So The Legend Goes Disaronno, as with many brands, is based on a legend involving a beautiful woman and a secret manuscript. We visited the chapel where the story begins.…
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A Trip to Italy with Pallini Limoncello
I am one lucky son-of-a-gun. This September I visited Rome and the Amalfi Coast with Pallini Limoncello. Though we began the trip in Rome and went to the Amalfi Coast later, I'll explain the process of making limoncello in the proper order. The Lemons of the Amalfi Coast The lemons for Pallini are sfusato ("elongated") lemons,…
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All About Orris: Harvest in Tuscany
In Tuscany on a botanical trip with Bombay Sapphire, we learned how the orris root is grown and processed to use in the gin. Orris root is the rhizome of the Iris flower. Here in Tuscany they are grown on sloping hills between rows of olive trees. Nice space. These iris flowers are not grown…
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Picking Juniper Berries in Tuscany: A Photo Album
In May I visited Italy to learn more about the botanicals used in Bombay Sapphire. From Tuscany they get both the juniper berries and orris used in the gin. In the rolling hills of Tuscany at high elevations where there are few trees and many wildflowers are found the juniper bushes. They're kind of ugly,…