San Salvatore wine from the Cilento is the next big thing.
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Top 10 reasons to come to Italy with me in October
Explore the mountains of Irpinia and the Cilento coast with me in this 7-day food and wine focused journey. We meet in Naples and spend the first three nights in Avellino as a base for exploring wine country. The second part of the trip is set at Borgo La Pietraia overlooking the Tyrrhenian sea. We'll visit the ruins at Paestum, take a cooking class on the estate of a Baronessa and explore the coast at Santa Maria Castellabate.
So why come on my tour versus anyone else's?
10. See Insanely beautiful vistas from the ancient world (Naples is 3,000 years old!
9. Eat at the first pizzeria on the planet (Hint: It’s NOT Papa John’s)
8. Tour world-class vineyards with rock star winemakers, including Luigi Moio, and Salvatore Molettierri.
7. TRUFFLES! Yes, I said the T word. Gorge yourself on Truffles in Bagnoli at the farm-to-table restaurant Nonna Pina.
6. Relax and enjoy the spectacular beaches of Castelabbate
5. Feed your curiosity and intellect: Absorb the local culture and get some real perspective on history as we tour the Greco Roman archeological sites of Eclanum and Paestum.
4. Laugh at your bourgeois neighbor that paid triple for that Tuscan vacation last year and got half as much as you did! All this for $2100 per person (plus airfare) NOT A TYPO.
3. Eat at Michelin Starred Marenna on our private tour of Feudi di San Gregorio winery.
2. Drink Greco Di Tufo, Aglianico, Fallanghina, Coda di Volpe, and other exquisitely vinified local varietals for a fraction of what you pay in the states like its your job.
1. Pay ONE PRICE and leave the driving and the planning to me! I will pick you up and drop you off in Naples. All your transfers, meals, accommodations, and wine are INCLUDED!
In October I arranged for a private lunch in the cellars at Feudi di San Gregorio. This was the first course of regional salume and cacciocavallo cheese.
BONUS: We'll stay at Borgo La Pietraia which has a five-star rating on Trip Advisor.
Want more information?
FOOD & WINE ON THE AMALFI & CILENTO COASTS, MAY 1-8, 2016
From May 1-8 my wife and I will lead 12 guests on a tour of the food and wine of the Amalfi and Cilento coasts. We'll learn to cook in the farmhouse kitchen of a Baronessa, taste wine on the Cilento coast and sail to Capri on a private boat. Reserve your spot now.
Read MoreJoin my Italian wine tour of Irpinia
DIscover Irpinia is a wine tour of the mountains in Campania for food, wine and history lovers and priced for the 99% Join me and a small group of enophiles from June 14-21st for a week exploring food and wine in the lush mountains of Southern Italy.
Read MoreA Seven Course Feast for the 99%
To preview our Discover Irpinia wine trip, I have pairings for you and a chance to taste a bit of Irpinia here in New York City. This Saturday December 6th my wife and I are hosting Feast of the Seven Fishes Cooking Class and Wine Tasting in midtown Manhattan. The Feast of the Seven Fishes has it roots in Southern Italy, so in keeping with my philosophy of “what grows together goes together.” I've paired some great wines from Irpinia and the South to match these dishes.
Read MoreAnnouncing my Discover Irpinia food and wine tour
We're going to Italy! Join me for my Discover Irpinia wine tour from June 14-21, 2015. Watch this quick video for a preview of what we'll eat, drink and see and then check out the full seven-day itinerary.
Read MoreWine tasting inside Manhattan's oldest house
Stephen Jumel was a Bordeaux wine merchant who made his home in Washington Heights. Feast on History and Wine for the 99 collaborated on a wine tasting inside the Morris-Jumel Mansion, Manhattan's oldest house, to share his life story. Click here for the full story with and photos.
Read MoreAmp up your Summer BBQ with a wine pairing
Being a native New Yorker of Italian and Argentine parentage, I was indoctrinated from birth to worship the sacred asado or barbecue. As such, I live for summer sunshine and warm—no, hot, even—temperatures at which most other city-dwellers would cringe. Standing over a fiery grill, flipping meat like it’s my birthright (which it basically is) is my way to spend a weekend. And instead of chilling some white wine and mixing up a pitcher of sangria, I go one further with a wine tasting menu for my cookout.
Read MoreTop 10 Alternatives to Santa Margherita
Nothing draws the ire of a wine geek like someone coming into a wine store, asking for a big box brand like Santa Margherita, then being sneered at by a label conscious customer when we recommend something better and less expensive.
In fairness, their logic seems fairly sound on the surface: Santa Margherita is the best selling brand of Pinot Grigio, and it's expensive, so it's got to be the best value.
What does this wine geek know anyway? He's probably jusyt trying to stick me with something that is not selling.
Channeling Samuel L. Jackson from Pulp Fiction: Allow me to retort.
Read MorePetito's 2008 Split Rock Sonoma Pinot Noir
2008 Split Rock Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is my favorite varietal of wine. There, I’ve said it. Along with that designation though, comes scrutiny. I’m very critical of pinot noir.
It is not easy to craft good pinot noir. It is equal parts art and science. This delicate, thin-skinned grape needs a balance of sunlight, and cool breezes, the right soil, and just enough water.
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