Wine Festivals, Symposiums, and Tastings, Oh My!

Nantucket, Aspen, Chianti Classico, Women in Wine Leadership Symposium

Nantucket Wine & Food Festival

Wine festival season is in full swing, and last week, I found myself in Nantucket. The flight from NYC to this historic island off the coast of Massachusetts is only about an hour long, but it is an entirely different world; the crisp New England breezes seem to carry stress away. My official duties at the Nantucket Wine & Food Festival kicked off as a panelist on the Knights of the Wine Table tasting and discussion alongside some industry icons: Eric Asimov (The New York Times), Elin McCoy (Bloomberg), Kevin Zraly (author & wine educator), and Robin Kelley O'Connor (wine educator). Michael Silacci, winemaker for Opus One, also joined us. The discussion was moderated by Philippe Newlin (City Winery).

We were each asked to select and present two wines; my choices were Frescobaldi Gorgona Costa Toscana 2022 ($150) and Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino 2021 ($125). In addition to being stellar wines, they both show how wine connects to the human experience. 

An elegant white blend of Vermentino and Ansonica, Gorgona is an innovative collaboration between the aristocratic Frescobaldi family and the Gorgona Penal Colony. The inmates produce the wine and learn valuable life skills. More than 100 inmates have gone through the program since its inception in 2012, and upon release, they have the opportunity to work with Frescobaldi for one year. Studies have shown that the program reduces recidivism. As Marchese Lamberto Frescobaldi told me, Gorgona is a reminder that “a bottle of wine goes around the world and takes a story with her.” But he also knows that the wine must stand on its own: “The juice inside the bottle is also pretty good!”

Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino tells the story of the Malbec grape's journey from France to Argentina and the Catena family's commitment to showing the full range of expression of this beautiful variety. And to my great surprise, Dr. Laura Catena, managing director of Bodega Catena Zapata, was in the audience! She graciously agreed to deliver some impromptu remarks. Dr. Catena reminded us that the hotly debated designation of New World/Old World wines becomes very muddled when discussing Malbec in Argentina. Malbec arrived in Argentina from its native France in 1852. In the latter part of the 19th century, phylloxera ravaged vines in France. So, you'll find a more diverse and genetically older selection of Malbec clones in Argentina than in its birthplace, France. 

I also had the honor of moderating the Pinot Noir World Tour tasting, which featured Anthony Hamilton Russell (Hamilton Russell Vineyards, South Africa & Oregon), Niklas Foradori Hofstätter (Tenuta J. Hofstätter, Alto Adige), Tom Pillsbury (DuMOL, Sonoma), Tim Snider (Fess Parker, Santa Barbara) and Mele Sosa (Bodega Garzón, Uruguay).

And I love this photo of Tim Snider and Ashley Parker-Snider from Fess Parker Winery in Santa Barbara. (Tim is not fully visible in the group photo above, so I wanted to make sure he was included in this post.) Click here to see more Nantucket images on my Instagram page.

Celebrating 100 Years of Chianti Classico

Baron Francesco Ricasoli of Barone Ricasoli winery. His family has been linked to wine since 1141.

Chianti Classico holds a special place in my heart; it was the first wine region I visited outside the United States. The rolling hills of this iconic Tuscan appellation are the birthplace of some of my favorite wines and people in the wine industry. So, what a joy to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Chianti Classico Consortium at an elegant and show-stopping tasting in New York City at The Grill, inside a true Big Apple landmark, the Seagram Building.

The exclusive sit-down tasting featured 56 wines spanning decades. When a tasting starts with an ethereal 1949 Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico, you know you're in for a top-tier experience. We then proceeded to the Pool Room for a walk-around tasting, focused on more recent vintages, but there were also some older treasures. The comprehensive tasting made it clear that Chianti Classico is a force to be reckoned with; the quality and beauty of the wines make for a superb drinking experience. It’s been about two years since my last visit to Chianti Classico, and this tasting made me even more eager to visit again. Click here to see more images from the Chianti Classico tasting on Instagram. 

What’s Next

My next festival stop is the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen (June 14-16), where I'll be moderating two beverage seminars: Pinot Noir Makes the (Wine) World Go 'Round and Sips For Sailors: Coastal Wine for Sunny Days. (I’ll also be at the debut of the Food & Wine Classic in Charleston —September 27-29. Tickets are on sale now.)

Before heading to Aspen, I'll moderate a panel for the Women in Wine Leadership Symposium on June 3 in NYC. The panel theme is Next Gen Women in Wine. 

As always, thanks for joining me on this wine adventure. Cheers!

Wanda