How many times when I see someone drinking an under $10 bottle of wine do I hear the phrase “IT’S PRETTY GOOD FOR THE PRICE”? It shouldn’t be Pretty Good it should be GREAT FOR THE PRICE!! Once you get away from buying the standard grape varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Malbec, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc etc that is where you will find the “GREAT FOR THE PRICE WINES”

Tempranillo has many Synonyms depending what part of Spain or Portugal the grape is grown. In the Toro region of Spain where this wine Pictured above is from it is known as Tinta De Toro Very Close to Ribera Del Duero, Toro has been growing grapes and making wine many years B.C. so you have some really OLD VINE Fruit which makes for Great Wines. It is located in the Province of Zamora in the Northwest Part of Spain…

Seat of the Milan Provincial Government, Christmas Eve. A little party is ongoing, and the Chief of Personnel is opening a sparkling wine bottle. Unfortunately, the cap violently hits a XVIII century picture decorating the room and damages it. It was just an accident, and the officer is ready to pay for the repairs.

However, the episode is somehow symbolic of the neglect by the Italian Authorities (and citizens ?) of the very rich national cultural heritage.

Pompei is crumbling. Museums are badly managed. Surveillance of prized places and artifacts is lacking at best. The Caserta Royal Palace is in very bad conditions. The Government Offices tasked with protecting heritage, called Superintendencies, are understaffed.

There are exceptions, of course. To protect Venice, the Government is building a mammoth mobile dams systems, which would be the first of its kind in the world. Tycoon Diego Della Valle poured…

Somm (2013)

A documentary film that follows 4 men attempting to pass the Master Sommelier exam.

Layered and complex… like a fine wine, Somm follows the tribulations of 4 real people –real sommeliers– in the final days before the most challenging exam of their life. If they pass they’ll become Master Sommeliers; a title shared among just 200 people around the world.

Somm is much more than just a wine movie, it’s a documentary about real people, their passion, and their will to succeed while struggling both physically and emotionally under extreme pressure. What’s more, there is an unexpected twist in the end –so thought-provoking, you’ll be shocked that it really happened.

Sideways (2004)

Two men reaching middle age with not much to show but disappointment, embark on a week long road trip through California’s wine country, just as one is about to take a trip down the aisle.
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