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Great Wine Regions of Italy

March 2, 2018 Clarette Blog Italy News Traveling Wine
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If you seek quality wines, just go for Italian wines! Italy is an amazing wine-producing country, which is at the same level as other top winemaking nations like Spain as well as France. There are many spectacular wine regions in Italy. Read on to learn a few of these destinations.

1. Tuscany

The fame of Tuscany as an Italian wine-making region is unrivaled among other regions. It has a romantic landscape containing country roads, rolling hills as well as picturesque settlements. Tuscany is a delight of wine lovers all over the world and is among the most renowned wine regions in the whole of Europe. Tuscany land is very fertile for growing Sangiovese grapes; the region makes wines whose styles are recognized globally. Some its unique wines are When We Dance Chianti and DOCG Chianti Tenuta San Vito.

2. Piedmont

This is Tuscany’s chief rival, as both compete to achieve the status of Italy’s best wine region. Home to a collection of the most renowned Italian wines as well as wineries, Piedmont makes greater volumes of DOCG wines as compared with other regions. Some of these quality wines are Moscato d’Asti and Barolo. The location of Piedmont lies at Alps foot, which makes it ideal for grape cultivation. Owing to its diverse small vineyards, this region has been described as Italy’s Burgundy. It is popular for the Barbera grape that produces spectacular Italian flavors of high acidity as well as sour cherries. Few of the great wines from Piedmont are DOCG Barolo Vigna Rocche and La Raia DOCG Gavi.

3. Veneto

This destination is situated in Northeastern Italy and is among the most highly rated Italian wine regions. Although Veneto isn’t as big as other Italian wine regions, it’s renowned for creating greater quantities of wine than other regions in this country. Veneto makes several styles of wines using a lot of varieties of grapes. Some of these wines are Prosecco, Valpolicella, Soave, among others.

4. Marche and Abruzzo

These neighboring wine regions are around the vicinity of Central Italy. While Abruzzo is widely known for making red Montepulciano grape wine, Marche is popular for producing white Verdicchio wine. The heritage of the former region for wine-making can be traced to the Romans as well as the Etruscans. This is owing to its great terrain for grape cultivation. The Abruzzo wine region is directly at the southern part of Marche. Abruzzo has a rich history of wine production that spans more than 2000 years. Compared to Marche’s 25,000 hectares of vineyards for cultivating grapes, it has 89,000 hectares of land for growing different varieties of grape including Pecorino, Merlot, Trebbiano, among others.

5. Lombardy

One of the biggest wine regions in Italy remains Lombardy, which has the greatest population. But, this region makes 2 renowned wines only. These are the sparkling Lambruso and Franciacorta. The Lombardy wine region lies within the northern part of Italy and is landlocked. It obtains a large percentage of its water from 4 huge lakes.

Top Cafes in Florence, Italy

January 2, 2018 Clarette Florence News
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Coffee shops and cafes are not considered the norm when it comes to Italian culture, however, they are increasingly becoming more popular in Florence’s diverse community. The coffee culture in Italy differs from those in America and other places, however, Florence does have some nice, cozy spots for tourists and locals to go and enjoy coffee and feel welcoming. Most cafes and coffee spots offer free wi-fi, which is very accomodating. There’s nothing I enjoy more than cozying up in a quiet little cafe while checking emails, reading my favorite books, playing spinning games or solving quizzes on my laptop. Whether you’re working, studying, relaxing over an espresso, or meeting up with someone, these are the best cafes to visit in Florence.

Arnold Coffee

This isn’t your normal Italian coffee bar. Arnold Coffee offers seating on both floors, a strong wifi connection, and is located right in the center of town. It’s a popular spot for those looking for a little piece of home. It’s cozy and very reminiscent of Starbucks, so people love to meet up for meetings and work quietly in the corner. This coffee bar offers all flavors and sizes of coffee drinks, smoothies, and they even offer bite size snacks. This is one of not many places in Italy, that has brought American coffee culture to Italy. It’s surely a must-visit.

Ditta Artigianale

Ditta Artigianale is one of Florence’s new most frequented coffee cafes, and they’ve already expanded within the last two years by adding two new locations around the city. This coffee shop has its own unique brand of coffee that’s very popular, and they source and roast their own coffee. This busy, cozy cafe offers everything from brunch to dinner, and always has muffins, cookies, and small pastries readily available for order. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, making anyone want to spend their afternoon just relaxing over a cup of hot coffee. The owners definitely know what they are doing with their coffee shops. This place is highly recommended.

Cake
Italy is known for its muffins, cakes, and pastries always readily available

La Cité

La Cité is a very unique place, as it’s a bookstore cafe by day and a music venue and wine bar by night. When visiting Florence, this spot is always a good idea. It boasts an open loft that overlooks the first floor and large front, floor to ceiling windows. It’s inside a historical building that’s super inviting and charming. If you visit during the day, there are eclectic chairs that are big enough for you to sink into. Day favorites at this spot include coffee and cappuccinos, while at night time, most people opt for wine or a smart cocktail. The space is small, so it sometimes gets crowded, especially when there’s a band performing, so if you’re looking to make a night of it, get there early.

Caffe Piansa

This cafe is a staple for craft coffee that has been around for years in Florence. They distribute their beans, which are very carefully sourced and roasted, to locals across the city. Caffe Piansa has a cook there that serves up some of the best lunch on the boulevard. Some of their menu items include pasta, salads, and sandwiches, and the portions are of nice size. If you’re looking for a place that’s charming, in a great location, and serves up some of the best coffee in Florence, this is where you want to visit.

Dolci Pensieri

This cafe is very unique in its own way and makes the perfect start for your day or peaceful break in the afternoon for lunch. They offer a great selection of coffee, delicious tea, heartwarming hot chocolate and some of the best patisserie to be found in Florence. This cafe is also looked at as a bakery, serving up cakes, cupcakes, and pastries. Everything is freshly homemade everyday, made with only quality ingredients and presented beautifully. This is a great place to frequent if you need a quick escape from the day to day grind.

Coffee and cookies
Coffee + cookies = life

Caffe Sabatino

This cafe has been in business for over 50 years in Florence. It’s the perfect stop for a morning cappuccino, light lunch in the afternoon, and drink in the evening. It has it all. This coffee spot is still using historical local coffee brand, Mokamag, which has been around since 1875. Caffe Sabatino is known for their delicious coffee and decadent pastries. The cafe is friendly, warm, and inviting, making you want to hang around all day. Some of their menu items include eggs, fresh sandwiches, pasta, and delicious cakes that are said to be the best in Florence. The energy and vibe are like no other at this location and locals have nothing but great things to speak about the owners. This wonderful cafe should definitely be on your list to stop in at!