Years ago during a vineyard tour on Mt. Etna, I walked amongst the crooked alberello (small tree) vines. I’m a bit obsessed with these gorgeous gnarly vines. Each alberello has a story to tell and flavors to express. Each alberello has its own unique personality to contribute to each vintage produced.
As I followed the wine maker through the vineyard, he talked about his appreciation and love for each vine. He likened them to people. An 80 year old person may not produce the same quantity as a 40 year old but the 80 year old has experienced more seasons and changes. Just as individuals have different personalities and change with age so do vines and the fruit which they produce. This rung true to me. Tasting numerous natural wines, I’ve come to love the personality of wine from quirky to sparky, from bold to elegant, from light to enchanting.
I was very happy to write a three-part mini guide on the personality of wine. The guide gives a basic sense of how a wine’s character can vary. Part one “What Character” starts with sparkling wine and light bodied whites, while part two “Character References” focuses on medium bodied whites, full-bodied whites and fiery orange wines. Part three “Into the Red” focuses on light-bodied to full-bodied reds. I hope you’ll enjoy getting to know your wine. 
Would you be interested in participating in a wine tasting in Rome, Sicily, Naples or Florence? Send us an email at casamia@casamiatours.com
