Peter Wearing, Author at The Small Winemakers Collection

Chianti: A Guide to Tasting Notes & Food Pairing Ideas

Peter Wearing Featured, Grape Profiles March 11, 2021

An image depicting a rolling hillside covered in vineyards.

As an export, Chianti is as famous and respected as pasta, pizza, and espresso. Many wine enthusiasts will be able to cast their minds back to a particularly fond memory of tasting this renowned Italian wine. Many have asked the question: Is Chianti a grape or a region? Similar to Bordeaux or Champagne, Chianti derives its name from its place of origin rather than its grape varietal. Made primarily with the classic Tuscan grape, Sangiovese, this wine is more than …

Riesling: The World’s Most Versatile White Wine Grape?

Peter Wearing Grape Profiles August 13, 2021February 9, 2021

Riesling is an aromatic white wine known for producing a wide array of wine styles, from bone dry to very sweet. Native to Germany, this white wine varietal is now present in many cool and warm climate regions around the world, where it is often praised as a favourite for many wine enthusiasts. In this article, we will quickly review the history of this wine, characteristics common to this varietal and core wine regions responsible for the production of …

5 of the Most Popular Italian Wine Grape Varietals

Peter Wearing Uncategorized January 13, 2023February 9, 2021

Understanding Italian Wine: A Guide to the Most Planted Grape Varietals Italy is home to some of the world’s most delicious and breathtaking food, wines and landscapes. With over 20 different wine regions ranging from Lombardy and Valle d’Aosta in the north of the country to Puglia and Calabria in the south, it is no wonder that this renowned wine-producing country has plenty of grape varietals on offer – just under 400 native varietals are used to make wine commercially …

High Praise for Montepeloso’s 2018s

Peter Wearing Uncategorized April 20, 2021February 9, 2021

High Praise for Montepeloso’s 2018s Under the direction of owner Fabio Chiarelotto, Montepeloso has established itself as one of Tuscany’s most exciting estates. For the last 20 years, Fabio has strived to produce wines with elegance and finesse, qualities difficult to achieve in the hot climate of Suvereto on the Tuscan coast. Slowly, Chiarelotto is receiving the rewards of his passion. The buzz that has been spreading through Europe over the past few years has leapt the Atlantic. A …

Greek Wine: Delving Into Santorini’s Assyrtiko Grape

Peter Wearing Uncategorized January 13, 2023February 9, 2021

Exploring Greek Wine: The History Of Assyrtiko Grape Assyrtiko is by far one of the most iconic grape varieties from Greece. Native to the Cyclades island of Santorini, Assyrtiko has developed a reputation in the wine industry as a versatile grape. The Assyrtiko grape variety has the capability of making wines in a multitude of styles. Ranging from fresh white wines to nutty dessert wines and is widely applauded by chefs all over the world for its food-pairing prowess. …

Fortified Wine: The Ultimate Guide To This Wine Type

Peter Wearing Wine Profiles September 19, 2022February 9, 2021

From sherry to port, fortified wines come in a variety of colour, flavour, and sweetness. One thing they have in common, however, is that these wines have all gone through – as the name suggests – the process of fortification. In this article, we will discuss the fortification process, the different expressions of fortified wines and the considerations to keep in mind when pairing them with food. What Is Fortified Wine? A glass of fortified wine is a true delight …

Champagne: Celebrate The New Year With This Classic

Peter Wearing Featured, Wine Profiles Leave a comment January 28, 2021December 2, 2020

A glass of Champagne is a great sparkling wine option to celebrate many wonderful occasions.

Champagne is most often associated with elegance, celebration, happiness and extravagance. With the New Year being reigned in all over the world, many wine aficionados choose this sparkling wine for marking the beginning of a brand new year. Yet, the history behind Champagne shows that this sparkling wine is more than just the celebrations it is associated with. Below, we discuss its origins and the best food pairing options to choose when serving. The History Of This Sparkling Wine Many …

Wine Rack Or Wine Cellar: Which Is The Better Storage Option?

Peter Wearing Featured, Wine Storage Leave a comment January 13, 2021November 19, 2020

When it comes to wine storage, there are many options you can choose from such as wine rack vs wine cellar vs wine cooler.

Wine Storage: Which is the Best Option? For many wine enthusiasts looking to expand their wine collection, one of the main queries they may have is which storage option is right for their needs. There are many considerations that need to be kept in mind when choosing a wine storage option. For example, if you go down the route of a wine cellar then price and location are two factors that will play a large role. In this article, we …

An Insider’s Guide to The Rioja Wine Region

Peter Wearing Featured, Regional Profiles Leave a comment December 14, 2022November 19, 2020

Rioja wine is known for its fruity and floral aromatic characteristics and its ability to age as well as wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux.

Exploring Rioja: Spain’s Fine Wine Capital Spain may be well known for its famous bullfighting, flamenco dancers, salty slices of Manchego cheese and delicious paella dishes but, it is also home to one of the oldest and well-respected wine regions in the world, Rioja. This region is considered Spain’s fine wine capital and it isn’t hard to understand why. Producing almost 300 million litres of wine per year, this Spanish wine region is home to red wines made from key …

Why is Brunello di Montalcino so Special?

Peter Wearing Featured, Wine Styles Leave a comment August 13, 2021November 11, 2020

Why is Brunello di Montalcino so Special? Montalcino is a small Tuscan town about 45 minutes drive South of Siena. For many years, the area grew a grape variety they called Brunello. It was only in the late nineteenth century that it was determined to be the same grape as Sangiovese. However, the clone of Sangiovese grown in this area is smaller than the clones grown in Chianti. That, combined with the warner climate, meant that the wines around Montalcino …