andiamotrips - campania, italy with karen phillips

After 3 years ish of Vineyard Hopping, I wanted to try something new...a little different. A way to combine my love of photography and wine live , under one roof.  A way to share my experiences in the vineyards with fellow wine enthusiasts.  A snapshot of a territory, so to speak ... A month or so ago, after a relaxing afternoon on the beach with a few wine producers  the idea came to me. Why not a wine tasting/photo exhibit/intimate get together with amici who wanted to dig deeper into the territory.  The territory of Campi Flegei. Four wineries...four producers, who have played a crucial part in my growth as a blogger and eventually a sommelier, were more than happy to participate in this adventure... La Sibilla, Grotta del Sole, Cantine Astroni, and Azienda Agricola Agnanum .  As the date of the tasting approached, our initial intent to share four wines grew, as well as our enthusiasm.  On my part, I decided to visit all four wineries again to take new photos of a diverse ter

I've always been a girl from the suburbs.  And though I  live near Napoli,  one of southern Italy's bustling metropolises, I'm glad that there are some excellent options in the burbs.  In other words, when I want to go out I don't have to go in, so to speak. One of those options is Quarto, 11 km ish northwest of Naples.  Uno due tre...quarto. :-) Home to the montagna spaccata.   Home to my son's favorite video game store.  And home to one, two, three...four outspots that are definitely in. Uno:    SUD Ristorante Quarto's pride and joy.  Awarded a Michelin star in 2011 and run by Chef Marianna Vitale   and Pino Esposito   who is in charge of the dining room and cantina .  This outspot is tucked away off of one of Quarto's busiest streets.  But once you sit down at one of the tables in this sleek/modern black and white restaurant, you forget about the traffic for awhile and relax with a glass of wine (or champagne :-) ) while tasting one of Vitale

It seemed only natural.  After three years of wine tasting and Vineyard Hopping , why shouldn't I begin a new series of wine tastings focusing on the wineries and vineyards that I have visited over the years... And so, here it is.  In the heart of the summer, in the center of Campi Flegrei.   A wine tasting for wine lovers. Four wineries from the Campi Flegrei area will share their interpretations of the territory in a glass of Falanghina dei Campi Flegrei. A new series of snapshots featuring the wineries of the evening.will also be on display as part of my first photography exhibit. The Wineries/The Wines La Sibilla : Cruna del Lago 2011 Cantina Grotte del Sole : Coste di Cuma 2011 Az. Agricola Agnanum : Falanghina dei Campi Flegrei 2011   Cantine Astron i: Colle Imperatrice Campi Flegrei DOC 2012  The first snapshot will be on  Wednesday 24 July at  8 pm at  Cantina La Sibilla in Bacoli (Na). Cost of participation is 15 Euro. Seats are limited. Reservations necessary and