~In continuing to feature the charm & sophistication of Italy...Italia Living is delighted to bring you the unique elegance of Bois ...Coming Soon

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~Comedian/actor Mike Marino, and VIP Membership coming soon ...Read more

~We are excited to welcome our newest sponsor, Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery. See our Wine Review section below.

~It takes a little more effort to seek out the truly exceptional places to stay when traveling to Italy. To find some very posh and quite private places in Italy that don't exactly go out of their way to advertise, this new book is your treasure map: Italian Hideaways

~Summertime delivers a fresh bountiful assortment of color and taste to the Italian table, to enhance the appetite and enliven the deliciousness of Italian cooking. Italian cuisine is very seasonal, so using the freshest ingredients is most important. Tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, peppers, eggplant, zucchini flowers, a refreshing Bellini, Lambrusco, and delicious gelato. Just a few of my favorite things that come with thoughts of an Italian style summer.

Now is the perfect time of year to pick of a copy of Mario Batali's new book, Italian Grill.

I am a big fan of Ferrari-Carano wines of Sonoma and Napa, California. So it is a real pleasure to welcome Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery as our newest sponsor of Italia Living. If you want to feel like your in Italy without leaving America, while enjoying some fabulous wines and hospitality, you must visit the Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery. Also, enjoy the special benefits of joining the Ferrari-Carano Circle of Friends Wine Club.

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~Frizzante [free-zahn'-teh]. Italian term for slightly sparkling wine.

With the summer activities of cookouts, entertaining, and dining alfresco...a wine was brought to my attention that I never gave much thought to before.

Lambrusco. A red wine whose primary characteristics are sparkle and lightness -- not a whole lot in the way of tannins or body.

But we're not talking about the Riunite stuff from the 1970’s. I thought of that myself, which is why I never drank it until I was enlightened.

Yes, Lambrusco still does not have the best of reputations in America or even parts of Italy. Many serious wine drinkers who favor hearty reds will be disappointed in Lambrusco and never find it appealing. However, it is a perfect wine for a picnic or outdoor entertaining. Light, zesty, slightly sweet, and flavorful. Low in alcohol content, about 11% -- just the thing for a warm afternoon outdoors. Delightfully refreshing with wonderful fruit flavors and a clean finish.

The sweet Lambruscos were usually imported to the USA...hence the flashbacks of “Riunite On Ice”, while the dry more desired one's of today have always been an important part of the famed cuisine of Emilia-Romagna.

If you are new to Lambrusco and to not be disappointed from the start, I would recommend Medici Ermete Concerto. A deep red with a pale pink foam, and has a powerful vinous bouquet laced with violets and berries. On the palate it's full, dry, and loaded with fruit, especially raspberries and blackberries. It's very clean, and has a warm persistent finish and pleasing clean acidity. It will go wondefully with your spring and summer entertaining. Pairs great with prosciutti and salami, and will also work beautifully with rich pasta dishes, especially those with white sauces, and also braised or grilled white meats, or grilled sausages.

So enjoy some freshly sliced Prosciutto di Parma and a glass of chilled, dry lambrusco. You just may be pleasantly surprised this summer.

~Italian Wine Merchants in the heart of Union Square, New York, sells a fine Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro