Here at Montoliva Vineyard & Winery I have a fairly intense focus on Italian varietals, particularly central and southern Italian varietals. You can read more about why this is here. The varietals I work with are all Italian, my approach to winemaking approximates the central Italian winemaking style. That being said, no Italian winemaker would ever mistake my wines for wines grown and produced in Italy. While the geology and climate here is similar, they are not exactly the same, and this is reflected in my wine. So, how exactly do my wines stack up against their Italian counterparts? Most of you are familiar with the so-called Judgement of Paris that occurred in 1976, and was immortalized in the highly fictionalized movie “Bottle Shock”. Well, meet The Judgement of Chicago Park. Periodically I sit down with one of my wines, and one or more of their Italian counterparts. There is no pretense of impartiality. I make wines that I like, so there is an inherent bias. It is fun, nonetheless. If you would like to read past “Judgements”, you can do so here

17 June 2023. Montoliva Vineyard & Winery 2019 Estate Sangiovese vs 2019 Cerbaia Rosso di Montalcino

29 July 2023  Montoliva Vineyard & Winery 2019 Nero d’Avola vs (tbd)

26 August 2023 Montoliva Vineyard & Winery 2019 Estate Primitivo vs 2019  Tormaresca Torcicoda Primitivo