There have been exciting developments in Southern Italy over the past thirty years with the advent of new wineries, innovative cuisine, recognition of cultural sites and the introduction of agriturismo. The purpose of this  blog is to make the reader appreciate the depth of these  developments and to encourage the reader to experience  the taste, smells, sights and sounds of Southern Italy.

Why is the author so passionate about Southern  Italy?

Like many Americans I have ancestral roots  in Southern Italy. My maternal grandparents were born in  a small mountainside village, Corleto Perticara, which is located south of the City of Potenza. In my efforts to connect with my “roots” I have experienced the exciting developments referenced in the previous paragraph. I want to share my experiences with the hope that the reader will be motivated to visit and support Southern Italy wineries, food establishments and cultural sites.

Why the focus on Wine?

Over ten years ago I started drinking wine. Along with my wife and mother, both long time consumers of red wine, I started to experiment with different types of red wine. Initially I was drawn to the fabulous red wines from Northern Italy; Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello and Amarone and so on. At the suggestion of my cousin, Michael Bonadies (the family surname from Corleto Perticara), a renowned author, owner and international consultant in the food and wine industry, I was encouraged to try the wines from Southern Italy; our heritage. Ever since my focus on wines from Southern Italy, I along with my wife, other family members and friends have made five trips to Southern Italy with a sixth trip planned for this autumn. During these trips we meet with the owners of wineries, food establishments and visit cultural sites.

Will the author answer questions and/or give recommendations?

Most certainly! I hope that the blog is interactive. Due to my work obligations I have not been able to visit many areas of Southern Italy. Over time I plan to. So this blog is a work in progress. To the extent that I do not have first-hand knowledge of the subject of a question I will make an  effort to provide the blog questioner with an informative link. I apologize in advance if I am not timely in my responses because I have full time work responsibilities in a different profession.

On to the first posting…