The days that we spend traveling through some of the most gorgeous and delicious places on Earth are our favorite days of the year, and the best part of those days is…YOU. We want to stay connected to the friends we’ve made on those journeys, and to keep you connected to the people, places, and wines that have brought us together. We are also excited about making new friendships, and are looking forward to lots of fun journeys ahead. Read on and join us!
Vintner Varietals: Winemakers We Love
Piolo & Max – Small — Batch Liquor
On a side street off the Trieste waterfront, close to the ruins of the Roman Theater, Piolo and Max, makers of extraordinary artisanal liqueurs, have a tiny shop. A brightly lit, brightly colored sliver of a store tucked into the gray stone walls, La Piccola Bottega Spiritosa di Piolo & Max is lined with shelves of hand-labeled bottles of every shape and size, with art and photos taped to the walls, looking more like a collision between a gallery and an apothecary than a liquor store. Piolo (actual name Paolo), the frontman of the duo, welcomes us when we visit the shop during our stay in Trieste on our tour through Northern Italy. He gives off the same mad scientist vibes as his storefront, but in truth, he’s all scientist and not at all mad. Piolo and Max started their venture in 2002, and since then have dedicated themselves body and soul to crafting perhaps the most thoughtful, deliberate, balanced spirits that we’ve ever tasted.
Through two decades, they have kept the venture small, their team of seven producing 100 liters or less of each batch of their liqueurs. All of their botanical ingredients are sourced in and around the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region (organic, where possible), and their distillery is located in the heart of Trieste. This is their hometown, and Piolo and Max draw inspiration from the city’s wild amalgamation of cultures. Trieste, once part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, is mere miles from the border of Slovenia, and the people, the cultural and religious institutions, the architecture, and the food and wine reflect not just this Middle European heritage, but also strong Venetian, Greek, and Jewish influences. This cultural legacy shows in Piolo and Max’s products. Their offerings include Piolinkomax, an original take on the traditional Pelinkovac liqueur, a bitter, wormwood liqueur popular in Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Mittleuropeo Gin, which incorporates botanicals and spices that recall Central Europe. To craft an Amaro worthy of their home city’s name, Piolo and Max spent years researching the Austro-Hungarian tradition of medicinal infusions, and after scores of trials, they settled on a mixture of 12 herbs (including hops, dandelion, and eucalyptus) in whopping proportions (35 liters in volume of dry herbs per 100 liters of finished product) to create their Amaro Trieste.
Piolo and Max put the same amount of painstaking care into their bitters, grappas, vermouths, and absinthes, coming up with unusual variations, such as watermelon liqueur and cinnamon limoncello. While Uva Imports brings some of their top sellers into the U.S., when we are at the shop in Trieste, Piolo is likely to pour out shots of his latest favorite creation, one for you and one for him, and you will never forget the experience.
Cultural Terroir: Places We Love
Muggia
Last summer, we added a new suggestion for how to spend some free time in Trieste—and that was to leave Trieste. While there is no shortage of lovely ways to pass your days in one of the most unique cities in Italy, one of our favorite things to do while we’re there is to take the ferry across the bay to Muggia, a colorful, waterfront town on the Istrian peninsula (in fact, the only Istrian town belonging to Italy), on the border with Slovenia. The view of Trieste from the water is in itself worth the trip, but the quintessential charm of Muggia is the real payoff.
Like so many European port cites, Muggia’s history is deep and fraught. It originated as a fortified village around 700 B.C., and then was conquered by the Romans around 177 B.C. Between then and the year 1000 A.D., it was under various rule, and eventually, a new settlement was built on the coast. After the 13th century, the village declared itself a municipality, and in 1420 it became part of the Republic of Venice. It was claimed as part of the Austrian Empire in 1797, and finally annexed to Italy after WWI.
This history pulses through the village, from the lingering Venetian influence in the dialect and the food, to the remarkable Roman ruins at the Parco Archeologico di Muggia Vecchia (Old Muggia Archaeological Park), which contains the remnants of buildings, mosaics, tombs, and the ancient city walls. Muggia Castle, a central village landmark, dates back to 1374 and was recently restored to its ancient glory, now the residence of a famous Italian sculptor. In the center of town, the Piazza Marconi is lined with historic buildings including the Town Hall and the Duomo, a Romanesque cathedral from the 13th century, updated in the 15th century with a Gothic facade.
All that is to say, there is a lot of history and art to explore in Muggia, if you wish. But it is also simply the perfect place to sit and enjoy a relaxing seafood lunch, a glass of wine, or a gelato from the magical Gelateria Jimmy, and take in the views. The buildings around the bay are painted a rainbow of hues, the narrow cobblestone streets wind enchantingly up the hill, and the fishing boats gently rock in the harbor. If all you do is relax and absorb the coastal charm, it is an afternoon well spent.
Wine Key: Insights We Love
Piolo & Max Cocktails
Nothing says “It’s summer—relax,” like the clink of ice against glass, so we thought we’d share a few favorite cocktails using the excellent Piolo & Max spirits to celebrate the official start of vacation season.
The Negroni is 100% Piolo & Max, using their gin, vermouth, and their special bitter in place of the more common Campari. Their delicately scented, utterly harmonious gin, Gin Mittleuropeo, uses a proprietary blend of herbs and spices, including juniper, orange peel, and fennel, to impart a nuanced array of flavors rounded out by a splash of Elderflower syrup. Their red vermouth, Vermut Woman in Rosso, is made from red and white wines from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, blended with a special mix of botanicals including cinnamon, gentian, lemon peel, star anise, cardamom, and licorice for a complex, bitter-sweet flavor. This vermouth is also a component of their bitter, Tizio Rosso, to which they add a hand-selected blend of wild berries, rose hips, and herbs and spices.
In addition to raising the bar in the Negroni, Tizio Rosso is able to single-handedly make for a delicious and balanced Americano, standing in for the traditional combo of vermouth and Campari. Just a splash of soda water and you’re good to go.
The Hugo is a refreshing spritz that could well become your summertime go-to. Piolo & Max’s Elderflower liqueur—light, sweetly floral, derived from the blossoms of Italy’s native Elder trees—is stirred with Prosecco, club soda, and mint for a lively, lovely cocktail.
Happy Summer! Cin cin!
Negroni:
1oz Gin Mittleuropeo
1oz Vermut Woman in Red
1 oz Tizio Rosso
Ice
Strip of orange peel
Combine the gin with the vermouth and bitter in a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Pinch the orange peel over the glass to release its oils, then slip it into the glass.
Americano:
3 ounces Tizio Rosso
2 ounces soda water
Ice
Orange wedge or lemon twist
Combine the Tizio Rosso and soda water in a highball glass with ice. Stir until chilled, about 20 seconds. Garnish with the orange wedge or lemon twist.
Hugo Spritz:
6-8 mint leaves, plus 1 sprig for garnish
1 ounce Elderflower Liqueur
4 ounce Prosecco
2 ounces soda water
Ice
Lime wheel
Crumple the mint leaves in your hand to release the oils, and drop them into a wine or highball glass. Add the Elderflower Liqueur, the prosecco, and the soda water. Add ice as desired and stir until chilled, about 20 seconds. Garnish with the lime wheel and the remaining spring of mint.
Pairings: Recipes We Love
Baccalà Mantecato, milk-poached salt cod whipped until creamy with olive oil, is one of the most classic Venetian dishes, served in wine bars everywhere with fried polenta or toasted bread. Purists would argue the cod and oil should be beaten with a wooden spoon or emulsified with a mortar and pestle, but the food processor makes short (and nicely fluffy) work of it. Though it is not part of traditional recipes and not included here, I like to add lemon juice to brighten the flavors in the spread.
Baccalà Mantecato (Whipped Salt Cod Spread)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound salt cod, soaked and drained (see Note)
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the side of a knife, plus 1 peeled clove reserved
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups milk
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt
- Chopped parsley, for serving
- Toasted bread or fried polenta, for serving
METHOD
- Place the drained cod in a large saucepan and add the 3 smashed garlic cloves and bay leaves. Pour the milk over the cod and add water, as needed, to just submerge the fish. Set the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let sit for another 10 minutes.
- Transfer the fish, reserved raw garlic clove, and ¼ cup of the cooking liquid to the bowl of a food processor, discarding the cooked garlic and bay leaves. Pulse a few times to break up the fish, then, with the processor running, drizzle in the oil in a slow, steady stream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add a few grinds of black pepper, and process for about 30 seconds longer. Taste for salt and pepper and add more as desired, processing to combine. The spread should be fluffy, creamy, and fully emulsified. If it is too stiff, add another couple of tablespoons of the cooking liquid and process for another minute or so.
- Transfer to a bowl for serving and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately with the bread or polenta or refrigerate for up to two days, letting it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
NOTE: It is possible to find pre-soaked salt cod. However, if using unsoaked cod, you will need to soak it to render it soft and palatable. To soak the salt cod, place the fish in a pan or baking dish, cover with cold water, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days. Change the water in the dish twice daily.
ENJOY!
New Growth: Joy Of Wine News We Love
Exciting News!
Thirteen years ago, when we launched our inaugural Joy of Wine Journey to Northern Italy, we never imagined we would be so lucky as to have travelers want to join us on our adventures again and again. But so many of you have become friends and returning guests, and we love exploring new places with familiar faces. Over the last few years, we realized we needed to expand from our initial Northern Italy tours.
To that end, in 2024, we led our first tour through French wine country, and it was a beautiful experience that we loved continuing in 2025 and for years to come. Still, we want to share more with you! As we’ve been thinking about where our next adventure should take us, we keep coming back to the deep love for Italy and Italian wine that started it all.
So for nearly 6 months, we planned, we ate, drank, and, yes, worked our way through Central & Southern Italy, curating a tour that will be as luxurious, delicious, and valuable as our repeat travelers expect and deserve.
We are sourcing the best accommodations, the best winery visits, and the best food and wine we can find to create a completely unforgettable tour through Central & Southern Italy. We can’t wait to share it with you in spring & fall of 2026!
