Italian wine is a reflection of the country’s politics, equally fascinating and frustrating.

Is it true Luis Suarez would have some fava beans and a nice Chianti after each meal... I mean, game?

Is Dad having the last laugh as the Pope bows out on the 15th anniversary of his death, wonders Don Morgan

THE local-and-in-season theme reflected in food foraging is an entirely different philosophy to that behind organics. But the two outlooks can be good companions, not least as much of the organic approach to food and drink is dedicated to minimising human intervention and emphasising the direct line between field and fork.

On BBC1’s reality TV show The Apprentice during the week, the aspiring entrepreneurs were challenged to develop marketing campaigns for English sparkling wines. I’m taking a closer look at how they fared on the blog today (blakecreedon.wordpress.com) but some more immediate questions are raised by the programme.

Wine tastings are always a revelation, and none more so than the one hosted by Lidl recently for people in the wine media to taste.

THE Cork Wine Fair hosted by O’Donovans off-licences last week provided some new discoveries and interesting new themes for the attentive wine fan.

THIS was the anti-pasti for Carlo Ancelotti ahead of the main course in Milan on Wednesday night.

IAN RUSH couldn’t settle in Italy; the Welsh striker said it was like living in a foreign country. But San Nicola — the patron saint of Bari — is, they say, a friend to travellers and up to 6,000 Irish soccer fans were certainly making themselves at home in the coastal city yesterday.

Croatia only have themselves to blame for suffering World Cup heartbreak - handing the lucky Italians a place in the knockout stages on a plate.

Croatia only have themselves to blame for suffering World Cup heartbreak - handing the lucky Italians a place in the knockout stages on a plate.