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Trends and Observations: Wine & Spirits
Organic Wines: New Developments
Some of the big players are declaring their wines organic. A very positive
thing, I think, and my take on organic farming in general.
Sangiovese works well with... ?
It's very particular.
The 2002 Harvest
Has been
hammered by rains.
Winefests 2002
All sorts of
interesting things to see and do!
The wine is easy to drink?
For some critics this is a defect, but I don't agree.
New Red Wines from San Gimignano
Some very fine new Tuscan wines to look out for, and notes on saffron
too.
Unexpected effects of a Law
It makes it much more difficult to prosecute food fraud, and other problems
with olive oil.
Non Farti Infinocchiare!
What
does wine have to do with getting hoodwinked?
Thoughts on the Harvest, and the Importance of
Autochthonous Varietals
2001 will be patchy, and variety is
the spice of life.
A Setback for the Proposed Toscana
DOC
Good news for wine lovers!
Vermentino: A White to Look Out
For
Now that Antinori has begun to export its Vermentino, one
of Italy's more promising whites will become better known.
Tuscan Vintages
New Brunello,
Chianti Classico and Nobile di Montepulciano: How are they and where are they
headed?
Recioto: What to serve it with?
Verona's classic sweet red wine goes very well with cheeses, including
Gorgonzola, and also with sweet entrees.
The EEU opens the doors to Transgenic
Wines
A move that certainly doesn't favor quality, and is
difficult to understand.
Barbera & Nebbiolo
Why
are they the grapes of choice in Piemonte? Because the wine keeps.
Smearing Valpolicella
The
British transportation people target an Italian wine as a cause of Drunk
Driving.
The Movimento del Turismo del
Vino
Getting wineries to open their doors to turism is
beneficial -- to the wineries, and also to the regions they're in, for many
unexpected reasons.
On replacing wine in a dish
I
prefer not to, and here's why.
The 99 Vintage
Things don't
look too promising, alas.
Acqua Ardens, a cure for all
ills
In the Middle Ages alcohol was used to treat everything
from toothache to memory loss...
Attitudes towards Alcohol: Italy vs. The
Americas
Italians have a very different, and perhaps more
healthy attitude towards alcohol than do Americans or Northern Europeans.
La Botte
The Celts of
Cisalpine Gaul (what's now Piemonte and Lombardia) invented the wine barrel,
though modern Italian vintners rediscovered its use from the French.
DOC, VdT, DOCG... What does it mean?
Reading an Italian wine label.
The New Langhe DOC
I usually
greet newly established DOCs with favor. But not this one.
Quality & Quantity:
In
a vineyard, the two don't mix. Here's why.
Sangiovese: Signore della
Toscana
A few words on the Lord of Tuscany, styles of
Sangiovese, and notes on eight very different Sangiovesi.
Sediment
A bit of
sediment in the bottom of an old bottle is not a defect, though you
should perhaps decant the wine.
On Selecting a Wine:
The
top-rated critic's darling may not be what you want to make a meal
memorable.
La Storia del Chianti
Lapo Mazzei, former president of the Chianti Classico Consorzio, recently
reminisced about his experiences -- did you know that in 1953 the Powers that
Were suggested the entire region be turned into pasture land? We've come a long
way since then!
Also, tasting notes on some milestone wines, including a
1958 Badia a Coltibuono, a 1971 Monsanto, and a 1985 Vecchie
Terre di Montefili.
Synthetic Corks: They're coming to Italy
too.
Italian vintners are beginning to adopt synthetic corks.
Tipicitá
There
are two major currents in Italian wine making today -- Innovators and
Traditionalists. While the innovators make wonderful wine, I tend to side with
the traditionalists. Here's why.
Vinexpo: Storm Clouds on the
Horizon
With a few happy exceptions, this year's Vinexpo, the
major international wine trade fair held in Bordeaux, was a disaster for
Italian producers. Some thoughts on why.
Wine Lovers
According to
the Movimento del Turismo del Vino there are four kinds.
Also,
tasting notes from the Azienda Agricola Vignadora, in Campania.
Wine Journalism, Pro & Con
What the wine press says could harm vintners and deprive consumers of some
wonderful wines.
If you haven't found what you're looking for,
please ask!
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