Wine & Food Pairing: Italian

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I Love Italian Wine and Food - Aosta Valley Region, Piedmont Wine

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Aosta Valley region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

The Aosta Valley is a tiny corner of of northwestern Italy bordering on France and Switzerland. This valley is surrounded by high mountains, including Europe's highest peak, Mount Blanc. This was arguably the last region of Italy to be populated, because it was covered with ice until relatively recently. Over time it was occupied by Celts, Romans, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Lombards, and Franks. It is bilingual, Italian and French. The Aosta Valley is by far the smallest region of Italy with a population of only 120 thousand.

Agricultural is not particularly important, with the exception of cattle raising. There is substantial forestry and some industry, in particular hydroelectric power. The region is one of the wealthiest in Italy, with a highly developed tourist sector.

This region has no single capital. The largest city is Aosta, with a population of about 35 thousand. It was a Roman garrison over two thousand years ago, and is the best example of Roman city planning in Italy. Among the Aosta Valley's tourist attractions are the remains of a Roman amphitheater said to hold 20,000 spectators. Other tourist attractions include medieval fortresses and churches, the Matterhorn, and Mount Blanc.

The Aosta Valley devotes only fifteen hundred acres to grapevines, and ranks 20th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about six hundred thousand gallons, also giving it a 20th place. About 90% of the wine production is red or rosé (only a bit of rosé), leaving about 10% for white. The region produces a single DOC wine, that is divided into 23 categories. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin. Almost 23% of this region's wine carries the DOC. The Aosta Valley is home to almost three dozen major and secondary grape varieties, with somewhat more red than white varieties.

Chardonnay is the most important international white grape variety in the Aosta Valley. Muscat and Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris) are also grown. Local white varieties include Blanc de Morgeux and Petite Arvine, also grown in Switzerland.

International red grape varieties grown in the Aosta Valley include Gamay, Grenache, Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir), and Syrah. Local red varieties include Picotendro (called Nebbiolo in neighboring Piedmont and arguably Italy's finest red grape), Petit Rouge, and Fumin. In the unfortunate absence of any Aosta Valley wines, I am reviewing a DOCG Nebbiolo-based wine from neighboring Piedmont. If I am ever in the Aosta Valley, I promise to drink and review a few local wines.

Before reviewing the Aosta Valley-style wine and Italian cheese that I was lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Jambon de Bosses; Uncooked Ham.
As the second course try Carré D'Agnello Gratinato Alle Erbe; Grilled Loin of Lamb in a Pastry and Herb Crust.
For dessert indulge yourself with Crema alla Panna; Pannacotta from the Aosta Valley (a sort of crème caramel without eggs.)

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Travaglina Gattinara DOCG 13.5% alcohol about $28

As stated above, little if any wine from the Aosta Valley region is available in North America. We had to settle for a Piedmont wine produced only a few miles away from the Aosta Valley. For some reason I can't get out of my mind the 1905 George M. Cohan Broadway title tune (Only) Forty-five Minutes from Broadway, think of the changes it brings. Given that this is a DOCG wine made with Italy's best red grape, I really don't feel that I made a sacrifice. It is perhaps a fitting way to treat the last of Italy's regions.

Let's start with the marketing materials. "The winery has other jewels in its crown, as the fabulous base Gattinara 2001 so eloquently proves in the best version we can remember. A pure, austere nose expresses the Gattinara territory, with licorice and crushed roses from the Nebbiolo grape and elegant streaks of eucalyptus, menthol, and even acacia blossoms. The long lingering palate is lively and tangy, slightly held back by assertive tannins."

Let's talk a bit about the bottle. As a DOCG red wine, there is a lavender ribbon at the top of the bottle. The bottle itself has a unique curve that fits in the palm of the hand. It was designed by a glassmaker for the 1952 vintage, and proved so popular that the producer has been using it ever since. The grapes are grown on steep slopes at 900-1300 feet in iron-rich soil with traces of Calcium and Magnesium Carbonate. The wine is aged a year in French oak barriques, 18 months in Slovenian oak casks, and then for six months in the bottle. It has been called an affordable Barolo, (one of Italy's finest red wines that starts at about twice its price). Wine Spectator Magazine has listed a previous vintage as one of the year's 100 best wines.

My first pairing was with a cheeseless meat lasagna. Frankly the wine was wasted on this meal. It was mouth-filling, long, and powerful, but yet delicate. I felt that the wine was great on its own. A few ounces kept my mouth satisfied for a very long time.

The next pairing was more suitable, grilled rib steak in my spicy, homemade barbeque sauce that included ketchup, sweet and sour mustard, fresh garlic, and black pepper. The meal also included potato patties, and caponata, an Italian-style eggplant and tomato salad. This marriage was made in heaven. The wine was mouthfilling and powerful. A little bit went a very long way.

The final meal was with slow-cooked, boneless beef ribs and potatoes. Once again, the wine was very powerful, tasting of leather and dark fruit. It is easily the most powerful wine of the series, and probably one of the most powerful wines that I have ever tasted. However, I did not find the tannins assertive; they blended perfectly with the fruit and other flavors.

It might have been best to try this wine with a Piedmont cheese such as Gran Padano or Gorgonzola, or with an Aosta Valley cheese such as Fontina. I had none of the above, so I settled for the ends of my Italian cheeses, coincidentally at more or less the end of this series. The Gattinara took on a pleasant acidic character to deal with a Montasio cheese from the Veneto area that was past its prime. It also went well with a Sicilian Isola. I liked it the best with an Asiago, also from the Veneto region. But once again the wine was somewhat wasted on these cheeses.

Final verdict. I don't think that this wine should be cellared wine for a dozen years, but I would love to find out. If I had the money, I'd buy a case, drink a bottle a year, and then decide what to do. Not going to happen. This wonderful wine will have to go into my once a year category. I'm already looking forward to savoring and comparing the 2002 vintage with this wonderful 2001.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine French or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Friuli-Venezia Giuli Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Friuli-Venezia Giuli region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Friuli-Venezia Giuli is a mountainous area tucked away in the northeast corner Italy, bordering on Austria and Slovenia. Experts believe that Friuli-Venezia Giuli was first inhabited twenty thousand years ago. Like most regions of Italy, it has belonged to many nations over the years. Unlike most regions of Italy, it remains multicultural, an exceptional mixture of Italian, Austrian, and Slavic influences. To make this article easier to read, we will replace the region's full name by its first part, Friuli. The total population is less than 1.2 million.

While Friuli is home to a wide variety of agricultural products, most farmers don't get rich. The farms tend to be small and much of the land is infertile, suitable only for grazing and grapes. Unfortunately the Adriatic sea is in poor condition and fishing is on the decline. However, a wide variety of seafood is available. Friuli's best-known food is San Daniele prosciutto, an uncooked ham aged in sea salt for over a year. Gourmets debate whether this ham or its cousin prosciutto di Parma from the Emilia-Romagna region in northwestern Italy is the best ham in the world.

Friuli's administrative center is Trieste, which only became part of Italy in 1954. This city was once the principle port of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Like Vienna, Austria, Trieste is filled with cafés. It is also home to the famous International Center for Theoretical Physics.

Friuli devotes about one hundred fifty thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 14th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 27 million gallons, giving it a 13th place. Approximately 48% of its wine production is red or rosé (only a little rosé), leaving 52% for white. The region produces 9 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine and 1 DOCG white dessert wine, Ramandolo. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. Over 60% of Friuli wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Friuli is home to almost four dozen major and secondary grape varieties, about half white and half red.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Pinot Grigio, often called Pinot Gris outside of Italy, Pinot Bianco, often called Pinot Blanc outside of Italy, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. The best known strictly Italian white varieties are Tocai Friulano and Verduzzo Fruilano, exemplified in the DOCG wine, Ramandolo.

Widely grown international red grape varieties include Merlot, grown in Fruili for well over one hundred years, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The best-known strictly Italian red variety is Refosco. Fruili's candidate for grape variety with the most unusual name is Tazzelenghe, which means tongue cutter in the local dialect. While I have never tasted any wines based on this grape, I can guess that they won't be delicate.

Before we reviewing the Friuli wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Cjalzons con Ripieno di Cioccolata e Spinaci, Chocolate and Spinach Filled Pasta with Smoked Ricotta.

Then try Capesante alla Triestina, Broiled Scallops and Oysters with Watercress. And for dessert, indulge yourself with Strucolo di Ricotta, Ricotta Strudel. If you are like me, you think of Austria or Hungary, when you hear the word Strudel.

Wine Reviewed
Pighin Pinot Grigio 2005 Grave del Fruili 12.5% alcohol about $13.50

I'll start by quoting the marketing materials. "Toast, white flowers and mineral on the involved nose, this light-bodied white is all about zing, verve, and refreshing citrus flavors. Some notes of pit fruit, but mainly built to match up to seafood. Try with friends and grilled scampi drizzled with lemon juice."

I first tasted this wine with sesame seed covered filo dough stuffed with hamburger meat and accompanied by zucchini in a tomato sauce. It was pleasantly acidic and fruity providing lemon and other citrus flavors. I liked it with a chocolate cake labeled strudel which intensified the wine's acidity. I don't think that any Friuli residents would have called that cake strudel, but this review is about the wine, and not the cake.

My next food pairing was with whole-wheat pasta in a spicy meat sauce. The wine stepped up to the plate and handled the spice very well. It was nice and round. I finished this meal with out of season strawberries, in whose presence the wine became almost sweet.

With filet of sole poached in onions, a side of brown rice, and okra in a tomato sauce, the wine became more acidic and rounder. It was quite refreshing. It was a sweet, acidic companion to fresh pomegranates. It took on a nice acidity with pecan and caramel chocolate candy.

Montasio is a cooked, full-fat, semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk and aged for several months. It has a pungent smell and a strong, pasty taste. The Pinot Grigio was not outmatched by this powerful cheese. Strictly speaking, Asiago cheese does not come from the Friuli region, but its neighbors Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto. Once again, the wine changed its character to match this softer cheese.

This wasn't a great wine, but it did go well with everything. I would most likely buy it again.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - Riserva Wines

Did you ever wonder what the word Riserva on an Italian wine label meant? Does it guarantee a fine wine? Can it still be a bargain? This short article will try to answer these questions, and review a Riserva wine that I recently tasted.

The major and sometimes only difference between two Italian wines with the same name on the label except for the word Riserva is the Riserva's extra aging. For example, Barbaresco wine from the northern Italian region of Piedmont wine is aged for a minimum of two years, one of which must be in oak or chestnut casks. The Barbaresco Riserva version is aged for a minimum of four years, two of which must be in oak or chestnut casks. Let's look at another example; Piedmont's Barolo, the king of wine and the wine of kings. Barolo is aged for a minimum of 38 months, and Barolo Riserva is aged for a minimum of 60 months. In the first case Riserva means that the wine has been aged in wood for two additional years, while in the second case it means the wine has been aged in wood for 22 additional months. The exact specifications for Riserva depend on the given wine. As you will see in the review of the wine I tasted, the producer may add his or her own additional requirements.

What about the price? Do you have to pay extra for a Riserva wine? The answer is yes. The Riserva process costs money, in part because the wine has been held off the market for all that extra time. But the wine business is complicated. Let's say that you are always on the lookout for a specific wine. One lucky day you get to your favorite wine store just when the new shipment arrives including both a 2005 and a 2003 Riserva of this wine. To your grand surprise the 2005 costs more than the 2003 Riserva. How could this happen? Perhaps the 2005 is a far superior vintage for this particular wine. Buy what you can. And expect to pay even more for the 2005 Riserva when it finally reaches the marketplace.

Be careful, on occasion the word Riserva means an essentially different wine. The central Italian region of Umbria produces a DOC wine called Torgiano and a DOCG wine called Torgiano Rosso Riserva, both made from the same grape blend with minor changes allowed. A similar situation occurs in the central Italian region The Marche where Rosso Conero is a DOC wine and Rosso Conero Riserva has been accorded the DOCG classification. The grape varieties used in both wines are the same, and perhaps only difference is the aging. For both these pairs the authorities decreed that the longer aged wines are sufficiently different from their cousins to warrant a fancier classification, and a higher price tag. Are they right? You might want to taste them to reach your decision. Personally, I have not tasted any of the wines mentioned in this paragraph.

But I have tasted two Nebbiolo-based wines, a Gattinara and a Gattinara Riserva from the northern Italian region of Piedmont. As luck would have it both wines came from the same producer. The regular Gattinara was a 2001, the Gattinara Riserva was a 1999. Of course, when comparing these wines, we should take into account the vintage, which can make a big difference. I remember a relatively inexpensive 2001 French dessert wine that was absolutely spectacular. But the 2002 vintage of this wine made by the same producer from the same grapes was good and nothing more.

For a review of the Gattinara DOCG 2001, see my article I Love Italian Wine and Food - Aosta Valley Region, Piedmont Wine.

Wine Reviewed
Travaglini Gattinara Riserva DOCG 1999 13.5% alcohol about $33

First a few notes supplied by the producer Giancarlo Travaglini. This Riserva wine, composed of 100% Nebbiolo grapes, was aged for at least three years in oak barrels, and one year in the bottle. In fact, 25% to 30% of the grapes were aged in small oak barrels. The grapes for the Riserva wine come from selected grapes at selected sites. To protect its name, Travaglini makes Gattinara Riserva only in the best years. The Riserva grapes are processed and aged separately from the regular production. The producer suggests serving the wine at 19-20 degrees Centigrade (66-68 degrees Fahrenheit), and claims that it can be cellared until 2015-2020.

This wine was very rich and mouth-filling. A little bit went a long way. I tasted tobacco, leather, and black cherries, but essentially I tasted a very fine wine. I don't think that I am kidding myself when I say that I could tell the difference between this wine, and the non-Riserva 2001 vintage, which I also found excellent. I felt that the Riserva was even more powerful and complex than its younger cousin.

I tasted it with rib steak and potatoes, and with slow-cooked beef ribs as in my previous tasting. (I wasn't going to waste any of it on a more plebian dish such as a lasagna.) The food pairings were great, as was the wine on its own. My only regret was that the bottle was empty before I tasted it with any cheese. Frankly I wonder if a wine of this quality wouldn't be a bit wasted with cheese.

Final verdict. I'd have to think very hard to find something negative about this wine. I'm not convinced that it should be cellared until 2015-2020, which at this point seems a long way off. But for now, and certainly the next few years, this wine is excellent, and is somewhat of a bargain. For this particular wine, and undoubtedly many others, Riserva means more than just additional aging.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Aosta Valley

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Aosta Valley region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

The Aosta Valley is a tiny corner of northwestern Italy bordering on France and Switzerland. This beautiful valley is surrounded by high mountains, including Europe's highest peak, Mount Blanc. While some other regions of Italy are bilingual, this is the only one where French is extensively spoken. With a population of only 120 thousand this is by far the smallest region. Its largest city is Aosta, home to some 35 thousand people. Tourist attractions include the remains of a Roman amphitheater, churches and other buildings dating back to the Middle Ages, Mount Blanc, and the Matterhorn.

The Aosta Valley devotes a mere fifteen hundred acres to grapevines ranking it dead last among Italy's 20 regions. It produces about six hundred thousand gallons of wine a year, putting it at the bottom of the list. Some 90% of this limited wine production is red or rosé (only a bit of rosé). The region produces a single DOC wine, subdivided into 23 categories. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin. Almost 23% of this region's wine carries the DOC. The Aosta Valley is home to almost three dozen major and secondary grape varieties, with somewhat more red than white varieties.

Before reviewing the Aosta Valley wine that I was lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Pazzarella; Small Pizza with Porcini Mushrooms, Mozzarella Cheese, and Porcini Mushrooms. As the second course try Fonduta; Fondue with Melted Cheese, Eggs, and Grated Truffles. For dessert indulge yourself with Pere Martin al Vino Rosso; Pears cooked in Spiced Wine with Whipped Cream.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Les Crêtes Torrette 2006 12.0% alcohol about $22

Let's start with the marketing materials. "Petit Rouge is Valle d'Aosta's claim-to-fame grape. It produces darkly colored and very perfumed red wines. Many think of roses and peonies when they smell this pretty red wine. It is a naturally low-yielding variety that produces very small berries. This is a virtue, because the small berry size produces wines that can be very aromatic and flavorful with a good core of acids and tannins for balance. Enjoy it with braised beef dishes or a wild mushroom risotto."

And then there was one. Over the past two and a half years I have tasted wines from eighteen of the twenty regions of Italy. All that was left was the Aosta Valley and Liguria, the Italian Riviera, neither of which export much wine to North America. As soon as I saw that my local wine store imported an Aosta Valley wine I jumped at the opportunity. Perhaps my expectations were too high.

On the first sipping I found the wine nice and long with tannins in the background. It was round as well. The first pairing was with a slow cooked beef stew accompanied by potatoes and carrots. The wine was mouth filling and tart. I got the feeling that the grapes were slightly unripe. It actually improved when consumed with a relatively mild tomato-based salsa. On the other hand a Turkish hot pepper sauce, Harissa, did not improve the wine.

The next meal included a commercial barbequed chicken leg with the paprika dusted skin, barbequed chicken wings in a sweet and sour sauce, potatoes roasted in chicken fat, and more of the salsa. The wine tasted of black cherries. It had palate-cleansing acidity with no tannins at all (like a Beaujolais). The potatoes melted in my mouth but made the wine sour. And the wings were more powerful than the wine. The salsa cleansed the palate and muted the wine.

The final meal was an omelet with smoked salmon. The wine was fruity displaying pleasant acidity but was short.

The first cheese was a cream cheese that took away the wine's fruit. In the presence of a marbled Cheddar cheese the wine was sweet and fruity.

Final verdict. The Aosta Valley is an expensive part of Italy. This wine was overpriced. I've been doing a column on $10 wines and the best of the lot compete with this one. Perhaps I was overly excited about this wine because of its location. Actually the wines from this part of Italy don't have a special reputation. I won't rush to taste another one, not at this price. Next stop, Liguria.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian, French, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and spend time with his wife and family. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - Tasting A Noble Sicilian Wine

Once again, we are breaking into the series tasting wines from each of Italy's twenty wine regions. This article examines a noble red wine from the island of Sicily in southern Italy. It is very far from a bargain wine. We were about a dozen to taste it. I'll be presenting my opinions and those of others.

So far, the wines that I purchased for this series have cost a maximum of about $20. I thought that I should try one at about double the price. I felt that by going to a relatively unknown region such as Sicily I might get a bargain. A lot of wines from the Tuscany or Piedmont regions of Italy cost $40 or much, much more. Such is not the case for Sicily.

Italy's top of the line wine designation is DOCG, which stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata Garantita (Denomination of Controlled, Guaranteed Origin.) There are no DOCG wines in Sicily. But the formal designation is not very important, many Super Tuscans costing at least twice my budget carry "inferior" designations. The wine I chose carries the Contea di Sclafania DOC designation, having been promoted from the Sicilia IGT designation. The wine reviewed here is produced by the same company as the white Sicilian wine reviewed in my article I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Sicily Region. This was no accident. First I bought the relatively expensive red. Then I bought the white wine for about one third the price. This white wine carries the Sicilia IGT designation, but I found it to be pretty good. Let's take a look at its much more expensive red cousin.

Wine Reviewed
Tasca d'Almerita Regaleali 'Rosso del Conte' Contea di Sclafania DOC 2002 15% alcohol about $38

About 35 years ago, Count Tasca d'Almerita decided to make a flagship Sicilian red wine from two local grapes, Nero d'avola and Perricone. Nero d'avola is a thin-skinned grape that ripens extremely late, perhaps three weeks after Cabernet Sauvignon. Consequently this variety is virtually limited to Sicily. Some think that it is a relative of Syrah. Nero d'avola wines are usually dark and tarry, with lots of black fruit aroma and taste. They are rich and well structured, with firm and silky tannins. Many of the grapes in this bottle came from vines over forty years old. The plants are grown as shrubs, a somewhat unusual practice. This wine was aged for twelve months in French oak barrels, about 60% of which are new. It can be cellared for years. I only wish that I could taste a ten or twenty year old Rosso del Conte.

I'll spare you the marketing materials and reviews that tend to be very laudatory. Here are the comments from my tasting group.

A bit of black fruit. Highly oaked. Toasted grains, toast, grilled barley. Nervous and wild. Garriga (a mixture of spices found in areas near the Mediterranean Sea). Leather, dried meat, musk, and underbrush. A strong presence. Acidic and tannic, but not very long. Moderately long, fairly tannic. Round. More fruit than oak.

When asked to guess the price, the general consensus was considerably lower than what I actually paid. It's fair to assume that most of these people would not purchase this wine, even if they do buy wines in this price range. On the other hand, it's not hard to find reviews on the Internet that draw the opposite conclusion. In fact, every review that I read was more laudatory than my tasting group was. And my thoughts?

Personally, I would rather drink wine with food than without food. There were only a few sips left in the bottle but I was able to squeeze out two pairings. First I tried slow-cooked beef ribs with potatoes and a side of green beans in tomato sauce. This wine was the essence of mouth-filling, a tiny sip enveloped my mouth with pleasure. The wine's acidity and tannins handled the meat's fat. If only I had more.

Isola is a Sicilian fresh cheese made from sheep's milk. The Isola cheese was powerful, strong smelling and strong tasting, especially when you crunched into a peppercorn. The Rosso del Conte's richness and complexity was quite noticeable in the presence of this cheese. I am glad that I didn't waste the last precious sips of this wine on a weak cheese.

Final verdict. It'll probably be quite some time before I buy another bottle of Rosso del Conte. I do think that it's worth the price, but I can't say that I got a $100 wine for less than $40. Have you ever done so?

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Sardinia Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider Sardinia. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on the fact-filled wine education tour.

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean, located in the Tyrrhenian Sea west of mainland Italy. Sardinia's terrain is mountainous, and its beaches are excellent. Sardinia is known for archeological ruins and has become a tourist destination for the international jet set. Because of its exceptional location Sardinia has always popular, Invaders include Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, and Spaniards, without mentioning numerous Italian peoples. During part of the 18th and 19th Century it was united with the northern region of Piedmont in the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. The population is about 1.6 million.

Sardinia's administrative center is Cagliari, an ancient university town on the southern coast of the island. Its population is approximately one hundred sixty thousand. The famous author D. H. Lawrence compared this beautiful city to a "White Jerusalem." Another city of interest is Sassari, which has the best collection of Sardinian art.

Sardinia is Italy's leading source of organic produce, and includes nearly one-third of Italy's land cultivated biologically. The climate is subtropical and more than half the territory is devoted to pasture land. Food is plentiful, it is said that there are over 500 kinds of bread, perhaps one for every village. The inland is full of meat, including lamb, goat, pork and game, while the coast teems with fish, lobster, and eel.

Sardinia devotes about 107 thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 8th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 28 million gallons, giving it a 12th place. About 57% of the wine production is red or rosé (only a bit of rosé), leaving 43% for white. The region produces 19 DOC wines and one DOCG wine, Vermentino di Gallura, one of the two DOCG wines produced in southern Italy. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. About 15% of Sardinian wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Sardinia is home to almost dozen four major and secondary grape varieties, about half white and half red.

There are no widely grown international white grape varieties in Sardinia. The best known Italian white varieties are Vermentino, Nuragus, and Vernaccia.

Widely grown international red grape varieties include Cannonau, known as Garnacha in Spain, and Grenache in France and elsewhere, and Carignano, known as Carignan in France. The best known Italian red variety is Monica, which probably originated in Spain, and may be related to California's Mission grape variety.

Before we review the Sardinian wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Melanzane in Pinzimonio, Smoked Eggplants in Mint-Basil Oil.
As a second course try Aragosta Arrosto, Roasted Lobster with Parsley and Bread Crumbs.
For dessert indulge yourself with Seadas, Pastry with Cheese and Bitter Honey.

Wine Reviewed

Sella and Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna (V) DOC Reserva 2003 13.5% alcohol about $12.50

Cannonau wine may qualify as the mother of all European wines. It is made from the Grenache grape, which originated in Spain. The producer, Sella and Mosca, has the second largest contiguous vineyard in Italy. Over 6 million bottles are year are produced on an estate of more than 1500 acres. Some will say that such a humongous estate is unlikely to produce an outstanding wine. Such a claim may be incorrect, but this wine was far from outstanding.

The marketing materials stated that this wine is more or less ruby in color, tending to orange upon aging, with a light scent of grapes with a characteristic flavor ranging from dry to sweetish. It was aged three years in oak prior to its release and may be cellared for a decade or more. The wine is said to be particularly suitable to accompany red meats and seasoned cheeses. Uncork it at least one hour before serving.

I found that it had quite a light color for a red wine. To my mind, it was thin but pleasant with very little nose. I first tasted it with a rib steak marinated in a spicy sauce. This pairing brought out the fruit, and the wine was pleasantly acidic, but I would have preferred a more robust wine to balance the meat. I finished the bottle withy barbequed hamburgers, and it didn't go quite as well. The wine was weak, perhaps affected by staying too long in the bottle.

Pecorino Sardo is a traditional sheep's milk, semi-cooked hard cheese that comes in a "sweet" or "ripened" variety. The sweet variety is soft, and the ripened variety is hard. My cheese was ripened and treated with balsamic vinegar. A commercial roasted eggplant with sweet red peppers accompanied the wine and cheese. Everything went well together, the nutty flavors of the cheese balanced the wine's fruit. In conclusion, I liked the wine best with the cheese. I don't plan on buying this wine again, I found it a bit overpriced. Even though it didn't cost a lot, one might have thought that a mass-produced wine from Sardinia would be somewhat less expensive.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Bascilicata Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Bascilicata region of southern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Bascilicata is the instep of the Italian boot. This hilly and mountainous region is located in the southwest corner of Italy on the Ionian Sea. Parts of Bascilicata have been settled since the Stone Age. It was conquered by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Normans. When the pirates came, the local inhabitants were forced to flee into the interior. Historically the region is quite poor. Its population is slightly more than 600 thousand.

Agriculture products include barley, citrus fruit, corn, potatoes, oats, olives, and tomatoes. While meat is relatively scarce, more and more sheep, pigs, goats, and cattle are raised. There is some industry including a major FIAT (automobile) factory. Tourism is becoming more popular, in spite of, and perhaps in part because of a lack of infrastructure.

Bascilicata's administrative center is Potenza, a city of about 70 thousand. It is known as the coldest city in Italy and sometimes has snow. The city of Matera has at least two reasons to be proud. In September, 1943 it was the first Italian city to rise up against the German occupation. And Matera contains a prehistoric settlement, caves that have been occupied by people for at least 9 thousand years. In some places, the streets are actually rooftops. Parts of this area are now classified as a World Heritage Site.

Bascilicata devotes about 60 thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 17th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is less than 13 million gallons, also giving it a 17th place. About 73% of the wine production is red, leaving 27% for white. The region produces two DOC wines, Aglianico del Vulture, reviewed below, and Terre dell Alta Val d'Agri. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. Only 2.4% of Bascilicata wine carries the DOC designation. Bascilicata is home to about two dozen major and secondary grape varieties, half red and half white.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Malvasia and Muscato. The best-known strictly Italian white variety is Malvasia Bianca di Basilicato. Virtually no Bascilicata white wine is exported to North America.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are international red grape varieties that compose the Terre dell Alta Val d'Agri DOC wine. The best-known Italian red variety is Aglianico, which may have actually originated in Greece.

Before we reviewing the Bascilicata wine and Italian cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Acgua e Sale, Soaked Bread with Sweet Onion, Tomato, and Basil. Then try Grano con Ragù de Maiale, Savory Pork Ragout.
For dessert indulge yourself with Grano Dolce, Plump Wheat with Pomegranate, Chocolate, and Nuts.

Wine Reviewed

Cantine di Palma DOC 'Il Nibbio Grigio' Aglianico Vulture 2000 13% alcohol about $14

Let's start with the marketing materials. "Medium ruby in color with aromas of dried berries, leather, figs, dried flowers and spice. This medium-bodied wine has a rustic style, it's quite assertive on the palate with some dusty tannins. It would be great with lamb chops or braised pork ribs and could reward 2-3 years further cellaring. (August 2005)."

This was a wine that I was rooting for, prior to opening the bottle. It is a hard life for many people in Bascilicata; perhaps that's why the residents live longer than in most other Italian regions. But I didn't have to cheat to like this wine. Interestingly enough, my supplier has dropped the price by $2 a bottle, which may be a first for the wines in this series. I might buy a half case and taste it over the years. And now to my review.

The first pairing was with meat balls and potatoes. The wine had a fine nose. It was quite full-bodied, and tasted of tobacco (I'm not a smoker) and cherries. While the wine was very pleasant it was shorter than I had hoped. It was quite enjoyable on its own.

My reactions were basically the same when tasting this wine with beef ribs, except that the wine was moderately long. It was easy to drink but not light.

Then I drank this wine with a grilled rib steak in my spicy, homemade barbeque sauce that included ketchup, Dijon-style mustard, horseradish, fresh garlic, and black pepper. The accompaniments included potatoes cooked in chicken fat (a specialty of a local supermarket) and a tomato and red pepper salsa. The wine was really excellent. It held up well and tasted of dark fruit and tobacco.

I didn't have any Bascilicata cheese so I had to settle for two other Italian cheeses. Isola is a Sicilian fresh cheese made from sheep's milk. The Isola cheese was powerful, strong smelling and strong tasting, especially when you crunched into a peppercorn. Even though it was getting a bit long in the tooth, the cheese intensified the Aglicano's fruitiness. Montasio is a cooked, full-fat, semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk and aged for several months. It has a pungent smell and a strong, pasty taste. It comes from the Friuli-Venezia Giuli of northeastern Italy. This time the wine and cheese pairing was not as successful, but the combination was still satisfying.

Before giving my verdict, which I believe you can guess, I do have one final comment. In spite of what I have read, this wine is not very tannic. I would not recommend keeping it until 2020, or even 2015, as some others suggest. But I do recommend buying it now, and even storing it for a few years.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Trentino-Alto Adige Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Trentino-Alto Adige region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Trentino-Alto Adige is located in the center of Italy's northern border. It touches both Switzerland and Austria. Among its tourist attractions are the Dolomite mountains, called "the most beautiful work of architecture even seen" by the famous architect Le Corbusier, glacier lakes, and Alpine forests. In fact the region is composed of two parts, Trentino in the south and Alto Adige in the north. Alto Adige belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire for centuries, where it was known as Südtirol. Like many other parts of Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige was often invaded. Unlike most other parts of Italy, this area is officially bilingual; a sizable portion of its population about 925 thousand is German speaking.

Trentino-Alto Adige has plentiful forests, and the hillsides are covered with fruit trees. This is Italy's major apple-producing region. Only about 15% of the land can be cultivated. Agricultural products include corn, wheat, oats, barley, and rye. In addition to beef and dairy cattle, mining and manufacturing are prevalent.

Trento is the administrative center of Trentino and Bolzano is the administrative center of Alto Adige. Both are tourist towns. Trentino was the site of the Council of Trent lasting almost twenty years in the middle of the 16th Century with a major impact on the Catholic Church. Both these cities, and many others in the region, have numerous churches and secular sites of interest to tourists.

Trentino-Alto Adige devotes about thirty thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 16th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 25 million gallons, giving it a 14th place. About 55% of the wine production is red or rosé, leaving 45% for white. The region produces 8 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. A whopping 79.1% of Trentino-Alto Adige wine carries the DOC designation, by far the highest percentage in Italy. Trentino-Alto Adige is home to almost four dozen major and secondary grape varieties, about half white and half red.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Gewürtztraminer, Pinot Bianco, often called Pinot Blanc outside of Italy, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, often called Pinot Gris outside of Italy, Sylvaner, and Müller-Thurgau. In fact, some say Gewürtztraminer originated in the Alto-Adige town of Termeno, known as Tramin in German. Italian white varieties include Nosiola, and Moscato Giallo, Trentino-Alto Adige's version of the international Moscato (Muscat) grape.

Widely grown international red grape varieties include Pinot Nero, called Pinot Noir outside of Italy, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The best known strictly Italian red varieties are Schiava, Lagrein, Teroldego, and Marzemino.

Before reviewing the Trentino-Alto Adige wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Ravioli della Val Pusteria, Rye Pasta with Spinach and Caraway Seeds. Then try Gulasch de Manzo, Beef, Potato, Onion, and Paprika Stew.
For dessert indulge yourself with Krapfen Tirolesi, Fried Pastry with Marmalade and Powdered Sugar. Did you notice that these specialties seem as Austrian as Italian?

Wine Reviewed

Concilio Pinot Nero Reserva 2002 12.5% alcohol about $15
I'll start by quoting the marketing materials: "Pretty aromas of strawberry, pepper and earth lead to flavors that are soft and velvety. Good varietal characteristics demonstrated here in ths light-to-medium bodied, long finishing wine. Match to a grilled salmon or tuna.

And now for my thoughts. This wine has a cherry and tobacco nose and is mildly acidic. It tastes of tobacco. The wine is round, mouth-filling and somewhat robust. It is a bit older than most of the wines in this series, and frankly, it shows. Like many Pinot Noirs, it tasted of earth.

Once in a while I follow the producer's suggestions. I felt this Pinot Noir was an excellent accompaniment to a grilled Atlantic salmon with steamed asparagus. The fish brought out the wine's fruit flavors, and the wine did a great job of cutting the fish's fattiness. I still remember the first time that I drank a Pinot Noir (Oregon, I believe) with salmon at the suggestion of a excellent fish restaurant. It's a great combination when both the fish and the wine are high quality. I ended this meal with almond milk chocolate, washed down with a bit of wine. This latter combination is not classical, but the result was more than satisfactory.

My next tasting included beef stew and potatoes, zucchini and onions in a tomato sauce, and a commercially prepared moderately spicy "Turkish" salad based on red pepper, tomato, and onion. The wine was round, mouth-filling, a bit complex. The dominant taste was tobacco. But I was disappointed, the wine was short.

Asiago is a cheese whose characteristics differ widely depending on where it is made, and its aging. I happen to love a local Asiago that my neighborhood supermarket carries once in a while. It is relatively sharp. I am told that Wisconsin Asiago cheese typically has butterscotch undertones. The imported Asiago tasted with this wine was nutty and pleasantly acidic, but frankly not as good as the local version. The cheese brought out the earthy characteristics of the Pinot Noir. Interestingly enough, the wine immediately changed its flavor and became more acidic in the presence of a commercially prepared roasted butternut squash dip.

In a close call, my initial reaction was not to purchase this wine again. Then I changed my mind, I would purchase it again, but be quite careful in pairing the wine. There is a simple solution, serve it with a grilled, preferably Atlantic, salmon.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Veneto Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Veneto region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Veneto is located in northeastern Italy on the Gulf of Venice. The region is mountainous with all kinds of water; rivers, lakes, lagoons, and of course, canals. In its heyday, during the Renaissance (Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries), the Venetian Republic ruled a large part of northern Italy, and was a major player in the world of commerce and culture. Veneto's present population is about 4.5 million.

Veneto's capital, Venice, is one of the world's top tourist destinations, claiming 60 million visitors a year. Its attractions are too numerous to list here. Venice's neighbor, Padua, is the oldest city in northern Italy. Padua was the home of the famous astronomer Gallileo Gallilei. The metropolitan region encompassing these two cities has over 1.6 million people. Another city of interest is Verona with its numerous Roman and medieval monuments.

Agricultural products include cattle, corn, wheat, sugar beets, and of course grapes. With all the water you can be sure that fish and seafood abound. Rice is more important than pasta, and lovers of sweets will not be disappointed. Industries include textiles, silk, shipbuilding, and sugar refining, but the major industry remains tourism.

Veneto devotes almost 250 thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 3rd among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is almost 180 million gallons, also giving it a 3rd place. About 45% of the wine production is red or rosé, leaving 55% for white. The region produces 24 DOC wines and 3 DOCG wines, Recioto di Soave, Soave Superiore, and Bardolino Superiore. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. Almost 30% of Venetian wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Veneto is home to about four dozen major and secondary grape varieties, approximately half white and half red.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Trebbiano, Chardonnay, and Pinot Bianco, known as Pinot Blanc outside of Italy. The best-known strictly Italian white varieties are Garganega and Prosecco.

Widely grown international red grape varieties include Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. The best-known strictly Italian red varieties are Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara.

Before we reviewing the Veneto wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wine when touring this beautiful region.

Start with Pasta e Fasioli; Pasta and Bean Soup.

Then try Risotto de Scampi; Scampi Risotto.

For dessert indulge yourself with Torta de Paparele; Lemon Tagliatelle Cake.

Wine Reviewed

Corte Gardoni Bianco di Custoza DOC 2004 12.5% alcohol about $8

I'll start with the marketing materials. "Floral notes mixed with sweet red Delicious apple and Bosc pear aromatics form the inviting and lifted nose. The flavors are quite different with citrus and green apples coming to the fore. It is light to medium-bodied, providing a tangy finish that would pair well with grilled, firm (tuna or sword) fish." And now for my thoughts.

This wine was first paired to a commercial chicken pot pie with a bit of chili-lime hot sauce. I tasted some apple. It was quite weak at first, but did pick up some strength from sip to sip.

The next meal was more in line with the marketing suggestions, namely grilled salmon filet with oven-baked potato patties and French fries. While there was some apple taste, essentially the wine didn't add anything to the meal. However, it went well with dessert, thin biscuits containing almonds and pistachios.

My next trial included chicken legs in a soy and onion sauce with rice and green beans. The wine was not unpleasant but was light and fleeting.

Montasio cheese is a specialty of the Veneto region. It is made from cow's milk and can have a sharp flavor when it ages. I was happy when the wine was able to handle this strong cheese. It didn't do as well with an Asiago cheese, also from the Veneto area.

Final verdict, I won't be buying this wine again, even at its relatively low price.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Umbria Region

Umbria lies smack dab in the middle of Italy. The countryside is unspoiled and dotted with medieval churches. Its fairly gentle terrain is composed of hills, valleys, and small mountains. Umbria is the only region of Italy with neither a seacoast nor a foreign border. But it has lakes, rivers, and even a waterfall. It is known as the green valley of Italy. In spite of this name, until a few decades ago Umbria kept losing population to the more highly industrial north. Its total population is about 830 thousand.

Umbria was settled by the Umbri, perhaps the first inhabitants of Italy. They were forced into the mountains by the Etruscans, who were conquered by the Romans and then the Lombards. The poet Dante considered it the most violent part of Italy.

Umbria is particularly known for pork, dried pasta, and both black and white truffles. It also produces specialty breads and a wide variety of vegetables and meats. Fish and eels from the Tiber River and Lake Trasimeno abound. Cheeses include Pecorino Toscano, reviewed below.

Umbria's capital is Perugia, a beautiful medieval city with a population of 150 thousand. Among other things Perugia is known for chocolates and Italian as a second language classes. Another famous Umbrian city is Assisi, the home of St. Francis of Assisi.

Umbria devotes about 41 thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 15th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 19.5 million gallons, giving it a 16th place. About 58% of the wine production is white, leaving 42% for red. The region produces 11 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of

Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine, and 2 DOCG red wines, Montefalco Sagrantino and Torgiano Rosso. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior.

About 30% of Umbrian wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Umbria is home to about thirty major and secondary grape varieties, about two thirds white.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Chardonnay and Trebbiano. The best known strictly Italian white variety is Grechetto, used in the its flagship Orvieto DOC wines.

Widely grown international red grape varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, and Merlot. The best known Italian red variety is Sangiovese, now grown elsewhere such as in California.

Before we review the Umbrian wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with Zuppa di Lenticchie di Castelluccio, Castelluccio Lentil Soup, which with local bread can be a meal in itself.

Later try Porchetta alla Perugina, Roasted Suckling Pig with Wild Fennel, Rosemary, and Garlic.
For dessert indulge yourself with Serpentone delle Monache di Perugia, Nut and Fruit "Snake" of the Capucin Nuns.

Wine Reviewed
Lungaraotti Pinot Grigio 2004 12% about $12

I haven't always been happy with Italian Pinot Grigio, or for that matter with non-Italian Pinot Gris. These wines often are weak. However, I thought that this particular Pinot Grigio was a fine wine for its price when it accompanied the right food. The sales literature suggested that this light-bodied, vivid, and balanced wine would be a great match for antipasti. My mistake was pairing it with non-imported antipasti, really more of a mediocre relish, which overpowered the wine. I later tried this wine with cold barbecued chicken in a moderately spicy Thai sauce and was quite pleased. Its citrus flavors really shone. I could taste this wine's subtle complexity.

Pecorino Toscano is a sheep's milk cheese that has been made in Tuscany and neighboring Umbria for thousands of years. Soft Pecorino Toscano is white with a tinge of yellow, while semi-hard Pecorino Toscano is pale yellow. It is moderately strong smelling and has a complex nutty flavor. I thought that it blended very nicely into the wine.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Abruzzi Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider Abruzzi. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Abruzzi is located on the central eastern part of Italy on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. The area is 2/3 mountains and 1/3 hills. Over time Abruzzi has belonged to the Romans, the Lombards, and the kingdom of Naples. While this area was once very poor, its income is now growing. Abruzzi and Molise were a single region from 1948 to 1965. Its population is 1.275 million.

Agricultural products include grapes, olives, wheat, sugar beets, tobacco, saffron, pigs, and sheep. The Adriatic Sea and inland lakes and streams provide a wide variety of fish and shellfish. If I remember correctly, the first time that I heard of this region was decades ago, when I learned that according to Craig Claiborne, at the time Food Editor of the New York Times, Italy's best food was found in Abruzzi.

Abruzzi has no large cities. Its administrative center l'Aquila has a population of about 70 thousand. But big cities are hardly a requirement for good wine. Few would ever claim that Italy's best wines come from Rome, or the surrounding area.

Abruzzi devotes about eighty two thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 10th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 110 million gallons, giving it a 5th place. About 90% of the wine production is red or rosé (not very much rosé), leaving 10% for white. The region produces 3 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine and 1 DOCG red wine, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Colline Teramane. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. About 17% of Abruzzi wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Abruzzi is home to about two dozen major and secondary grape varieties, a few more white and than red.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Trebbiano and Chardonnay. Sauvignon Blanc. The best known strictly Italian white variety is Trebbiano d'Abbruzzi, felt by some to be Bombino Bianco.

The best known Italian red variety is Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. The Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC is the most widely exported Italian DOC wine.

Before we reviewing the Abruzzi wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with local wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with a Pizza Rustica, Cinnamon-Scented Pie Stuffed with Proscuitto, Cheese, and Eggs.

Then move on to Polenta sulla Spianatora, Polenta (Cornbread) Topped with Sausage in Spicy Tomato Sauce.

For desert enjoy a Crostata di Ricotta, a Ricotta Tart.

Wine Reviewed

Abruzzo Illuminati Montepulciano d'Abruzzo "Riparosso" 2004 DOC 13% alcohol about $11.50

The marketing materials state that this wine has hints of an Amarone (a much more expensive wine) or a Ripasso ( a more expensive wine). There are raisings, currants, and tar on the nose whilst the taste profile is ripe, mellow fruit flavors of raspberry jam and ocha. It doesn't contain a lot of acidity so drink it within a year. Pair it with pizza, burgers, or any meat dish that you tend to eat during the week.

This wine is said to complement pasta, red meats, and savory cheeses.

I found the Riparosso to be somewhat robust, with cherry and plum flavors. I didn't have the feeling that I was drinking a regular Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, but instead almost a Ripasso, a wine that I prefer. This wine managed to feel full-bodied even with its light tannins. It balanced nicely the tanginess of barbecued eggplant loaded with garlic, and demonstrated notable spiciness when paired with a meat ball and vegetable stew. Its acidity was pleasant. I did not discern all the flavors listed above. For me the dominant flavor was black cherry. The final meat dish that accompanied this wine was a barbecued boneless rib steak with a spicy curry and cumin sauce. The wine seemed to pick up strength to accompany this meat, which by the way, we don't eat on a regular basis during the week.

I tasted this wine with two related cheeses. Pecorino Toscano is a soft, nutty cheese. Interestingly enough, I found that the wine was no longer robust, it seemed to soften to accompany this mild cheese. In the presence of a Pecorino Fiore Sardo, a balsamic sheep's milk cheese with a stronger flavor and coarser consistency than its Tuscan cousin, the wine almost magically picked up flavor to meet the challenge.

Final verdict, as you can tell this wine is a definite keeper.

Extra note. Several months ago on a whim I bought a $6 bottle of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Given the realities of the marketplace, I really doubt that any producer can come up with a decent bottle at that price. At first the wine was terribly acidic. I held out, finished the bottle and the last glass was almost OK. Yes, there are bargains, such as this Riparosso, but few in the $6 range.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - Liguria Region, Tuscany Wine

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Liguria region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Liguria, also known as the Italian Riviera, is located in the northwest corner of Italy. It borders France, Monaco, and has a 350 kilometer (over 200 mile) coastline on the Ligurian Sea. The region is hilly and mountainous, but has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The Romans captured Liguria in the Second Century B. C. It was subsequently conquered by Barbarians, and by the Lombards. In area it is the third smallest Italian region with a population of about 1.6 million.

The land in Liguria tends not to be particularly fertile. Agricultural products include flowers, olive oil, fruits, and vegetables. Some claim that Liguria introduced pasta to Italy. Most of the pasta is wheat. Pesto is a regional specialty. A wide variety of seafood is available. Heavy industry is on the decline. Tourism is so important that in some areas the July and August population is ten or fifteen times that of the slow season. The area is particularly popular with retirees.

Liguria's capital and largest city is Genoa, a city of six hundred thousand. Parts of the old city have been placed on the World Heritage list as of 2006. Among its many sights are the home in which Christopher Columbus was said to be born, and La Lanterna, the oldest working lighthouse in the world. Another special tourist destination is Cinque Terre, five tiny villages along the coast. They are a hiker's paradise, but make sure that you are in good shape before attempting the complete route of about 13 kilometers (8 miles). This area is home to two DOC wines, Cinque Terre and Cinque Terre Sciacchetrà, neither of which is often found in North America.

Liguria devotes slightly under twelve thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 19th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 4.4 million gallons, also giving it a 19th place. About 34% of the wine production is red or rosé, leaving 66% for white. The region produces 8 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin. Almost 14% of Ligurian wine carries the DOC. Liguria is home to almost three dozen major and secondary grape varieties, somewhat more white than red varieties.

No international white grape varieties are widely grown in Liguria, whose most important white grapes are Bosco, Pigato, and Vermentino. Given its limited wine production, little Ligurian wine is exported to North America. In the unfortunate absence of any Ligurian wines, we are reviewing a Vermentino-based wine from Tuscany. If I am ever in Liguria, I promise to drink and review a few local wines.

No international red grape varieties are widely grown in Liguria. The best-known Italian red variety is Sangiovese, which is grown elsewhere including California. Other Ligurian red varieties include Rossese, Ciliegiolo, and Ormeasco, also known as Dolcetto.

Before reviewing the Ligurian-style wine and Italian cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with Torta Pasqualina; Artichoke Savory Pie.

For the second course try Cappon Magor; Ligurian Seafood Caponata (you may have to order this dish in advance).

As dessert indulge yourself with Pandolce; Sweet Bread From Genoa.

Wine Reviewed

Rocca di Montemassi Vermentino Maremma Toscana IGT 12.5% alcohol about $12.50

Let's start with the marketing materials. "Vermentino is an attractive, aromatic grape variety that is widely grown in Sardinia and Liguria. Montemassi believed that the conditions along the coastal Maremma region of Tuscany would be ideal. Their instincts were correct and the result is a pear/peach aroma wine that would be ideal as a sipping wine or with mildly spiced Mediterranean cuisine."

My first pairing was with chicken thighs slowed-cooked in a sweet and sour sauce. The wine was floral, light tasting and refreshingly acidic. It was an excellent accompaniment to the dessert of thin, dry biscuits containing pistachios and almonds, which brought out the wine's subtlety.

I then tried this wine with poached Tilapia fillets in a red pepper, onion, and chicken broth sauce accompanied by potato patties and green peppers in tomato sauce. The fish was delicate and not overwhelmed by the wine, which presented fruit and a bit of pepper. But frankly, the wine was too light and too short.

The next meal was kube, or kibbe, a Middle-Eastern specialty, balls of ground rice filled with ground meat. They were cooked overnight with potatoes in a somewhat spicy sauce. The wine was fruity and floral, with just enough acidity to counteract the meat's fat and soften the spices. It was a fine companion for a side of more powerfully spiced Moroccan carrots. Just when I was thinking that the wine was a chameleon, changing itself to match the food, I tried it with fresh pineapple. The pineapple was excellent, its sweetness and acidity was a great way to end the meal. But in its presence, this wine was flat.

The cheese pairings had mixed results. Asiago is a nutty-flavored cheese from northeastern Italy. The wine went well with this cheese and seemed to pick up fruitiness. On the other hand in the presence of a strong, actually overripe, Pecorino cheese from nearby Tuscany it seemed to lose its flavor.

Final verdict. I don't plan to buy this wine again. As a Tuscan wine it can't meet the stiff local competition. I think I'll wait for a true Ligurian wine. It may be a long wait.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Marche Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider The Marche region of central Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

The Marche is located in the central western area of Italy on the Adriatic Sea. This hilly, often mountainous area has been inhabited for about six thousand years. It belonged to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Over the centuries, it was occupied by many different peoples. Its population is a little less than 1.5 million people.

Because of its rough terrain and unproductive soil, The Marche is not one of the most agriculturally advanced regions of Italy. Wheat, olives, corn, and fodder are abundant. The Marche is known for Vitellone Bianco dell'Appennino Centrale, highly prized white veal. And what a selection of fish and seafood is available, including lobster, relatively rare in Italy. There is some industry, in particular paper, chemicals, petro-chemicals, and pharmecuticals.

If you are interested in off-the-beaten track touring, The Marche has a lot to offer. One of its cities, Urbino, is a World Heritage Site. It's a medieval town, with a magnificent palace dating back to the mid-fifteenth Century. Its National Gallery (of The Marche) has an excellent collection of Renaissance art. After all, this was the birthplace of Raphael. The administrative capital, Anacona, is an important port on the Adriatic Sea with an interesting old city. Most of all, the entire region gives you an idea of traditional Italy, relatively untouched by 21st Century lifestyle. People in The Marche consume the most wine per capita of any region in Italy.

The Marche devotes about sixty thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 12th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 48 million gallons, giving it a 10th place. About 38% of the wine production is red, leaving 62% for white. The region produces 13 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. Conero and Vernaccia di Serrapetrona are DOCG wines, in which the G stands for Garantita, but there is no guarantee that these wines are truly superior. About 20% of wine from The Marche carries the DOC or DOCG designation. The Marche is home to about two and a half dozen major and secondary grape varieties, with a few more white varieties than red ones.

International white grape varieties include Trebbiano, and to a lesser extent Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The best known strictly Italian white variety is Verdicchio. The Veernaccia variety is found in one of the DOCG wines.

Widely grown somewhat international red grape varieties include Sangiovese, an Italian variety grown elsewhere, including California. The international red grape varieties grown to a lesser extent include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. The best-known strictly Italian red variety is Montepulciano. Another red variety is Lacrima, whose name means tears.

Before reviewing the wine from The Marche and Italian cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with Brodetto; Fish Soup (containing over a dozen types of fish).

Then enjoy Vincigrassi; Lasagna with Truffles, Prosciutto, and Cream.

And for dessert, indulge yourself with a Crostata di Ricotta; Ricotta Tart.

Wine Reviewed

Velenosi 'Il Brecciarolo Rosso Piceno Superiore' 2002 13.5% alcohol about $14

Let's start with by quoting the marketing materials. "This marvelous blend of Sangiovese and Montepulciano would be great with steaks or venison. The aromas suggest cherry, allspice, oak, and cinnamon. It is dry, supple, smooth, medium-bodied, international in style."

I read somewhere "A softer version of Chianti." You can't believe everything that you read, I felt the opposite.

The first quote should have said Montepulciano and Sangiovese, as this wine contains more of the first variety than the second, as indicated by the back label (and the taste).

The initial pairing was with whole wheat spaghetti in a spicy tomato and meat sauce. The wine was tannic and acidic, with a plumy flavor. It held up well. I next tried it with a slow-cooked beef stew and potatoes. When it didn't have the strong spices to bail it out, this wine was harsh. But as it breathed it became somewhat softer. It probably should have been decanted.

I next tried the Rosso Piceno with beef ribs, potatoes, and green beans in tomato sauce. The harshness was confirmed, as was its plumy flavor. The last meat meal was with slow-cooked meat balls, potatoes, and eggplant in tomato sauce. The wine tasted of dark fruit, but was not really pleasant. I was able to pair it with more meals than usual, precisely because I didn't have any desire for refilling my glass.

The best-known cheese in The Marches is Casciotta d'Urbino, made from a combination of sheep's milk and cow's milk. None is available in my part of the world, so I settled for two cheeses, Pecorino Toscano from neighboring Tuscany, and Isola from relatively faraway Sicily. My Pecorino Toscano was getting a bit strong but went well with the wine. It nutty, sharp flavor was a fine match for the wine's fruit. Isola is a Sicilian fresh cheese made from sheep's milk. It is powerful, strong smelling, and strong tasting. In its presence, the wine was nice and fruity.

Final verdict. This wine is too expensive for an accompaniment to strong cheeses, and spaghetti in a spicy sauce. I don't plan on buying it again.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Sicily Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Sicily region of southern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Sicily is the football kicked by the Italian boot. It is an island in the Mediterranean Sea located off the southwest tip of Italy. Sicily was first inhabited about ten thousand years ago. Agriculture and animal raising date back well over four thousand years. Its rulers have included the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Germans, and Spaniards, among others. This mountainous region is prone to volcanoes and earthquakes; in 1908 an earthquake and subsequent tidal wave killed eighty thousand people in the coastal city of Messina. Sicily's population is about five million, with an additional ten million people of Sicilian descent around the world.

Agricultural products include wheat, barley, corn, olives, citrus fruit, almonds, and, of course, grapes. Tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers are prominent in local cuisine. Sicily is Italy's second region for organic food. Many think that the Arabs introduced pasta to Sicily, which subsequently introduced it to the rest of Italy. Cattle, mules, donkeys, and sheep are raised. Sicily claims to have invented meatballs, The seas surrounding Sicily are bountiful, favorites include sardines, tuna, and swordfish. Sicily is famous for desserts, including frozen treats made with snow from Mount Etna.

Sicilian heavy industry includes petro-chemicals, chemicals, mining, and electronics. Tourism is a major factor in the Sicilian economy. Did you know that the Valle dei Templi in Agrigento on the Mediterranean Sea has some of the finest Greek ruins on earth?

Palermo, arguably the world's most conquered city, is Sicily's capital with a population of a little under seven hundred thousand. It is a definite tourist destination, with its numerous historical churches, museums, theaters, and Italy's largest botanical garden. Another urban tourist destination is Syracuse, dating back to Ancient Greece. The Greek writer Cicero described it as "The greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all." Both earthquakes and World War II caused heavy damage, but many of the most interesting sites have been reconstructed.

Sicily devotes about a third of a million acres to grapevines, it ranks first among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 213 million gallons, also giving it first place. If Sicily were an independent country, it would rank seventh in the world for wine production. About 54% of its wine production is red or rosé (only a bit of rosé), leaving 46% for white. The region produces 19 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. Only a little more than 2% of Sicilian wine carries the DOC designation. Sicily is home to over three dozen major and secondary grape varieties, with more white than red varieties.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Malvasia and to a lesser extent, Chardonnay. The best-known strictly Italian white varieties are Catarratto, Grecanico, Inzolia, and Grillo. The first three of these varieties are blended in the wine reviewed below.

Widely grown international red grape varieties include Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. The best-known strictly Italian red varieties are Nero d'Avola, Frappato, and Nerello Mascalese.

Before reviewing the Sicilian wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with Insalata di Finocchi, Arance Sanguigne de Olive; Fennel, Blood Orange, and Olive Salad.

As a second course try Pollo con Prosciutto e Melanzane Fritte; Braised Chicken with Proscuitto and Fried Eggplants.

For dessert indulge yourself with Cassata; Candied Fruit and Chocolate on Sponge Cake.

Wine Reviewed

Tasca d'Almerita 'Regaleali' Blanco 2005 IGT Sicilia 12.5% alcohol about $13

We'll start by quoting the marketing materials. "Made with the local grapes Inzolia, Greciano, and Catarratto, this wine is matured only in stainless steel and is not put through acid-softening malolactic fermentation. The producer chooses this approach to retain the bright fruitiness and racy crispness of the wine. Enjoy with steamed mussels, chicken or summer salads." And now for my thoughts on the wine.

I first tasted this wine with broiled chicken burgers accompanied by a hot pepper relish, and red peppers. The wine was light, perhaps a bit intimidated by the relish. It was delicate, but not weak. When I finished my glass with the red peppers, the wine was quite fruity and sweet.

I next tried this wine with fillet of sole poached in an onion sauce, accompanied by brown rice and okra in a tomato sauce. The wine tasted light and citrusy in the presence of the fish, and was more powerful when facing the rice and the okra. I finished that meal with fresh pomegranate. The wine became sweet and acidic, but did not take on new flavors.

Isola is a Sicilian fresh cheese made from sheep's milk. The Isola cheese was powerful, strong smelling and strong tasting, especially when you crunched into a peppercorn. Unfortunately, the cheese overpowered this relatively light wine. In contrast, when paired with an Asiago cheese from northern Italy, the wine became quite full bodied and fruity. Sometimes rules such as local wines with local cheeses are meant to be broken. I had a bit of wine left over and finished the bottle with out-of-season strawberries. They brought out the wine's complexity and softness.

Final verdict, in spite of its low official rating, I found the wine pretty good. I would buy it again, but avoid pairing it with strong-tasting food.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Lombardy Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Lombardy region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Mountainous Lombardy is located in the north central zone of Italy on the Swiss border. It is one of the few regions of Italy without a seacoast. On the other hand Lombardy is known for its beautiful lakes. Lombardy owes its name to the Lombards, a Germanic people who ruled it and neighboring regions for two hundred years well over a thousand years ago. Other rulers included the Celts, the Romans, and the Franks. Its population is 9.4 million, the largest in Italy. In fact, about one of six Italian residents lives in Lombardy.

Lombardy is second to Emilia-Romagna in agricultural production. Among its many agricultural products are rice, wheat, corn, fruits, olives, cattle, pigs, and sheep. Natives still eat more risotto (a rice dish) and polenta (corn bread) than pasta.

The capital of Lombardy's is Milan, Italy's financial, fashion, and media center. With a population of 1.3 million, Milan is larger than seven regions of Italy.

Lombardy devotes about 66 thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 11th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 44 million gallons, also giving it an 11th place. About 62% of the wine production is red or rosé, leaving 38% for white. The region produces 15 DOC wines and 3 DOCG wines, Franciacorta, a sparkling wine made in the traditional (Champagne) manner, and 2 red wines; Valtellina Superiore, reviewed below, and Sforzato di Valtellina. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. Over 47% of Lombardy's wine carries the DOC or the DOCG designation. Lombardy is home to about four dozen major and secondary grape varieties, approximately three fifths red and two fifths white.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Pinot Bianco, known as Pinot Blanc outside of Italy, Chardonnay, Trebbiano, and Malvasia. The best known Italian white varieties are Gargena, an Italian variety of Riesling, Renano Italico, and an Italian variety of Trebbiano, Trebbiano di Lugana.

Widely grown international red grape varieties include Pinot Noir. The best known strictly Italian red varieties are Barbera, Bonarda, Lambrusco, and a local Nebbiolo called Chiavennasca.

Before we reviewing the Lombardy wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with Pizzoccheri della Valtellina, Buckwheat Flour Ribbons with Wilted Cabbage, Potatoes, and Mountain Cheese.

For a second course try Ossobuco all Milanese, Braised Veal Shanks with Grenolata (Parsley, Garlic, and Lemon).

And for dessert, indulge in Budino di Pannetone, Pannetone Bread Pudding

Wine Reviewed

Triaccio 'Sassela' Valtellina Superiore 2002 13% alcohol about $16.50 DOCG

In his work Codice Atlantico, Leonardo da Vinci described Valtellina, the source of this wine as "A valley surrounded by tall and terrible mountains, it makes really powerful wines." This area has made wine since the days of the Etruscans and the Ligurians, prior to the ancient Romans. It is the northernmost area for growing the Nebbiolo grape. The wine itself is one of the three DOCG wines in Lombardy.

The marketing materials stated that its nose is quite outspoken, with aromas including mushroom, dried cranberry, and paraffin. It is dry with good fruit, surrounded by supple tannins. This medium-bodied wine is recommended with hard cheeses or grilled game birds.

This wine was aged 18 months in large wooden casks and a further 6 months in steel tanks. The producer says it can be cellared for 8-10 years and suggests drinking it with pasta of all sorts, air-dried beef, and cheese.

I first tasted this wine with beef ribs. It was round but a bit intimidated by the spicy cumin and curry sauce. Paired with a slow cooked beef and potato stew it handled itself better. It was quite fruity and cut the meal's grease. It almost tasted like a Beaujolais.

I tried it with two cheeses. Grana Padano is a classic Parmesan-type cheese made for a millennium in northern Italy including the Lombardy region. It is a cylindrical, cooked, semi-fat cheese which matures slowly. It has a grainy consistency and may be sliced or grated. The cheese's taste is fragrant and delicate. The wine brought out the nutty aspect of the cheese, while intensifying its fruit. It paired well with Pecorino Toscana from Tuscany, two regions south of Lombardy.

Final verdict. I was a bit disappointed with this wine, DOCG is supposed to mean top of the line, and it was not.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Campania Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Campania region of southern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Campania is the shin of the Italian boot. It is located in the southwestern Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its total population is about 5.8 million, making it the second most heavily populated region of Italy.

Campania's best-known city is its administrative center, Naples, once glorified by the phrase "See Naples and Die," which referred to its beauty and not its high crime rate. Other well-known cities include Sorrento, a playground of the jet set, and Pompeii, destroyed by Mount Vesuvius about two thousand years ago.

Campania devotes about 100,000 acres to grapevines; it ranks 9th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 52 million gallons, also giving it a 9th place. About 64% of the wine production is red or rosé (a bit of rosé), leaving 36% for white. The region produces 17 DOC wines and one DOCG wine, Taurasi, one of the two DOCG wines produced in southern Italy. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. Only 2.8% of Campania wine carries the DOC designation. Campania is home to almost three dozen major and secondary grape varieties, with a few more white varieties than red ones.

Campania is not a major producer of international white grape varieties. Common Italian white varieties include Falanghina, Fiano, Greco, and Coda di Volpe.

Campania is not a major producer of international red grape varieties.The best known Italian red variety is Aglianico, best expressed in the DOCG wine, Taurasi, and Piedirosso.

Before we reviewing the Campania wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with Scialatielli alle Vongole, Herbed Pasta with Clams, Garlic, and Cherry Tomatoes.

Then try Branzino all 'Acqua Pazz', Sea Bass in 'Crazy Water'.

And for dessert, indulge yourself with Coviglie al Caffè, Coffeee Custard and Ladyfingers.

Wine Reviewed

Mastoberardino Radici 'Fiano di Avellino' DOCG 12.0 % alcohol about $20

When you see a green band on an Italian white wine bottle, you have a DOCG wine, Italy's top of the line classification.

Mastoberardino is the largest and best known producer in southern Italy. Fiano di Avellino is an indigenous white grape variety. They came together in an excellent wine.

The wine had a beautiful straw color. I found it to be delicate yet complex and elegant, not the least bit thin. At the first pairing it held up to spicy barbequed chicken and barbequed eggplant slices. Among the many flavors, it was spicy and smoky.

The next pairing was with whole wheat pasta and chicken meat balls in a peppery tomato sauce. Here the wine took on a floral character.

I would have loved to taste this wine with the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana (Water-Buffalo Mozzarella cheese) described in my article "I Love Italian Wine and Cheese - The Latium Region" but it is not sold in my city. I had to settle for Pecorino Sardo, a nutty cheese made in Sardinia, an island almost directly west of Campagnia. In the presence of the cheese the wine became almost unctuous.

I really feel that this wine deserved its top of the line designation. The best white wines often come from cold climates such as Germany and northern France. Who would have thought that such a fine white wine could come from sun-baked southern Italy? The neighboring woods and eighteen hundred foot elevation of Avellino are certainly an essential part of the final product, well worth the $20, which is more than I usually spend on a wine bottle.

I Love Italian Wine and Food-Amarone and Friends

This article reviews a fine, distinctive Italian red wine and its more pedestrian cousins. I look at several food pairings. Was it a bargain?

I have a confession to make. I really thought that I had finished our series I Love Italian Wine and Food, and even wrote two articles drawing conclusions, one for the red wines and one for the white wines. And then I was tempted by a bottle of Amarone, a specially made wine from the Veneto region of northern Italy. Why not do one last wine for the series? Of course there are still Italian wines to taste and to retaste. But for the time being I am moving on to French and German wines and will be launching two series I Love French Wine and Food, and I Love German Wine and Food. But first let's talk about Amarone and its less distinctive cousins; Valopicella, Valpolicella Ripasso, and Valopolicella Recioto.

Valpolicella (DOC) is usually nothing to write home about, although some producers are said to be better than others. This deep maroon, light-bodied wine comes from the area near Verona in eastern Veneto. It contains 10% to 12% alcohol and often tastes of cooked cherries. Valpolicella is made from a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara grapes and sometimes other grapes native to the region.

Valpolicella Ripasso is made from young Valpolicella wine put into tanks or barrels containing the lees (one could say dregs, but that might give the wrong impression) of a recioto wine (see below). The mixture undergoes a secondary fermentation and becomes a more interesting wine. In spite of its higher quality, this wine may no longer carry the Valpolicella appellation and is usually sold as a table wine.

Valpolicella Recioto is made from passito grapes, those dried on mats for several months. It may be a still wine, a fizzy wine, or a sparkling wine. Valpolicella Recioto is sweet or bittersweet.

Amarone DOC is a type of Valpolicella Recioto whose sugar has been completely transformed into alcohol becoming a powerful tasting wine that packs a punch and ages well. What a difference between Amarone and its source wine, Valipolcella.

Wine Reviewed

Farina Amarone della Valolicella Classico DOC 2001 15% alcohol about $30

Let's start by quoting the back label. This wine originated from different clones of Corvine, Rondinella, Molinara, Negrara, and Dindarella, cultivated in our own vineyards on the hills north of Verona. The grapes were harvested in late September and spread out on trays for about 4 months to evaporate their moisture and concentrate their sugar. Fermentation started in early February and continued slowly for about 2 months. After settling, the wine matured for 3 years in Slavonian oak barrels of 5 and 10 hectolitres.

Given the wine's power in part due to its higher alcohol content, I was able to taste it with more dishes than usual. Here are my comments.

The first meal consisted of slow cooked chicken legs in a honey and garlic sauce. The Amarone was multilayered and complex. It was very long. The black cherry taste of the underlying Valpolicella was still there. The wine was quite powerful but did not overpower the meat. I think it would have overpowered most chicken breast dishes. The wine handled the meat's grease well. It was great with a dessert of thin biscuits containing almonds and pistachios.

The next meal consisted of whole wheat spaghetti with a commercial Arrabbiata sauce that was not very spicy. The sauce, which wasn't very tasty, did a fine job of bringing out the wine's fruit. Amarone is known to pair well with Parmesan cheese, but the grated Parmesan cheese on the spaghetti sauce was lost in the shuffle. This wine became softer in the presence of high-quality butter cookies. It was excellent, but I felt wasted on the cookies. I finished the meal with a bit of Amarone on its own. The wine was not as intense as I expected.

The next meal included slow-cooked boneless beef ribs and potatoes with caponata, an eggplant and tomato dish. The wine was very long and fruity, tasting in particular of black fruits, tobacco, and leather. At one point I put too much horseradish mustard on the meat, but the Amarone handled this potential problem very well. On the other hand, the Amarone was flat with dessert, a chocolaty pecan pie.

Saint Aubin is a French soft cow's milk cheese with a natural rind. It has a creamy texture and a soft taste. The Amarone-Saint Aubin marriage was not made in heaven; the cheese gave the wine a flat taste.

Bel Paese is a mild, buttery cheese from the Lombardy region of northern Italy. This pale, creamy yellow cheese is made from cow's milk and matures within six to eight weeks. Critics suggest pairing Bel Paese cheese with fruity wines. The Amarone-Bel Paese combination was better than the Amarone-Saint Aubin pairing but didn't really make sense, even though the cheese brought out the wine's fruit. By the way, when I finished the glass of wine on its own, the wine wasn't as good as it was on its own or after a more appropriate pairing.

Before giving my final verdict, I like to state that I don't blame the Amarone for not faring so well with inappropriate pairings. I regret that I didn't have any ungrated Parmesan cheese to accompany it. I was somewhat disappointed with this wine. I expected more; having tasted better, albeit more expensive Amarones. Amarone della Valpolicella will return to my wine glass, but the next stops are France and Germany for the series I Love French Wine and Food and I Love German Wine and Food.

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