Daniele Cernilli is Gambero Rosso’s wine editor-in-chief (Foto by Frank)by Frank Mangio
It’s been evident to me ever since I huddled with Italian winemakers some four years ago in Tuscany, that while Italian wines are truly distinctive and genuinely reflect the terroir from where they are born, Italian marketing has been at best elitist and most of the time non-existent. Winemakers I have talked to feel that the centuries of tradition is enough to lure the curious to their wines and the purchaser should know, through due diligence, what to expect when it is time to make a choice. In other words, Italian wines are, as they say, a “well-kept secret.”
It was with great relief that I was recently invited to an Italian wine and food road show at the popular San Diego Wine and Culinary Center in San Diego, presented by Gambero Rosso, an international media organization dedicated to telling the story of the excellence of Italian wines by direct contact and their worldwide web site www.gamberorosso.it. It has established itself as a leading authority on Italian wine, food and travel with expert insights into “saper viviere” (the Italian way of life). It also produces magazines, TV shows, special on site events and cooking/wine appreciation classes.
Italy has over 8,000 vineyards in a space about the size of California, (and is the largest exporter of wines to California). There are over 300 varieties of Italian grapes.
The ancient Greeks called Italy “Enotria”..the land of wine. Wine Spectator, the worldwide wine magazine recently called Italy’s wines “worthy of understanding and study…wines of character.” The complex earth-created traditional Barolo, Brunello, Barbera, Aglianico, Primitivo, Nero di Avola and Chianti Classico, among others, all require understanding. They are not hugs and kisses kind of wines. So awareness and understanding must be raised. I was pleased to note that of the 11 cities around the world that Gambero Rosso visited, the only 2 in the U.S. were Los Angeles and San Diego.
At the San Diego event, guests enjoyed tasting seminars, workshops and a winery trade show that involved some 49 producers from all over Italy. The host, Daniele Cernilli (shown in the accompanying photo) is Gambero Rosso’s wine editor-in-chief who who thoroughly revealed each wine presented in the seminar, including some who have gained worldwide honors. My best of show list included: Banfi Poggio alle Mura Brunello di Montelcino 2001; Sassicaia Tenuto San Guido 2004; Gaja Camaranda 2004; Ruffino Romitorio di Santadame Toscana 2004 and Arnaldo Caprai Sagratino de Montefalco 25 anni 2004.
Value Wines $10. & Under
Recently Wine Spectator came out with a list of “Value Wines,” with some priced at the $10. or so level, including two low priced favorites of mine: Bogle Petite Sirah ’05 and Cline Syrah ’05. It got me to thinking about local wine shops and if they stock wines in this price category and what names they are now promoting. Sure enough, if you look around, here’s a sample of what you will find:
Wine Street, Carlsbad: Mi Piedras Viognier ’07 - $8.99
San Diego Wine Company: John Alan Zinfandel ’04 - $9.95
Meritage Wine Market, Encinitas: Ten Mile Red Blend ’05 – $10.
Vino 100, San Marcos: New Age Rose, Malbec/Merlot Blend, Argentina - $10.
Carlsbad Wine Merchants: Hey Mambo blend of Barbera, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Syrah, Carignane & Alicante Bouchet - $9.99
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