Vino Italiano
My collection of Italian wines.
Note that 1967 Gaja Barbaresco that I will surely open next year for my 40th birthday...
PODCASTS :
Listen to this whole edition in French (allow some delay depending on your speed internet connection)
Listen to this whole edition in English (allow some delay depending on your speed internet connection)
Dear wine lovers,
Even if my knowledge in this country is very low and even if I still have not digested the world soccer final, I have to confess my sincere admiration for Italian wines.
Of course and surely because they are in the same wine category of my dear babies from Châteauneuf-du-Pape (small terroir, powerful, long history.. ), Barolo and Barbaresco located in Piemonte have been the first Italian wines to awake my senses. Then, I have expended my interest to Tuscany, especially after I had the chance to drink a Sassicaia.
More rencently, my friend Chris from Portland who distributes there fine Italian wines has opened my eyes to those beautiful wines coming from the North East and especially the white wines like those aromatic Traminers made in Trentino mountains located by the Austrian border.
*Of course, the list is much bigger but so far and besides some very nice wines coming from Sicilia and Liguria, that's about it for my knowledge*...
Last week-end, I had the chance to visit the Liguria area near the French border. Planted on these steep terraces linking the Mediterranean to the Alps, the Vermentino (also named Rolle in France) was harvested.
In the beautiful village of Ceriana, restaurant owners use to make their own wine with a small piece of land belonging inside the family circle. When we met Dario and its typical car,we helped him carry the grapes to his small cellar and were rewarded by this priceless home cooked mealoffered by Esmeralda**. During this "festino", Dario opened a fruity sparkling red from Barbera and Croatina grapes he made last year and a Chianti much less rustic than these Sangiovese wines I had before.
Another highlight of this trip was this outstanding Enoteca Consani wine bar in Ventimiglia where people from all ages and all origin get together to share a glass of wine. The wine list is impresive and they always come with those so delicious antipasti.
Besides its great wines, Italy definitely has this asset of welcoming people, even the ones they cruelly defeated a few weeks before at the world soccer cup...
Cheers,
Jean-Marc Espinasse
Any comments, edits are very welcome at contact@french-wine-a-day.com
PODCASTS :
Listen to this whole edition in French (allow some delay depending on your speed internet connection)
Listen to this whole edition in English (allow some delay depending on your speed internet connection)
Like me, learn more on Italian Wines with this beautiful book :
**Esmeralda's Pomodoro Basil Spaghetti recipe :
Ingredients for 6 people :
2 pounds of fresh ripe tomatoes
Italian olive oil
1 chopped onion
Garlic
Chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pounds of Spaghetti
Parmesan cheese
Basil leaves
Preparation :
Wash, peel and chop tomatoes, discarding seeds.
Heat oil in a moderately deep pan, add onion & garlic and saute until onion is limp. Discard garlic and add tomatoes, chopped basil and salt & pepper.
Simmer for about 20 minutes over moderate heat. While sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to boil.
Add salt to taste and add spaghetti. Boil until spaghetti is "al dente," aprox 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain spaghetti, toss with the sauce and the grated Parmesan cheese.
