Thursday 01/22/09 - Gift Ideas
I Love French Wine and Food - Reviewing The Reds
I recently finished a wine tour of Italy?s twenty administrative regions, briefly describing each region prior to tasting a representative wine with food, and at least one imported Italian cheese. I enjoyed this experience so much that I plan to repeat it, but only after doing something similar for France and perhaps a few other countries. I am happy enough with Italian wine to continue to drink it for the rest of my days, but there are other wine-producing countries out there, and other wines to drink. I am going to give you a bit of a report on the red wines I encountered on this wine tour, but only after a quick summary of Italian red wines, as if such an endeavor was possible. Look for a similar article on Italian white wines.
You wouldn?t be alone if you immediately think red when the subject of Italian wine is raised. In spite of extreme variations in climate, soil, elevation, and other geographical conditions, every single one of Italy?s twenty regions produces red wine. The percentage varies widely from 91 % in the southern region of Calabria to 16% in the central region of Latium.
The reality of Italy wine is more complex than first meets the eye. Who would have thought that Sicily, a southern Italian region if ever there was one, produces almost as much white wine as red wine? Considering that Sicily holds first place for Italian wine production that?s a lot of white wine. In fact, Sicily?s annual white wine production is greater than the total wine production of all but five Italian regions. But this article is about Italian red wines, not Italian white wines.
In chronological order we tasted a red wine from the southern region of Calabria, the central region of Latium, the northern region of Piedmont, the southern region of Sardinia, the central region of Abbruzzi, the northern region of Lombardy, our only ros? wine from the southern region of Apulia, the northern region of Trentino-Alto Adige, the central region of Tuscany, two Vino Novellos (new wines) one from the northern region of Trentino-Alto Adige and the other from the northern region of Veneto, the southern region of Sicily, the central region of The Marche, the southern region of Bascilicata, and finally the northern region of Piedmont while describing its neighboring region of the Aosta Valley. I was unable to find a wine from the Aosta Valley. I am in the process of tasting a Riserva (longer-aged) version of this last wine, and will write an article when I have finished it.
These sixteen wines varied in classification from basically unclassified table wines to IGT, DOC, and DOCG. In short, all Italian wine classifications were represented. IGT stands for Indicazione Geografica Tipica, which may be translated as Typical Geographic Indication, in other words a wine that typifies its specific location. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin. DOCG stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Guarantita, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin.
The wines varied in price from $8 to $38 but only three bottles cost more than $21. Their alcohol content varied from 11.5% to 15% but only one bottle exceeded 13.5%. The vintages varied from 1999 to 2006, with slightly more than half in the range 2002 to 2004. The grapes used varied widely, including both international and strictly Italian varieties. Some wines included multiple grape varieties, while others did not. And now for the question that you?ve been waiting for, what about the quality, and in particular the quality as a function of price? That too varied widely, there were both positive and negative surprises. We overpaid and there were definitely some bargains. Which was which? Read the articles.
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 or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine website is http://www.theworldwidewine.com. |
A synopsis on Gift Ideas.
I Love French Wine and Food - Reviewing The Reds
I recently finished a wine tour of Italy?s twenty administrative regions, briefly describing each region prior to tasting a representative wine with f...
Click Here to Read More About Wine ...
Recommended Gift Ideas Items
EuroCave Shelf Tags (Set of 25)
An ingenious system that makes it easy to sort and find bottles in your wine cellar. Label the shelves of your EuroCave Performance or Comfort wine cellar with these precision cut and ruled shelf tags. The labels are resin coated for durability and allows for you to write with any pencil pen or marker. There’s a pre-ruled line for the wine name and for the vintage. Twenty-five tags in a set.
Price: 9.95 USD
Current Gift Ideas News
NASCAR Pics Can Be The Greatest Gift Ideas
Sat, 17 Jan 2009 09:32:37 -0800
You and a million other NASCAR fans have probly taken hundreds of NASCAR pics in your life time. They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
Gift Ideas for Men for Valentines Day
Sat, 17 Jan 2009 06:52:23 -0800
Women seem to think it s hard to find gift ideas for men for Valentines day. When in fact, finding Valentines day gift ideas for men is pretty easy. Below are some great valentines day gift ideas for that special man in your life! Most of the the ideas for a valentines day gift for HIM have to do with electronics and sports, because let s face
Hello Software experts!
Sat, 17 Jan 2009 02:20:58 -0800
Hi friends,Welcome to all the experts to post their software related articles to Buzzycode. You will be recognized with appropriate gifts for your generous contribution. Express your software related ideas with your free will! Please visit http://www.buzzycode.com/AllInvitedArticles.aspx
Valentines Day Gift Ideas 2009
Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:39:52 -0800
Its about Valentines Day Gift Ideas 2009 we recommend for you to prepare Valentines Day This Year
Valentines Gift Ideas 2009
Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:35:40 -0800
Its about Valentines Gift Ideas 2009: Valentines Dinner, Romantic Valentine Gifts, Valentine Gifts Idea for Wife/Husband
Best Cheap New Deals on Valentines Day Gift Idea
Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:59:14 -0800
Valentines Day 2009. Flower deals and best chocolate deals. Unique gifts, romantic gifts, valentine gift idea. New & fun valentine gifts for him and valentine gifts for her. This site provides plenty of Valentine Day Gift Ideas for your girlfriend, boyfriend, significant other, or a special some for Valentines Day. Gifts for him & gifts for her.
Wine Refrigerator
Wine Basket
Wine Varieties
Labels: Wine Attributes
0 Comments:
<< Home