Craig Camp

Thanks Doc. Gaja's positive influence on all Piemontese winemaking (or all Italian winemaking for that matter) cannot be denied. Sperss, like all the wines from Angelo Gaja are always of the highest qualtity - and price. It is however not on my personal short list of wines I would personally buy. There are just too many other Baroli that are more interesting and that cost less.

This is an ancient vine from Roman times that probably was of Greek origin. The main region where it is grown is in the Marche, Colli Maceratesi. It is of some relation to verdicchio - some say it is a clone others say it is its own variety.

These wines are only sold in tourist ships on the autostrada. They also have a very lovely and sensitive Mussolini label.

Major southern Italy producer Feudi di San Gregorio is about to open its vast new, Japanese-designed, cantina.

Brunello producers in Montalcino will begin harvesting Sangiovese this week and next – probably the earliest vintage ever for the famous Tuscan variety.

However, Pinot Grigio, mostly from Italy, remained the No. 1 imported table wine varietal last year, after a 34 percent gain in consumption, according to Impact Databank, which is owned by M. Shanken Communications, the parent company of Wine Spectator. Pinot Grigio accounted for 13 percent of Americans' total imported table wine consumption in 2002, well ahead of the next-largest imported varietal, Chardonnay, at 10 percent.

Your place. We're on the way now.

Tom Stevenson who has pened several good books on Champagne for whatever reason missed his publication deadline for his 2003 Guide to Champagne and Sparkling Wine and so is giving away free copies via download at this site Click Here.

Seems like an appropriate name for the product. I would think you could find a better use for 50 bucks - like a bottle of wine.

Try these: Joy of Homewinemaking UC Davis - Making wine at home

Here I think you support Bill's point not yours. Ten vintages is nothing in the learning curve of making wine. You only get to do it once a year so that is only ten trial and error runs. Italy woke up from its long sleep in the 1970's and now over 30 years later is still going through huge growing pains. Spain must go through the same process. There is no shortcut to making great wine.

Craig, could you back up and elaborate on this whole paragraph? And, by the way, many regions in Calfornia are "just too hot and dry." They just irrigate. As I mentioned before I agree with your comment that most regions are not too hot, but I still stand my mine that many are and I would say the same for many of the California vineyards you refer to. In California the best wines are not coming from Region 4 or 5 zones but in Region 3 and 2 - warm, but moderate climates. Wines with high alcohol and the lower acidity from too much heat just don't carry their weight well. Those fat, chunky, out-of-balance, overextracted 15%+ alcohol old vine zins prove this point all to well. For my palate Priorat and Sicilia take things about as far as I can go on the power side of wine and often find they can go over the top when it comes to the concept of matching wine and food. To take an example from Italy the wildly over-popular (IMO) Primitivo is liked more for the amount of flavor it delivers than for the quality of those flavors. Fortunately for us Spain has many regions that do not suffer from climates that are too hot. I don't want people taking their viewpoint on Italian wine only from Puglia anymore than you want people to take their image of Spanish wine from La Mancha. To sum up a bit I would never dream to claim that the best Spanish wines in all price categories are not on par with Italian wines. What I would argue is that Spain and Italy are equals quality-wise, but not in the amount and variety of quality wines produced, but this is certainly an area where Spain is rapidly closing the gap. The 2003 Veronelli Guida Oro rates 1,911 producers and 8,485 wines. The 2003 Gambero Rosso Vini d'Italia rates 1,884 producers and 13,336 wines. Guides including this vast number of quality wines and producers can only be produced in Italy. Keep in mind these guides do not review the vast ocean of mass produced grocery store and cooperative brands which accounts for the majority of Italian production and these wines that are reviewed have some (even if it is small) desire to produce quality wine. These wines are produced from dozens of indigenous varieties in addition to the well established French imports. No country produces world class wine from a broader range of vines. So this is Italy's only edge over Spain - quantity of quality not quality itself.

Gerry I think you protest too much. As you read through even this thread you find that everyone here (including myself) are avid fans of Spanish wine. The excellent wines produced from regions you mention are admired by all. My reference to 'many' regions being to hot does not refer to all or even most of the regions - just many of them. No one is judging the Spanish wine industry on the wine Loris tasted, but as you note there is plenty of plonk made in all wine countries - Spain included. While there are great Rioja wines there are also a lot of lousy ones - just like there are a lot of lousy Chiantis or Bordeaux. Spain had a competitive disadvantage against Italy because the Franco period held back all aspects of Spanish culture and business. However, Spain is not getting so much attention just because it is in some sort of wine producers affirmative action program, but because it producing great wines. It is not reasonable to only look at the positive attributes of Spanish wine but the blemishes too. Spanish wine can handle the hot seat just fine.

Maybe they tasted the same because they were the same - just different labels. Not that they would do that.

First a question: Out of over 2000 wines a year you taste less than 100 you define as "really good". I can understand the small number of profound wines, but with wine making standards today I don't think it is that difficult to find really good wines - in almost any price range if you look in the right places. Profound wines take your breath away. What's wrong with that? I don't know what more you can expect of a wine than 85 Sassicaia. Tasting is both intellectual (and disciplined) and the hedonistic pursuit of thrilling flavor experiences. When you find that Holy Grail out there in all that chaff it is bound to be emotional. However, one person's profound can easily be another's overrated rip off. Taste is subjective because of the emotions involved. Have you ever seen the love in the eyes of a winemaker as you taste his wine together. You may think it is mediocre, but he sees the whole years struggle - in fact, his whole life struggle in each glass. You may think you are being undisciplined and not analytical when tasting the Sassicaia. I disagree. You are just letting yourself see your truth about that wine. Who's to argue with that.

Tanti auguri! April is lovely in Italy as spring is in full swing and Villa Minozza is a beautiful spot in the mountains of Emilia Romagna. It would seem a shame to not visit Venezia on your honeymoon as it is a special and romantic place that should be included on anyones first visit to Italy. You could start or finish your trip in Venezia. If you start there you go to Emilia Romagna and see the seaside, Ravenna, Villa Minozza and Bologna. Then a quick trip up to Milano, over to Lago Maggiore - through Valle d'Aosta (classic and stunning hiking) and into France. Or from Milano to Cinque Terra and then up the coast to France. It depends if you want mountains or seasides. Restaurants we can worry about when you get your route planned. Certainly a car is the best way to get around, but you can also plan very successful train tours. The trains in Italy will get you to all the major cities you want to see, but of course don't take you out in the country. Renault has a strange lease instead of rental program which can be very reasonable, but must be done well in advance because of the paperwork. I have done it several times and would do it again. Look here. I heartily recommend staying at some Agriturismi to get the feel of the Italian countryside and believe you will find 3 star hotels more than comfortable enough in the cities. Three star hotels in April should range from $120 to $160 a night in April which is just before the rates really start to jump. Here is a good site for hotels. Often it seems the only difference between 3 stars and 2 stars are the mini-bars and hairdryers. I find most hotels in Italy clean and comfortable. 2 stars are of course cheaper. I find most 4 star hotels to be efficient business style hotels with little character.

That means classic, sophisticated wines should smell even better. However, imperfections such as excessive alcohol, cork taint and Brettanomyces will be unabashedly presented.

If picking early were a sure sign of wine quality then we wine writers would laud the wines of Alicante and California's workhorse Central Valley above all others. We do not.

Don't forget Muscadet or a really screaming Sancerre or Quincy. For Italy think Alto Adige, Collio wines these days are getting a bit fatter.

Amaretti and macaroons should be more or less the same. This cookie was created in Venezia during the Renaissance and macaroon is the English name for them coming from the word "macerone" or fine paste in Venetian dialect. However this is just not one type of cookie, but comes in dozens of styles just in Italy. What they have in common are ground almonds, egg whites, sugar. In Italy they also add some bitter almonds and this gives them the unique flavor you find in Italian versions. By the way, torta means cake in Italy. Cakes in Italy tend to have a drier texture and to be less sweet than American versions. I will say I have never seen an Italian make homemade amaretti as it is much easier to buy the excellent ones available at the local pasticceria - which are almost certainly better than you can make at home (although in the USA this may not be the case). Even Marcella Hazan buys her amaretti for her torta di amaretti e cioccolato and if it is good enough for her... The Torte di Mandorle (almond cake with chocolate creme) that you will find in La Cucina Siciliana di Gangivecchio by Wanda and Giovanna Tornabene (Knopf) is delicious. For more almond tart recipes look to southern Italian cookbooks as this is a specialty of the south although they are made throughout Italy. You will also find some nice small pastries in this excellent book.

Every see how they handle luggage at the airport? A regular cardboard wine case won't have a bottle left in one piece and the airline probably won't take it anyway. You need at the very least the Styrofoam packaging designed for shipping wine.

Wonderful story. Sounds like a beautiful place and what a meal? Sounds like wines with a bit more acid would have made the evening even more perfect. I do like really zesty wines with fried food. Fino sherry is also great.

Good news from Stephen Metzler, the dedicated and passionate owner of Classical Wines of Spain, of one of the top importers of quality Spanish wine. He has convinced Hildago to bottle La Gitana in 500 ml. which is the perfect size to help you keep your Manzanilla fresh. BEST OF ALL they will include the bottling date in plain English on the new label. Compliments once again to Steven and Classical Wines of Spain for their commitment to quality. Look for their label on bottles of Spanish wine and you will be rewarded.

i don't understand. are you referring just to tourists when visiting wineries and vineyards? Yes and retail stores all over the USA.

Whoa- hold on here this is not what it seems.. Here is a more complete article: Click Here What this study is talking about are products that look like they are Italian. Thus in this contest Kraft Parmesan cheese is a fraud because it uses a controlled Italian name and tries to look like it is Italian. Thus any wine with an Italian name and/or a package that tries to look Italian would also be considered a fraud. There are literally hundreds of wines they would consider fake that are very clear on the label that they are not produced in Italy. Gallo Paisano would qualify as a fraud to these people. The stores are not full of fraudulent Italian wine.