"Unknown" wines

[macrosan]

I have dined at Babbo's three times (all at the bar) and on those visits drunk 4 different red wines, not one of which I had ever heard of before, but each of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Allowing that I am no wine buff, and therefore may simply be easily pleased, nevertheless do you consider that "unknown" wines can be as great as the famous wines ? Do you see it as part of your mission to "persuade" people to sample new wines ?

Incidentally, three of the four wines I tasted were Sicilian and (again repeating that I am no connoisseur) I found them particularly fine.

[David Lynch]

The Sicilian wine you likely had was a wine from the native nero d'avola grape, from a producer named Morgante. Sicily, in fact, is overflowing with good, inexpensive wine right now. Check out Planeta (La Segreta); Santa Anastasia ("Passomaggio"); Cusumano ("Benuara") for other great Sicilian values.

Other finds:

• wines from the aglianico grape in Campania. The most famous (and more expensive) are wines from the Taurasi appellation, but there are a number of less expensive aglianicos (usually labeled with the grape name) from producers such as Caggiano, DeConciliis, and Cantina del Taburno.

• wines from the white vermentino grape, found in Sardegna, Tuscany, and Liguria. This is my pet white grape. Savory and herbaceous, crisp. Check out Sardinian vermentinos from Santadi, Argiolas (called Vermentino di Sardegna). Great new Tuscan vermentino from Antinori's Guado al Tasso estate on the Tuscan coast.

• Alto Adige & Friuli wines: my pet regions. World class whites from pinot bianco, sauvignon, gewurz, and, in Friuli's case, the native tocai. A little more expensive but worth it.