Sip Quips

If you’ve been reading my series on Italian wines, you’ve no doubt heard several mentions of Super Tuscans. While it would be a great name for an Italian crime fighting team (or super villain, I can’t decide), the Super Tuscans actually refer to a group of producers in Tuscany who balked at the archaic labeling laws and extreme restrictions imposed by these laws, and made exceptional wines from non-traditional grapes, like Cabernet Sauvignon, and sold these high-quality wines as Vino da Tavola for astronomical sums of money.

The laws, at the time, allowed for only traditional Italian grape varieties, required that the grapes be blended (so no 100% varietal wines, all wines were sold as regional blends), and  aging in French oak barrels was frowned upon. Several Tuscan winemakers thought that these restrictions were forcing them to make inferior quality wines, so rather than make wines they didn’t believe in and sell them with the ‘esteemed’ DOC label, they made the wines that they wanted to and sold them as Vino da Tavola, a classification usually reserved for the everyday wine sold in large quantities. These wines quickly gained notoriety, and soon became ultra-pricey, ultra-premium and highly sought after. 

The social revolution spurred the wine regulators to look at the laws in place and investigate whether traditional methods were the best, or whether it was time for reformation. It took a few decades, but finally the rules loosened to accommodate this new style of wine and elevated the Super Tuscans through the ranks of IGT, DOC, and finally DOCG. I guess social revolution really can cause governmental change.

Northeastern Italy encompasses the provinces of Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, an Trentino-Alto Adige, and as I said earlier the wines are the least ‘Italian’ in style and the winemaking is the most technologically advanced. The close proximity to Austria and Germany strongly influences the food and wine culture, label style, wine technology, and well, pretty much everything about this Italian wine region.

Many of the wines coming from this area are white, but there is a good bit of red produced here as well. The foods of this area are a far cry from the red-sauce intensive menus of American Italian restaurants, so the wines are also a far cry from the bright, tart reds coming from further south. The best known exports from this neck of Italy include Prosecco, Valpolicella, Soave, and the Pinot Grigios coming from Fruili. For me these are the diamonds in the rough of the Italian wine market – the whites are bright and fruity – an unusual trait for Italian white wines, and the reds are fragrant and fruity. 

Prosecco has quickly become the recognizable name in Italian sparkling wine since Asti Spumante has fallen off the proverbial map. Popular not only as a crisp and appley bubbly in its own right, Prosecco is the key ingredient a Bellini, the cocktail made famous at Harry’s Bar in Venice. Prosecco is a wonderfully bright alternative to Champagne, and for the price of one bottle of good Champagne you can buy three or four bottles of Prosecco. Not a bad deal at all, if you ask me. 

Valpolicella is the red wine coming out of Northeastern Italy, Veneto specifically. If Orvieto is a red-wine drinkers white, then Valpolicella is a white-wine drinkers red. The tannins are almost imperceptibly soft, and the blend of Molinara, Corvina, and Rondinella produce a bright and cherry-scented, highly-quaffable red.

Also coming from Veneto and from the same trilogy of grapes (Molinara, Rondinella, and Corvina) are the wines of Amarone. The soft, sexy wines of Amarone are made from grapes that are allowed to dry out and raisinate.  The resulting wine has a texture unlike any other – smooth and velvety, and the flavors are concentrated and a little raisinated in their own right. Try Amarone with game meats, fruit sauces, soft cheeses, or as an after-dinner alternative to Port. 

Soave is and always will be my wine pairing for mussels. The blend of Trebbiano and Garganega (go ahead, say it, Garganega – fun isn’t it?) makes for a lovely companion to shellfish. Soave is a dry-white with a lemony, mineral quality. If you are going to try a bottle of Soave, I would skip over the end-cap of Bolla, and look for a bottle of Soave Classico. Believe me, the extra money you shell out comes back four-fold in flavor. 

As for the Pinot Grigio and other whites from Northeastern Italy, there is more to this region (thankfully) than Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio. I was so underwhelmed by Santa Margarita when I first had it that I discounted all Pinot Grigio for far too long. Good Pinot Grigio is fresh and clean, and a surprisingly good value. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio, which I find thin, watery, uninspired and blah.

The wines of Fruili and Alto Adige are often labeled by grape variety rather than region, as is the custom in the rest of the Northeast of Italy. Additionally, the wines of Alto Adige are often label in Italian and German, or occasionally just German. I love the wines from this area – you get the heart of an Italian winemaker with the precision of a German manufacturer – consistent, high-quality, and absolutely delicious. 

Central Italy comprised the provinces of Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise, but for the sake of wine the star of the show in Central Italy is Tuscany with Abruzzo and Umbria singing backup. Tuscany has been synonymous with Italian wine exports since American Italian restaurants first stuck a candle in a Chianti bottle. 

While Chianti has changed significantly in both composition and reputation since those days, it is still the first Italian wine that comes to mind for most.   The vinoscape of Tuscany, while famed for Chianti, is also home to Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Rosso di Montepulciano as well as numerous other DOC regions that are not extensively exported. It is also home to the famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) wines known as ‘Super Tuscans,’ but more on that later. 

Chianti laws have changed significantly in the last few decades, resulting in much higher quality wines. The primary grape (75-100%) of Chianti is Sangiovese with the remainder of the blend comprised of several red grapes that few outside of Italy are familiar with and possibly up to 10% white grapes (Trebbiano and Malvasia), although this tradition has fallen out of favor in recent years.Within the region of Chianti, lies the subregion of Chianti Classico, which is considered the historical heartland of the Chianti region. The blends of Chianti Classico will be basically the same, but Chianti Classico requires a minimum of 80% Sangiovese, rather than the 75% required in Chianti. 

The town of Montalcino, in Tuscany, is known for its pricey Brunello di Montalcino and slightly more affordable Rosso di Montalcino. Brunello is a clone of the Sangiovese grape, whose name translates to ‘little dark one.’ The wines are big, deep, intense reds with long-term aging potential, and some of the most expensive wines coming out of Italy. Rosso di Montalcino wines are essentially the same as Brunello di Montalcino, only not aged as long prior to release, only six months for a Rosso as opposed to the four years required for a Brunello. The result is the Rosso di Montalcinos are fresh, fruity and far simpler than their big brothers Brunello. 

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (remember here that Montepulciano is the place name, not the grape name) is made from yet another clone of the Sangiovese grape referred to by its local name of Vino Nobile. The wines comparable to Brunello di Montalcino, but aged only two years, as opposed to the four required by the Brunello DOCG. So, basically what all of the hubbub in Montalcino and Montepulciano boils down to is this

Rosso di Montalcino – fresh, fruity Sangiovese clone. Aged only six months. Rather simple. Rather cheap

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano – more full-bodied and structured Sangiovese clone. Aged minimum two years. More complex. Still fairly affordable.

Brunello di Montalcino – most full-bodied and intense Sangiovese clone. Aged minimum four year. Very complex, long-term aging potential. Amongst Italy’s most expensive wines.

Outside of Tuscany, the wine production of Central Italy can be attributed mainly to Abruzzo and Umbria. Abruzzo is known for Trebbiano d’Abruzzo and the confusingly named Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (confusing because here Montepulciano is a grape, not a place as in Tuscany). Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is a fresh, simple white wine best served as an aperitif, or apertivo if you want to be Italian about it, or with simple fish dishes. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is an affordable, widely available Italian red, that is still (thankfully) underrated. Look for the wines of Arboreto or Casal Thaulero. 

Though there is red wine produced there, Umbria is best known for its white wine Orvieto. I always think of Orvieto as a white for a red wine drinker as it has a mouthfeel more akin to a red wine than a white, but it has all of the fresh flavors of a white wine. It’s an outstanding accompaniment to all seafood, but I do love it with calamari.

Since Italy didn’t become a unified (and I do use that term loosely) country until the 1800s there is really very little unified about the wine, food, and local culture. For argument’s sake you can break Italy down into four geographic areas that are similar enough to draw a comparison rather than having to learn the ins and outs of all 20 provinces. 

Starting at the toe of the boot and working our way up you have Southern Italy, Central Italy, Northwestern Italy, and Northeastern Italy. Now I’m not trying to say that every province within these regions is exactly the same, I’m simply trying to break Italy into manageable chunks, draw some comparisons, and convey the differences in local food (and wine) culture. 

Southern Italy

Geographically, we are talking about the boot from about mid-shin down, and for simplicity, we’ll toss both islands of Sicily and Sardinia in here too. This region produces nearly half of the wine consumed in Italy, but most of this can be attributed to low-quality, high-quantity bulk wine. Very little of the massive wine production is fine wine, and very little of it is exported – with the Marsala of Sicily being the one notable exception.

The food and wine culture is far more Mediterranean than the rest of Italy, probably due in large part to the colonization of this area by both the Greeks and North African Muslims at different points in its history. Food and wine are ubiquitous and ever-present. None of the finest foods or the finest wines come from this region, leave that hype to others. When it comes to food and wine, it must be simple and delicious.

Central Italy

Central Italy encompasses the area from the curve of the calf on up, well, pretty much all the way up. Food and wine are serious business here, with the region accounting for about one-third of Italy’s wine exports, and all things alla fiorentina housed here. Chianti, arguably Italy’s most famous wine region, is situated in the heart of Tuscany alongside the Brunellos, Rossos and of Montalcino, Orvieto, Montepulciano D’Abruzzo. Basically, a good chunk of the Italian wine section of your local wine store comes from this region.

The food and wine culture here isn’t just big business, it’s also serious business at the dinner table. Florence is often touted as the birthplace of Italian cooking, at the dinner table of the Medici court. Here food and wine are painstakingly prepared to be their very best, and once you’ve tasted Bistecca alla Fiorentina, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and Orvieto you’ll thank your lucky stars that the locals put so much stock in and take so much pride from their preparation. Read more about Central Italy.

Northeastern Italy

Some extraordinary, not to mention underrated, fine white wines come from this little crook of Italy, nestled between the foothills of the Alps and the Adriatic coast. This is the most technologically advanced and possibly least Italian (coincidence?) wine region in Italy.  

Most of the wines are fresh, bright, clean whites which pair beautifully with the local cuisine full of cream, risotto, potato dishes and polentas. The climate is quite cool, and the food shows a definite influence from nearby Germany and Hungary, so it is no wonder that white wine grapes would grow better (cool climate) and white wines would pair better with the food (germanic influences). Read more about Northeastern Italian wines. 

Northwestern Italy

This region is possibly the hardest to group together as one cohesive unit, because the provinces are rather divergent. The relative proximity to France, Monaco, Switzerland, and Germany change the local culture significantly. When it comes to wine – the best is in Piedmont. When it comes to food – the best is in Emilia Romagna. 

The consistent vein weaving through the local food and wine culture of this disparate region is richness. The food is laden with truffles, Parma ham, Parmesan Reggiano, cream, butter and the finest chocolate of Italy. The wine is equally rich with the Nebbiolo based wines of Barolo and Barbaresco, Dolcetto d’Alba and the creamy bubblies of Franciacorta. If you visit the Northwest of Italy, make sure to bring your walking shoes. You’ll need them to work off the rich delicacies which are too delicious not to indulge in. 

I think the single most perplexing thing about Italian wine is how it’s named. There is no consistency across the country let alone within regions. In Italy a wine can be named by the place the grapes were grown, eg Chianti;  a combination of the grape type and the region, eg Moscato d’Asti; the varietal if the wine is 100% one grape, eg Pinot Grigio; or a proprietary name like Ornellaia. So how do you ever know what you are getting in your bottle of Italian wine?

The short answer – you won’t, unless you learn a lot about Italian wines. The slightly longer answer – there are a few tricks that will help you to discern which type of label you are looking at, but without a baseline knowledge of Italian wines you won’t always be able to figure out what is in the bottle. Can you start to see why I have sort of left Italian wines as a delicious mystery?

Let’s take a look at the four different ways to name a wine, and I’ll share with you my cheats for remembering what I can about the convoluted Italian wine laws.

Place Name

Typically, if the place name is on a label it means that the wine is from a place of note, often a DOC or DOCG zone. In these instances you will find the words Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) or Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG) on the label.

Now that you’ve figured out where the wine is from – what does that mean to you. Well, unfortunately not too much unless you learn what grapes are permissible in which regions, or unless you learn that you really like Orvieto, Valpolicella, or <insert you favorite wine region here> wines. The place name will simply tell you where the wine is from and what style it is made in. It’s up to you to do the leg work of tasting all the regions and figuring out which you like best.

In addition to the place name you may find a whole host of other terminology on the label, indicating the style of that DOC or DOCG zone. 

Classico – indicates that the wine is from the heart of that region

Secco - the wine is dry

Abbocato - a slightly sweet version

Recioto - made from semi-dry grapes, typically show concentrated, raisinated flavors

Riserva - the wine is aged longer

Superiore - higher alcohol (at least 1% higher than the norm), not an indication of superior quality

Frizzante - lightly sparkling

Spumante - sparkling

With a quick Italian lesson, you can actually learn more about the style of the wine from the DOC or DOCG name when it’s modified with these terms. There is a whole lot more Italian terminology on the labels, but little of it will tell you much about the wine, so we’ll stick with the short list for now. 

Combo Grape and Place Name

This label style give you a little more info, and is fairly easy to spot. It always comes in the format of grape name di place name. In the instance of a place name beginning with a vowel (which there seem to be an inordinate number of wine regions beginning with the letter ‘A’), the di is shortened to d’.

From these label types you learn the grape the wine is made from and the wine region of origin. So if you love Barbera, try both a Barbera d’Alba and a Barbera d’Asti and see which region you like better. 

There is one hiccup in this label type, and it is the bane of my organizational existence  - the Montepulciano wines. If you have been in an Italian wine aisle, you have no doubt seen Montepulciano on the occasional wine label, but is a grape name or a place name?

Well, the confusing answer is both!! In the case of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, the grape is Vino Nobile (a local name for Sangiovese) and the place is Montepulciano (a small town southeast of Florence). In the case of Montepulciano d’Abruzzi, the grape is Montepulciano (a spicy red grape grown throughout Italy) and the place is Abruzzi (a region on Italy’s Adriatic Coast). Confounded Italians!

Grape Names

Most of the wines labeled with only the name of the grape and the region come from the Trentino Alto-Adige and Fruili regions in the Northeast of Italy, and it’s rather easy to figure out what you are getting, as it is boldly stamped across the label. Here you find Pinot Grigio, Pinot Biano, Chardonnay and some Pinot Nero (aka Pinot Noir) labeled as such.

Proprietary Names

These are the wines that typically carry some of the heftiest price tags of the Italian wine market, and they also represent the producers that do not follow local tradition or local wine law. Often the bottles will be classified as Indicazione geographica tipica (IGT) wines, and often the wines will be labeled as Super Tuscans (read more about Super Tuscans here). The proprietary names include Ornellaia, Sassacaia, Tignanello, Luce, Serena, and Summus. 

These producers have carved out a name for themselves and feel that their proprietary name is all the marketing collateral they need. Proprietary wines are typically more ‘new world’ in style, meaning that they are very fruity, often tannic, and often pleasing to the American wine-drinker. Regularly the wines are made with non-traditional grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. Occasionally these wines will be blended with more traditionally Italian grape varieties, like Sangiovese. 

This covers the basics of Italian wine laws and labeling, but we have yet to really address any of the wines of Italy. Perhaps the convoluted nature of Italian wine is why I prefer to drink it rather than study it. 

Read more about Italy’s wine regions in part 3.

A while back, my husband, the Italophile, requested that I write about Italian wine labels. He figured that it would be a good chance for him to learn more about Italian wines, and it would force me to dive deeper into the subject and strengthen my weakest area of wine knowledge. I thought it was a great idea, but procrastination set in and I have been avoiding the subject since his suggestion about two months ago. I’ll be the first to admit it – Italian wine laws are more than a bit daunting. In addition to being in a foreign language, the label style changes from the north to the south, they grow grapes there not seen anywhere else on the globe, not to mention that occasionally the same term will be used as a grape and a region in different areas. I’m not going to let Italian wine labels get the best of me…. it’s time to jump back in and figure these wines out. 

First off, it’s no wonder that Italian wine laws are loosely correlated throughout the country – Italy was a bunch of warring provinces until 1861, national wine laws didn’t come about until 1963, and only about 10% of the wine produced in Italy ever makes it out of Italy. As with many things Italian, local tradition is more important than national regulation. As Italy begrudgingly enters the 21st century, producers are refining Italian wine laws, tweaking them to better represent the local vinoscape. The good news is that the wine labels are gradually becoming more consistent and easier to understand. The bad news is that as I type this, the information is becoming obsolete, as new regulations come to pass. 

With the wine laws that have been passed in 1963 and extensively refined in 1980, here is a rough breakdown of Italian wine classification. The wines fall into a four-tier quality scale as follows:

Vino da tavola – Table wine.

The label will only indicate the color (rosso or bianco) and the producer. Prior to 1996, some of the most sought after wines of Italy were labeled as Vino da tavola because the local wine laws were not compatible with the wines being made. More recently though, little vino da tavola is exported, as most of it is local, everyday, bulk wine.

Indicazione geographica tipica (IGT) – Indicative of the growing area

This is a broad sweeping classification that includes many fine wine producers that do not feel that the restrictions of the higher classifications suit the wines that they wish to make. The classification of IGT does not indicate inferior quality to DOC or DOCG wines (the two highest classifications of Italian wines, see below), but more a producer’s desire not to conform to wine laws.

Do not assume that these wines will be cheaper than ‘higher’ classified wines, because some of the priciest wines in Italy are IGT. But at the same time some reasonably priced, everyday-drinking wines are sold as IGT. Like I said, Italian wine is a bit flummoxing. 

For IGT to appear on a label, the wine must come from an officially sanctioned wine growing area, but cannot claim origination in any of the zones or villages within the wine region. 

Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) – Denomination of Origin

Wines labeled as DOC are made from approved grape varieties, produced within specific geographic regions. There are around 250 DOC zones in Italy, and Denominazione di origine controllata will appear on the label below the name of the zone. The specific regulations of the DOC zone are variable, some control length of aging, some control vinification method, but all regulate the permitted grape types, maximum allowable yield, and total production. 

Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG) - Guaranteed Denomination of Origin 

This is the highest distinction available within Italian wine, but it doesn’t necessarily represent the highest priced wines, as is often the case. However it is the easiest to visually identify, as an official, numbered tag is placed on top of the capsule (green for white wines, purple for reds), either over the top of the bottle, or around the neck.

DOCG wines are the most stringently regulated within the Italian wine market, and the most representative of the finest wines historically made in that region with traditional grapes. There are around 35 DOCG regions throughout Italy. 

Though not the most expensive wines, DOCG wines can be thought of as the most traditional wines. The price scale of DOCG wines is probably the most expansive of any country’s highest classification ranging from the ten dollar range up into the several hundred dollar range. 

Sadly, this is only the very tip of the iceberg that is Italian wine law. I think this will have to continue tomorrow with more discussion of regions and quality indicators. While Italian wine is delicious with food, its regulation is awfully hard to swallow!

Read more about Italian wines in part 2….

It used to be that you couldn’t go into a liquor store without seeing at least a few bottles of Asti Spumante, but any more it is nearly impossible to find. These days if you are looking for an Italian sparkling wine chances are you will end up with a Prosecco, or perhaps a Franciacorta, but try as you might you’ll be hard pressed to find an Asti Spumante. You may see Moscato d’Asti, Barbera d’Asti, or even just Asti, but whatever happened to Spumante?

Well, there is still sparkling wine coming from the Asti region of Italy, but these days you will predominateyl find Asti and Moscato d’Asti. The term ’spumante’ means foaming in Italian, and refers to wines that are fully sparkling, rather than the ‘frizzante’ wines, which are only lightly carbonated. Wines labeled simply ‘Asti’ are today’s equivalent of the Asti Spumante that you used to see on the shelves, fully carbonated sparkling wines made from the Moscato grape. The wines labeled as ‘Moscato d’Asti’ are lightly sparkling wines, or frizzante, and are also made from the Moscato grape. Moscato d’Asti wines tend to be lower in alcohol and slightly sweeter than Asti.

As of 1995 the sparkling, or spumante, wines of Asti were elevated to the highest quality ranking of Italian wines, the DOCG. Once the wines received this acclaim, many producers dropped the term spumante from the label, because of the long standing associations with inexpensive sparkling wine (i.e. Martini & Rossi Asti Spumante). These days you rarely see a wine labeled Asti Spumante, however there has recently been an increase in wines simply labeled as Spumante. 

Taking advantage of the hole in the market left by the winemakers of Asti when they dropped their Spumante, many producers are making ‘Spumante’ wines that they are simply labeling as Spumante. Usually these white wines are anywhere from lightly to fully sparkling, fairly low in alcohol (8-11%), and not necessarily of the highest quality. While fine for a toast at a large party, the sparkling sweet wines labeled Spumante aren’t the sort of wines you need to contemplate. Simple and straightforward, Spumante is one sparkler that doesn’t deliver. For my money, there are many more bubblies out there that are comparably priced, but much more bang for the proverbial buck!

International wine labels can be tricky, not only because large portions of the label are in a foreign language, but also because the information is presented in a completely foreign manner. No wine region is more tricky to figure out than Burgundy. On Burgundy labels the region takes center stage, while the producer can be hard to find, and the grape variety is no where to be seen. Here is a quick and dirty guide to reading the labels from this little gem of a region in central France.

First off – the grapes. This part is easy. For red wines the grape is Pinot Noir. For white wines the major grape is Chardonnay. While you will not find this info anywhere on the label, it is true across the board.

Next, look for the largest print on the labels. This will be the region of Burgundy where the grapes were grown, and it’s easiest to think of it like a large target. The more specific the growing region, the closer to the center of the bulls-eye you get. The wines increase in both character and price tag the closer to the bulls-eye you buy.

At the most basic the wines will be labeled as Bourgogne, and the grapes may be grown anywhere within Burgundy. The whites tend to be leaner and more acidic Chardonnays, great with food, but not necessarily suitable for sipping on their own. The reds tend to be lighter bodied with a nice fruit-acid balance. 

Next ring of the target brings you to wines that are labeled regionally. The four major regions of Burgundy, listed from north to south, are:

Chablis – very cool, only white wines. Chablis =crisp, dry Chard with appley flavors & ample acidity

Côtes D’Or – central Burgundy, most wines come from this region. Divided into two sub-regions

Côtes du Nuits – This is where the best (read most expensive) Pinot Noir is grown. Complex & age-worthy wines.

Côte de Beaune – Structured, age-worthy white wines. Some reds as well, but softer than Côtes du Nuits Pinots.

Côte Chalonnaise – Both red and white wines. Less complex and considerably less coin than Côtes D’Or.

Mâconnaise – mostly white wines. Some excellent value can be found here.

As we zoom in the bull-eye to the Village wines, things quickly get a lot more detailed. I often have to look at a map to keep some of villages straight, especially the villages of which I’m not a big fan. In Chablis, it’s easy; they don’t have village designations. For the rest of Burgundy, if you aren’t enough of a Pinot-phile to memorize village names, you’re best bet is to check a map. Looking at the label of a village wine, you’ll typically see the large-font village name, Chambolle-Musigny for instance, and then directly under it you’ll find the words Appellation (insert village name here) Contrôlée, Appellation Chambolle-Musigny Contrôlée in this case. Other indicators it’s a village wine – you won’t see the words Bourgogne, Premier Cru (aka 1er Cru) or Grand Cru anywhere on the label.

As we step further in the bulls-eye we get to the Cru wines. Cru is a French term meaning roughly ‘growth place.’ In Burgundy, it indicates a specific vineyard where the grapes are grown, and that grapes from that vineyard are significantly better than the rest of the grapes. 

Premier Cru is possibly the easiest label designation to figure out in Burgundy because it will always say premier cru, or 1er cru, somewhere on the label, and it will often include the village designation as well. While premier cru wines can be astonishingly expensive, some decent values can be found in the premier crus of Mercurey, a village in the Côte Chalonnaise, as well as Montagny, another premier cru within the  Côte Chalonnaise.

Like Premier Cru, Grand Cru should be prominently displayed on the label. Occasionally, some producers will put it in small print – I can only assume so as not to be perceived as boastful, which may be considered tacky. Of course these same producers continue to collect top dollar, or euro, for their wines, using the Grand Cru name for all its worth.

Grand Cru Burgundies, the bulls-eye, are unfortunately out of the reach of most of us common folk. If you have the good fortune to enjoy a Grand Cru, it is like drinking bottled poetry. They are well worth the hefty price tag, but unfortunately always over too soon!

I guess this really wasn’t terribly quick, but it certainly was as dirty as promised. All this talk of Burgundy has me ready to head to the cellar and see if I can scrounge up a Burgundy for dinner. I’m sure I can come up with a reason to celebrate today and pop open a pretty little village wine – why I got a new blender today. What other reason do you need?

Well, we spent our days walking to museums, restaurants, and markets. Suddenly I came to the realization that Americans have it all wrong. Let’s see – fast food, convenience stores, the degradation, if not total abolition of family meals, not to mention city streets that were designed for driving rather than walking — is it any wonder that we are fat?

Looking at the American diet it seems that we could take a pointer or two from the Europeans. In addition to eating seasonally and locally, they enjoy the richest foods in moderation, get regular exercise walking to the market to buy fresh ingredients for dinner, and treat wine as the fifth food group. Now, that is a diet I can get behind. 

First, we need to reclaim the meal. When was the last time you sat down to enjoy a meal? Probably the last time you treated yourself to a nice restaurant. In the interim meals become something we are forced to take part in on a daily basis – rarely more exciting than a trip to the post office. Think of the last movie you watched featuring an Italian family meal, or a lunch at a European cafe. People sitting down, talking, laughing, arguing, lots of food, a couple bottles of wine, and the sense that life has stopped for a moment. Sounds great doesn’t it? Well, don’t just dream about it, make it a part of your life.

Then, get yourself to a farmers market, or join a CSA. Nothing brings me more epicurean delight than strolling the aisles of a farmer’s market looking at all of the fresh produce, artisanal cheese, composing menus, and wondering if these blackberries really would taste good with the rosemary from a few booths back. Not only do you get to touch, smell and taste the food, but you get a sense of ownership and pride in the bounty that you carry home with you. Your inner hunter/gather is brought to the surface and suddenly you are excited to cook the broccolini and fava beans you found. Plus, walking the aisles of a farmers market can’t exactly hurt your waistline.

Finally, enjoy a glass of wine with dinner.  We’ve all heard by now of the numerous health benefits of enjoying wine in moderation – reseveratrol, anti-oxidants, flavonoids et al, but above and beyond all that the simple act of opening a bottle of wine to enjoy with your dinner flips a switch in you head which all but commands you to relax. You’ll find it nearly impossible to rush though a meal when you have a glass of wine in your hand. It may not be as quick or effective as Beyonce’s Master Cleanse, but I’ll take good food and wine over spicy lemonade any day of the week.

In March, legislation was passed in the European Union to extend the list of terms not permitted on the label of US wine imported into the EU for sale. While I’ll agree that the agreement of 2005, which limited the use of place names like Burgundy, Champagne, and Chianti, to wines produced in those regions, was a victory for producers in those regions. If they have to pass a rigorous set of standards to use that place name on a label it seems only fair that others not be allowed free use of the term.

However this new legislation also includes winemaking terms such as chateau, classic, clos, cream, crusted/crusting, fine, late bottled vintage, noble, ruby, superior, sur lie, tawny, vintage or vintage character.  I’m guessing that the thought is that these terms are inexorably linked to the regions where they originated, but so many of the terms are common English terms with double meanings. Chateau and clos definitely are French terms, so perhaps have some validity. I agree with Alder in that there might still be some hard feelings towards Chateau Montelena from the judgement of 1976, with the inclusion of those French terms.

The rest of the terms, come on now. I guess American winemakers will now have to proclaim that their wines were aged on dead yeast cells, rather than sur lees, if they want a chance to sell their wine in Europe. The EU had my full support in keeping their place names sacred, but honestly this is overboard. I guess there will be no more dessert wines will noble rot, no wines with a hint of cream on the palate, and no more reds with a beautiful ruby hue sold outside of the US. Ridiculous if you ask me!