Wine News - November 15, 2005 |
Welcome to VOLUME III , NUMBER 18 of Wine News, the e-Letter from the WineCountry.IT network. (Would you rather see the e-Letter on your favorite browser? Use this link. Usa il link seguente se vuoi leggere le News in italiano).
We are pleased to announce that the first shipment of quality wines, initially introduced at the Italian Flavor Forums organized in the San Francisco Bay Area, will be available for sale in California soon. In fact, the Italian Flavor Consortium is now accepting orders for these excellent Italian wines, all of them, except for the Brunello di Montalcino La Togata Riserva, are new on the US market .
In this issue we will introduce parts one and two of an interesting article by sommelier, Paride Leali, about South Africa. In it, Leali presents an intelligent analysis of the vitivinicultural situation in that country. Over the past 15 years, South Africa has taken giant steps in this field, upgrading both growing and winemaking techniques, thus significantly improving the quality of the wines produced.
In addition, we have published an update on the 2005 Italian harvest and the results of some interesting research by scientists of the School of Animal Biology of Turin University, about the use of common spiders in the vineyards, to protect the vines from damaging insects.
Finally, check out the news about the attempt to market a wine called 'Jesus Juice', whose label would depict a 'crucified' Michael Jackson-like figure.
Loris Scagliarini,
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Articles |
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| South Africa: A Vineyard Called Democracy – Second of Five Parts |
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 The Atlantic coastline, west and southwest of the Cape, are affected positively by the Benguela Current, which comes from the Antarctic region and provides a relatively cooler climate, compared to the surrounding environment. This fact is confirmed by the average temperature during the grapes' ripening period, in February, which registers an average of 15°C (59°F) on the coast, as opposed to 22° - 23°C (about 71.6° - 73.4°F) inland.
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| New in San Francisco: Ottimista Enoteca-Cafe |
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 During the second part of November, San Francisco's trendy Union Street wine and food scene will be further enriched by a new addition: Ottimista Enoteca-Cafe, a wine bar and small-plate venue launched by former high-tech marketer Melissa Gisler and Jerad Ruhl, formerly wine director/sommelier at Rose Pistola, in San Francisco's North Beach.
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| Italy's 'Vine Museum' |
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 Speaking on the eve of Turin's annual Wine Fair (Salone del Vino di Torino) last month, University of Milan wine expert Leonardo Valenti said that the primary goal of these experimental vineyards is to "preserve Italy's immense wine heritage." He added that this is a "cultural operation" that "uphold the precious biological value" of Italy's huge variety of vines and that these vineyards are the equivalent of "a vine museum."
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| Italian Production Down 8% |
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 Because of the bad weather in fall, the quantity of wine produced in Italy in 2005 will be around 49 million hectoliters (1,294.4 million gallons), compared to 53.3 million (1,400 million gallons) in 2004. Ismea and Unione Italiana Vini (UIV, or Italian Wine Union) reviewed their earlier forecast for the 2005 harvest. These data are interesting as, between the 1970s and the year 2000, the Italian wine production was always over 50 million hectoliters (over 1,320 million gallons), while from 2002 to 2005, this is the third time that production falls below that benchmark.
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| The Experience of Years of Activity Presented in a Guide |
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 Is with great pride that the UIV presents the 'Guida alle analisi enologiche - Metodi di prova definiti in conformità alla norma Uni Cei En Iso/Iec 17025:00' ('Guide to Enological Analysis ? Testing Methods Defined in Accordance with the Uni Cei En Iso/Iec 17025:00 Rules'), a valuable working tool designed specifically for lab analysts and quality control technicians. The guide was edited by UIV laboratories director, Francesco Pavanello, with the support of four other wine experts.
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| Blasphemy in a Bottle? |
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 Is it blasphemy, or is it art? Is it creativity coupled with ingenuity, or just plain bad taste paired with greed?
Here is the fact: a Los Angeles couple was allegedly seeking to market a wine called 'Jesus Juice', whose label would depict a Michael Jackson-like figure posed as if on a cross.
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| Spiders: New Health Guard Helpers in the Vineyards |
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 An extensive study conducted by scientists at Italy's Turin University Animal Biology Department, has shown that spiders could protect Italian vines, thus providing a strong marketing point for Italian vintners, faced with concerns by international consumers, who are increasingly demanding natural, healthful and organically-grown food products.
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Dates to Remember – November / December
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Note: To find out more about the places and activities for each event, please visit the News page. |
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| Eighth Annual Enologica and Sixth Typical Product Salon 2005 |
November 19, 20, 21, 2005 |
| Seventh Food & Wine Entertaining Showcase |
November 16, 2005 |
| Presentation of the new Duemilavini 2006 Wine Guide by AIS – Dinner directed by chef Gianfranco Vissani |
Saturday, November 19, 2005 |
| Wine Tasting of the Duemilavini 2006 guide winners |
Saturday, November 26, 2005 |
| Wine Tasting of the Duemilavini 2006 guide winners |
Monday, November 28, 2005 |
| Wine Tasting of the Duemilavini 2006 guide winners |
Saturday, December 3, 2005 |
| Wine Tasting of the Duemilavini 2006 guide winners |
Sunday, December 4, 2005 |
| Wine Tasting of the Duemilavini 2006 guide winners |
Monday, December 5, 2005 |
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WineCountry.IT
Columns
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Italian Native Vines
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Though Abruzzo is well known for its pristine environment, having earned the definition of 'Regione Verde d’Europa' ('European Green Region'), few know that viticulture was introduced in this region by the Etruscans in the Sixth or Seventh century B.C..
Viticulture knowledge and techniques have been passed down from generation to generation and improved upon over of time, making Abruzzo currently the fifth largest wine producing region of Italy.
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November, time to start thinking about the next holiday season, with its traditions and festive spirit. Thus we have selected a small baking enterprise from Friuli, Quality Bio s.a.s., as Company of the Month for November 2005.
Among other products, Quality Bio produces seasonal small Panettone, the traditional Italian Christmas sweet bread, with a twist. In fact, this small company uses exclusively ingredients coming from organic farming, as certified by IMC (Istituto Mediterraneo di Certificazione, or Mediterranean Institute for Certification).
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In November the wine has already started it's evolution in large vats, or in barrels of various sizes and materials. As the days get shorter and colder the countryside starts getting ready for winter hibernatiion. It is the time of year we gladly sit down at the dinner table with friends and loved ones to celebrate the blessings and products of the earth.
Following please find Chef Davide Dalloco from the Scuola Alberghiera di Serramazzoni suggestions for a November menu.
- Sformatino di Polenta con Fonduta di Tosone e Salsa al Lambrusco
Polenta Pie with Tosone Cheese Fondue and Lambrusco Sauce
- Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese
Bolognese-Style Green Lasagna (see recipe)
- Stufato di Anatra e Cardi
Duck Stew with Thistle Stalks (see recipe)
- Tortellette Frangipane
(Kind of Dessert)
- Pecorino di Fossa con Cioccolato Fondente
Pit Cheese Pecorino with Black Chocolate
Buon Appetito!
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Should we want to define South Africa from a vine-growing and wine-making point of view, we would have to use a term used most often by economy pundits, as in this field we are certainly looking at a "developing country."
The bottle has been decorated specifically by the well known Trentino artist, Cristina Moggio. It is a unique piece of art entitled 'Il Sole, la Terra, l'Uomo' ('The Sun, the Earth, and Man'), which expresses refined sensibility featuring a rich, festive chromatic palette inspired by nature. 
