I’m sweating, and it isn’t just from the sudden heat. I bought a case of an excellent Italian wine—really excellent, if you go by Gambero Rosso (2 Bicchieri, and wine-colored to boot)--at a fantastic price ($8 a bottle, discounted). But I hesitate to admit what this great bargain is. I feel a bit of a fraud, being the vocal proponent of indigenous grape varieties.
If this blog were in French, perhaps I'd have entitled the entry, "Hypocrite bloggueur, mon frere, mon semblable." But, you know me, there's not one ounce of pretension in this old boy.
Quand meme.
It’s composed of thirds: a third each of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and sangiovese (yeah, that’s an Italian grape).
Care to guess?
Yep, it’s the Vitiano 2004 di Falesco, awarded 90 points by Parker and his clones and, of course, it’s got those no-less-benedictory 2 Bicchieri. It’s delicious, balanced, with structure and soft but definitely present tannins. A wonderful everyday wine, one that complements our simple but wholesome Mediterranean-style meals, which we have at least 5 nights out of seven.
The Cotarella brothers and
their Falesco winery are doing everything right. The nagging question: if they can make such
great vine for such a fair, more than fair, price, what the hell is up with so
many other Italian winemakers? Some of
their prices are horribly unjustified. Is
it a matter of greed or simple incompetence in the face of global competition?
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