Interesting to discover for sure what I had long suspected: Italy's favourite wine writer in English is not Robert Parker. Nor is it James Suckling.
I'm joshing. Both men are, of course, regarded as occupying a position just 10 feet north of the Antichrist.
So who is the fave of wine producers in il Bel Paese?
Hang on, a teasing diversion is coming up.
I was chit-chatting with a wine producer about the kinds of wine I liked. He said to me, "You have French tastes."
"I guess that's true," I said. "It's probably because this writer's French-trained sensibility had an enormous effect on me when I was starting to study wine in the late 60s and early 70s."
Right there we've eliminated Jancis Robinson, who was still at St. Trinian's in that period. (Haw haw.)
Go to the continuation, where all shall be revealed.
Who the hell else could it be?
A superbly evocative yet precise writer, Johnson opened up the entire world of wine, as it existed in 1969, when he published his first Wine Atlas. I devoured the damned book, practically memorizing it. And of course it had a strong bias toward the great growths of Burgundy and Bordeaux. He was English, of a certain class and had been brought up to drink and appreciate the stuff.
He's always been about balance, elegance, terroir and a sense of history. And this must be why so many Italians, who aspire to classic French levels of winemaking achievement, revere him so.
Not the original cover but the best I could do
bunch of old farts, bring back domenico
-Bea
Posted by: BR | June 15, 2007 at 11:13 AM
Rats, I was hoping it was me.
Posted by: Fredric Koeppel | June 15, 2007 at 11:32 AM
@ FR -- they mentioned you quite a lot, but Hugh still won out. He doesn't wear glasses.
@ BR -- baby, you are soooo negative. Lately, have you, you know...?
Posted by: Terry Hughes | June 15, 2007 at 12:02 PM
I believe people should read less and drink more...
Posted by: Gabrio Tosti | June 15, 2007 at 02:33 PM
What's this thing about GLASSES?????????
Posted by: Fredric Koeppel | June 15, 2007 at 02:53 PM
Heh heh, Fredric, I'm just continuing the Jancis thing. Hey, I wear glasses too, no?
Gabrio: and chatter less about wine too, I think. Except where would that leave us???
Posted by: Terry Hughes | June 15, 2007 at 03:09 PM
well, TH, you could always get a job ;)
you know....?
Posted by: BR | June 15, 2007 at 07:34 PM
BR, if someone stll wanted to pay me for it, I would. No shame in being a whore. Just in being a bad one.
Posted by: Terry Hughes | June 15, 2007 at 08:13 PM