Another brilliant catchall post

The big news is that it's sunny in Italy's Northeast.  At least between Venice and Verona.  I visited a favorite vineyard in Valpolicella yesterday and rode around the area, where the grapes were still tinier than peppercorns and the vegetation a light-colored green because the vines haven't been required to pull up moisture from deep in the soil.  "We have a window till the beginning of July," the winemaker said, "and if the weather doesn't improve then, we'll have real problems."  Fortunately, there was no mildew or bold yet at this lady's vineyards.

Do you know what one of the best things was about the Terroir Vino event in Genoa?  It wasn't packed with Blackberry-toting, neurotic Americans.  OK, there were two, but that isn't bad.  My opinion: if you're scouting interesting new wineries and wines in Italy, you avoid the big national events and hit the regional ones.  Amidst the dross there is some pure gold.  (NB: You have to go to Vinitaly, of course.  But the others...no.)

The young guy with the fantastic dessert wines won Best of Show at Terroir Vino.  Later in the day you couldn't get near his stand.  Bravo, whatever your name is.

I spoke at dinner the other night with the wonderful Susy Tezzon, who is one of the owners -- as well as the dynamic sommelier -- of the wonderful Giardino delle Esperidi at Bardolino, the plush little village on the shores of Lake Garda.  We were speaking of northern vs. southern food in Italy, and she believes that the southern version is infinitely better than the northern, as a whole.  "I spent two years working in Naples," she said, "and it was there I learned the art of making a beautiful table, with dishes that everyone was delighted to eat.  You just don't get that in Veneto, where I come from."  I mentioned the Veronese love of horse and donkey meat, and she made a dreadful face.

This is, clearly, why Susy's restaurant is head and shoulders above the other places I've been to in and near Verona.  It's that Neapolitan sensuality and delight in the best ingredients and new combinations of them.  As she told me, "The food down there has improved enormously in recent years .  The change has been huge."  She agreed with me that the wines seem to be racing along in parallel, with extraordinary quality strides in the past 5-10 years.  Young chefs, new ideas...young winemakers, new ideas.  And phenomenal follow-through. 

They're doing something right in Campania, even if no one is willing to take out the garbage.

Comments

[tracie b]

amen to that! and who cares about garbage when you havvada clamma?

[Italy Travel Guy]

I really enjoy reading about your travels to Italy! I'm planning a trip to the venice area soon and was wondering if you knew of any good venice tours (or nearby) that focus on wine and wineries? I'd love to find a good tour that is less known and takes you to some of the smaller wineries. Thanks!