Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy

From Cosa Bolle in Pentola:
Winding down, Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch have recently published Vino Italiano, the Regional Wines of Italy. It's a survey book, and as a result follows a fairly predictable path, breaking Italian wines down region by region. What they do after the major subdivisions, however, is a bit less obvious and considerably broader in scope than one generally finds in survey books. Each section begins with a map showing the region's appellations, followed by an overview of the region that includes interesting, unexpected, barely-enological bits of local culture or history, for example Emilia's Aceto Balsamico, Lazio's relationship with Rome (and Rome's two soccer teams, Lazio and Roma), or Sicilian ice creams, followed in turn by discussions of the wines, divided by type (sweet or sparkling) and, for the still dry wines, color. It's a novel approach, but makes sense, and they're both direct and objective in their evaluations of the wines. For example, Albana di Romagna, a white wine (Page 180):

...In fact, one thing sure to elicit at least a snicker and usually a sneer from wine producers is mention of Albana di Romagna's elevation to DOCG status in 1987. Seen mainly as a political response to pressure from Romagna's wine producers, the Albana di Romagna DOCG is much maligned, mainly because the Albana grape in its pure state is not especially interesting. As a dry wine it is sour and chalky, good for some shellfish after a day on the beach in Rimini. Only a handful of producers even bother with Secco versions of the wine, leaving others to lament the dilution of the DOCG's impact.

On the other hand, the high natural acidity of Albana grapes serves it well when it is put through the process of drying, or appassimento, to concentrate its flavors. Where Albana di Romagna Secco is a simple, faintly fragrant white, Albana di Romagna Passito fairly explodes with flavors of quince, citrus, fruits, and apricots, with a bracing dose of acid on the finish to lift up the flavors and keep the wine from going flabby.

Along with some of the passiti made from Malvasia in the Colli Piacentini, Albana Passito has the benefit of being both sweet and refreshing, especially as interpreted by producers such as Fattoria Zerbina in Faenza, Fattoria Paradiso in Bertinoro, and Umberto Cesari in Castel San Pietro Terme. Check out Zerbaina's "Scacco Matto" or Paradiso's "Gradisco" Albana di Romagna Passito for a taste of a grape transformed for the better by the hand of man.

Quick, candid, and to the point.

Each of the basic regional overviews is followed by two other sections, and this is where things get interesting: The first is called Fast Facts, and gives a very quick summary of the region and its principal gastronomic specialties, followed by a rundown of the grapes, notes on vintages, travel suggestions, and three wines per DOC that give an idea of the range of styles within the DOC, and other producers worth trying. The second is La Cucina; which is what it sounds like -- they suggest a traditional recipe to go with one of the wines from each region. Simple things, for example risotto al Barolo for Piemonte, or cinghiale in umido (stewed boar) for Tuscany, with abundant background to set the recipe in context, and detailed instructions that will guarantee success even if one has a hard time boiling water. It's very nice to see a wine book that addresses the other half of the equation, namely food.

There are also several useful appendices. The first is a glossary of Italian wine terms; followed by a nicely done, exhaustive alphabetical listing of the major varietals grown in Italy; next is a listing of DOC and DOCG wine zones by region, with grape compositions, aging, and whatnot; then there's a "highly subjective" listing of about 700 producers readily available in the US, with observations on style, quality/price ratio, and so on -- it makes for interesting reading -- and finally, a listing of the major US importers.

In short, an enjoyable, rather eclectic book that's fun to read and will be quite handy when you decide to explore new wine regions, either in your wine shop or directly in the field. It's also nicely illustrated, and will make an excellent gift.

Practical things:: Vino Italiano, the Regional Wines of Italy; 528 pages, including appendices and index; illustrated with photos and maps; By Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch; Clarkson Potter, Publishers (New York, NY), 2002; ISBN: 0609608487

Looks Good! I'd like to see the Order Form.