THE BOOK: Treat the site like your own little Black Book, a mini almanac of names to remember, advice, hints, information.
THE PLACES: On each page, for example, I’ve highlighted a five star spot - not just because of the service, style or setting, but because of its outstanding selection of Italian wines. They’re tried and tested.
THE PHILOSOPHY: As Arnie once famously said: 'This is personal ...' Well, that’s the philosophy; let me know your personal favourites, I’ll be delighted to add them to the list.
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THE pages of this site cover many aspects of Italian wine which you might find difficult to accumulate in any one source, if at all. I’ve listed them with brief headlines on the link panel in red above, but it might be helpful to explain in more detail what is covered and why.
What this site is NOT is a wine book; the brief isn’t to cover every vineyard of note in every region round the country. What it DOES do is cover concisely every aspect of buying and enjoying Italian wine.
So, for a start, there’s a vintage chart ... everyone does vintage charts, so why another one. Well, this is a bit different; it averages my own annual score with those of a range of other charts, particularly those produced locally in Italy, to come up with a composite rating. Turn to it here (either use the links in blue here or in the red panel above): Vintage Chart.
Second, the regional coverage. Every one of Italy’s 20 regions produces wine. Some are world beaters in class. Others are world beaters in value. I’ve chosen areas and vineyards in every region which I believe achieve one or other of those qualities. Turn to it here: Regional Guide.
Next, supermarkets. An ocean of wine today is bought in supermarkets, which in turn offer some terrific ranges at very competitive prices. How do they compare when you’re looking for Italian wines? Well, for some it’s simply get plastered party time; others have an eye on the dinner party market. Check them out here (the big six are covered): Supermarket Scores.
Books: The cult of the wine book has seen whole forests culled. Most books are pretty general; others don’t get beyond Beaune or Bordeaux. But there are some great books on Italian wine out there, even if most shops only have one or two. For a guide to the best of them, click here: Book Reviews.
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Buying: Where to find really original stocks of Italy’s finest can be difficult ... most shelves can be depressingly predictable, Lambrusco, Chianti, plus a couple to show they tried. Those that really try though should be encouraged and in my travels I’ve found several with stocks to set you salivating. I’ve listed the best of them across the country. Click here: Good Stockists.
Websites: Many are either those of merchants or producers (about as unbiased as defence counsel), but, of those worth quality browsing, I’ve chosen the ones I’ve enjoyed most. Click here: Website Guide.
Wine Finds: This for me is the absolute heart of Italian wine. There are 20 regions, tens of thousands of producers, hundreds of grapes, dozens of styles ... there must be some wonderful surprises among that lot! You bet there are. I’ve listed ten the Italians would far rather keep to themselves. You’ll probably tell me about lots more. Please do, but start with mine first ... Great Wine Finds.
Names on the bottle: Plenty of people when I mentioned this project said things like 'The trouble with Italian wine is I never know how to say half the names'. Or even worse: 'I always buy Chianti because it’s easy to say.' Aargh! OK, here’s how to be a bit more adventurous: How To Say Them.
Facts: Italian wine is full of intriguing snippets ... not surprising when you consider that, apart from France and Spain, Italy makes more wine than the rest of the world put together. Find out more: Wine Fact File.
Labels: Like knowing how to say the names, knowing what the words on the label mean can help you choose more effectively and enjoy the contents more happily. Here, as in all of the pages I’ve listed, is a guide to the essentials: Reading The Label.
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