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Also this issue: Back for Seconds |
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October 24-30, 2002
food
Wines of Southern Italy
In the fabled Piedmont vineyards in the far northern reaches of Italy, wine-making techniques and classification systems are almost as doctrinaire as they are in France. Not so in the sunny South. Abruzzi, Basilicata, Campania, Puglia, Calabria, Sardinia, Sicily -- these are some of the oldest wine-making regions anywhere in the world, and yet the viticulture here is loose and happy, relying on a large variety of tried-and-true grape types and glorious climate. Actually, the weather in southern Italy is warmer than is ideal for wine grapes, which gobble up the opulent nutrients, resulting in big, fruity, mouth-filling wines that make up for a lack of subtlety with rich flavor.
The vintners of the South are not only uncomplicated in the production of their goods, but they have been nearly oblivious to the wiles of marketing and exporting until very recently. Two notable exceptions have been Corvo, from Sicily, whose wines are simply called red or white, and Taurino, producer of Salice Salentino and Notapanaro, from Puglia. These two vintners exemplify southern Italian wine making in several ways. Both make wines that are very approachable, with distinctively peppery and expansive bouquets and succulent mouth-feel, and are superb bargains at under $10 a bottle.
The reliable Corvo and Taurino are being joined by a new wave of southern Italian wine exports, and for now, these wines continue to be a tremendous value, with consistently high quality. Puglia, the heel of the Italian boot and home of Dr. Taurino, is the largest wine producer in all of Italy, but most of its product is consumed locally or shipped out in bulk for inexpensive wine production. The good doctor is now being joined by a number or vintners, including several wines named for the town of Copertino, who are producing serious table wines for the international market.
The most important grape type in the wines of Puglia is Negro Amaro. As the name implies, Negro Amaro makes a dark red wine with powerful fruity flavors laced with spiciness, and what is usually described as a licorice sensation on the nose. Needless to say, these wines have personality.
Sardinia has also come on strong as an exporter, with a number of wines that are as stylish in presentation as they are on the tongue. Aragosta, a dry, lively, straw-colored wine, makes for a nice everyday white for light food or as an aperitif, about $8 per bottle. Cannonau is a full-bodied red, thought to be related to Spanish Garnacha, and sturdy enough to hold up to grilled fare.
Shopping for the wines of southern Italy can be daunting, since so many of the grapes are unfamiliar, but they are so reasonably priced and consistently tasty that it is hard to go wrong. And by all means, drink them with any kind of meal, not just pizza.
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