The Essence of Italian Food and Wine

I'm quite sometimes asked define the difference between Italian varietal wine and other wines. Sometime ago I wrote the following piece; it at least provides AN answer (that makes some sense to a non-Italian like myself!)

To a large extent, the uniqueness of Italian varietal wine stems from two unique features..
Firstly, until 150 years ago, what we today call Italy was a multitude of separate kingdoms, dukedoms, regions, sub-regions, cities and villages. (And even now, the country is quite fiercely tribal!). Trade between these was sporadic; interrupted by ‘turf’, and made difficult by geography and by dialect. Communities guarded jealously their own produce – including wine styles and food styles– from their neighbours. And they are never tired of extolling the virtues of their own above all others!
And secondly, Italians, more than almost any country on earth, enjoy lots of wine with their food. At the same time, they prefer food to wine by some distance. As many Italian’s would put it, “the chief purpose of wine is to make our favourite dishes taste even better!”
So Italian varietal white wine styles tend (there are always exceptions, but not too many) to be simple, unoaked, and acid-crisp from using early-picked fruit. Red wines styles are made so as not to overwhelm food - they are mostly medium or even light bodied, savoury (rather than fruit-driven, to match the Italian’s love for savoury meat and vegetable dishes) and made with good acid firmness. And almost all wines are light in alcohol, so as not to distract the consumer from the main game – food!
So in Piedmont for example – where many regional dishes have a Francophone richness (the Savoy connection), favourite red wines like Barbera and Dolcetto are a combination of uncommon fruitiness and relatively high acidity– perfect to match ‘sweeter’ cooking tastes and to cut through those béarnaise sauces and quite fatty bollito misto (mixed meat) dishes.
A good example of the coming together of ‘local knowledge’ and allowing wine to support food, not compete with it.
There’s a saying in Italy…”Don’t try and outsmart the village sommelier!” Why bother?

Believe it or not....Valentine's Day is Italian?

Way back in history, when Rome was in its infancy, there was a society of pagan priests called the Lupercalia. Each year, on February 14, the Luperci priests gathered on the Palantine at the cave of Lupercal (where Romulus and Remus were nurtured by wolves).

Fast forward to 270AD, to the reign of Claudius the Cruel. Claudius, when having some difficulty finding enough willing soldiers to fight his wars, ordered that no marriages should be celebrated and that all engagements should be broken off immediately.

Valentine, a very popular local Roman priest, refused to obey the edict; instead, he carried out ceremonies in secret.

For his disobedience, Valentine was cast into gaol by Claudius, where he died. His huge band of supporters were devastated, vowing never to forget his courage.

Many centuries later, and while the memory of St Valentine was still fresh, the authorities simply slotted in Valentine’s Day into the spot – 14th February – where the Luperci (now extinct) used to celebrate their movement.

Sounds true...?

A Tango First for Mudgee!

There's something about the Argentines that Australia admires. They're passionate sportsmen and women - and give us a real run for our money in tennis and rugby, and increasingly in wine!
But in Mudgee from Saturday 27th March to Monday 29th, all competitive instincts will be put aside as Tangofestcomes to town!
Tangofest is a yearly annual Tango Festival that continues to gain momentum from its origins five years ago in Buenos Aires. To open the event on Saturday night, Prince Hill Winery will resound to Tango in the Vines with a dinner and Tango exhibition. Then on Sunday and Monday there will be a series of milongas, workshops and practicas to enable us to enhance our latin skills (or start from scratch, perhaps?).
Di Lusso is very proud to be a sponsor of the event. A beautiful dance and a beautiful (latin!) country deserves our support ....and your attendance!!
For details, have a look at the Tangofest website.. and take it from there!

www.tangofest.com.au/News/2010News1.html