9:36 AM

Monday 12/29/08 - Burgundy Wine

Another Great Burgundy Wine Article

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Piedmont Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Piedmont region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on the fact-filled wine education tour.

Piedmont is located in the northwest of Italy. It borders on France and Switzerland and is surrounded on three sides by the Alps. The name Piedmont means the foot of the mountain. Piedmont is one of the most industrialized regions of Italy. It is considered the best organized region of Italy for wine tourism. Its population is about 4.4 million.

Piedmont was originally settled by the Celts. It was conquered by Hannibal and reconquered by the Ancient Romans. Piedmont was ruled by the French Savoy family for almost five hundred years. It was a center in the fight to unify Italy. Victor Emmanuel II, the king of Piedmont and Sardinia, became the first king of modern Italy in 1861.

Agriculturally Piedmont has it all. For example, meats include beef, kid, lamb, rabbit, and veal. Game includes hare, partridge, pheasant, and venison. Donkey meat stew is a local specialty. Another specialty is grissini, breadsticks that are a yard long. The region makes nine protected varieties of cheese. About the only food that seems to be a bit short is fresh fish, with the exception of trout.

Piedmont's capital and largest city is Turin, a city of nine hundred thousand that is the capital of the Italian automobile industry and the site of the 2006 Winter Olympics. This city was the first capital of united Italy (from 1861 to 1865) and remains to this day the world capital of vermouth.

Piedmont devotes over one hundred forty thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 6th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about ninety million gallons, also giving it a 6th place. About 70% of the wine production is red or ros? (only a bit of ros?), leaving 30% for white. The region produces 44 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine and 7 DOCG wines. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior Almost 56% of Piedmont wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Piedmont is home to four dozen major and secondary grape varieties, somewhat more red than white varieties.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Muscat (in particular Moscato Bianco) and Chardonnay. The best known strictly Italian white varieties are Arneis, Cortese, and Erbaluce.

International red grape varieties are not important in Piedmont. It is the center for Nebbiolo, felt by many to be Italy's noblest red variety, the base of Italy's world famous Barolo and Barbaresco wines. Other Italian red varieties include Barbera, Brachetto, and Dolcetto, some of which are grown elsewhere.

Before reviewing the Piedmont wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Cipollata Rossa Monferrina, Spicy Robiola Cheese and Scallion Spread.
For the second course try Tasca Ripiena, Veal Stuffed with Salami and Scallions. For dessert indulge yourself with Budino Freddo Gianduja, Decadent Hazelnut-Chocolate Pudding.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Sur? Rosso Barbera d'Asti Villa Giada 2004 Andrea-Faccio Viticoltore (Winemaker) DOC 13.5% alcohol about $10.90 plus tax

Unlike the other wines in this series, I purchased this bottle while on vacation in Seattle, Washington. Frankly I thought that I was drinking the cousin of a $40 bottle of wine. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it were the equal of some $40 bottles. While three other Italian grape red varieties are authorized to a maximum of 15% in the Barbera d'Asti DOC, this particular wine is 100% Barbera.

I found the wine very powerful, perhaps too strong for pasta. Its tastes included tobacco, leather, cherry, and black cherry. An Italian wine site states: "An imposing wine that is always rather severe but richly and exquisitely perfumed and with a flavor that couples strength with finesse." I agree except that I didn't find it severe. I also drank it with a marinated, barbecued rib steak. The wine cut through the steak's grease. Once again the flavors came out well.

Gran Padano is a classic Parmesan-type cheese made for a millennium in northern Italy including the Piedmont region. It is a cylindrical, cooked, semi-fat cheese which matures slowly. It has a grainy consistency and may be sliced or grated. Its taste is fragrant and delicate. I tried this wine with grated Gran Padano cheese on toast with a somewhat spicy Moroccan tomato and pimento based dip.The combination was excellent; I felt that both the wine and cheese flavors were accentuated. The term mouth-filling came to mind.

About the Author

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine website is www.theworldwidewine.com . You can reach him at ital@mail.theworldwidewine.com.

Short Review on Burgundy Wine

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Piedmont Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Piedmont region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have...

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The FTD Abundant Rose Bouquet

2 dozen roses make a grand entrance in this beautiful arrangement in a glass vase. Sure to impress for any occasion. Prices may vary in some areas. D2-3250

Price: 189.99 USD

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Labels: California Wine

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8:01 PM

August - Wine Recipes

Wine Recipes For Your Reading Pleasure

How to Increase Wine Sales

There is no doubt that one of the most effective ways to boost overall profits of a restaurant is to increase wine sales. Actually, any kind of beverage sales will increase the bottom line, but the focus of this article will be on wine.

Since the majority of patrons are not wine experts, a huge opportunity exists for restaurants to educate their consumers. Patrons consistently rely on wait staff to assist them with their wine selection.

So, it just makes sense that by providing patrons with the knowledge to order wine, restaurant sales will increase.

How to Increase Wine Sales

Selling wine can be a complex and dueling task, but it doesn?t have to be. Just ask the staff at Olive Garden. They have learned how to take advantage of the mantra: KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid).

This acronym has been around for a while now and it?s absolutely true. Novice customers rely on restaurants to recommend wine selections to them, so why not fill that need?

Here are my six steps to increase wine sales:

1) Evaluate Wine Selection

Select wines by the style of your patrons and the food served. Try not to rely completely on the recommendations of the wine distributor?s sales representative, as he or she is trying to get you to buy the wines they distribute. Don?t focus too much on price, but do make sure that a bottle of wine costs no more than the customer?s meal.

2) Create Ambiance

Wine bottles should be displayed in plain view and be recognizable to the patrons even though he or she may not be a wine connoisseur. Music and lighting should create a relaxed atmosphere and the environment should be cozy.

3) Educate Staff

Learn the basics. What does wine mean? What is the difference between a good bottle of wine and a bad bottle? How is wine ranked?

Learn wine aromas and descriptors, but don?t forget to keep it simple. Use words that the average patron and staff members will understand and remember. Stay away from stuffy descriptions and provide just enough information. In other words, there is no need to offer too many details.

4) Offer Wine Tasting

As a consumer, I always enjoy getting something for nothing. What better way to begin an evening then by being offered a sample of one or two types of wine? What does the consumer have to lose? If they don?t like the wine sample, that?s perfectly okay. If they do like it, then they will ask for a glass or better yet - for a bottle.

5) Educate Patrons

I can?t preach this one enough. Many consumers don?t buy wine because they feel unable to make an educated wine selection. Recommend wine selections complimenting menu choices. This will transform your patron?s meal into an experience, and at the same time make the patron confident enough to order a favorable wine choice.

6) Offer a Bottle vs. a Glass

Some states have passed wine to go laws allowing patrons to take home an unfinished bottle of wine. These laws have also been referred to as Merlot to Go, Cork n? Carry, Pinot to Go, or Wine Doggie Bag Bills. Most patrons are not aware of this law. Take this opportunity to inform them, and watch your wine bottle sales skyrocket! To learn more about your state wine to go law, visit www.togobrand.com

Christine M.
Smith will help you teach your staff how to increase your
wine sales and at the same time comply with the wine to go
law in your state.

Get started today selling more wine. Visit =>http://www.togobrand.com/compliance.htm

Another short Wine Recipes review

How to Increase Wine Sales

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Crete Nere - Cru Vernaccia

The towered town of San Gimignano, Italy, is a medieval tourist stop o incomparable beauty. The wine which is produced from the grape of the same name has been around for hundreds of years and was the first white wine to be accorded DOC status. The Tenuta Torciano has provided us with their Poggioaicelli for several years. Now we are introducing Torciano's Grand Cru Vernaccia, the Crete Nere. Restrictions of yields and severe selection result in a full-bodied dry white wine with strong fruit character. CNV04 CNV04

Price: 42.99 USD

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