Palate Press
Great wine? To me it does not exist. In fact, what do you mean by this word, ‘great?’ Famous, expensive, noble…? To me, even a humble Vernatsch with a daily meal can be ‘great’ if it is representative of its region. That’s why I’m not interested in tasting a ‘great wine’ but would rather drink a typical wine that speaks the language of its country.”
Hurdles, knowledge, thought. These sound like parts of a philosophical theory, or features of a poem. Yet Federico Giotto is not a poet or philosopher…or should I say he is? You decide, after reading this interview. To begin, I will only say that Federico is a young, renowned Italian winemaker and consultant. And he believes that “hurdles, knowledge and thought” are the three secrets of a great wine. And yes, he is also a romantic guy. Definitely.
"All over the world, the word Prosecco is synonymous with a fun, vibrant Italian sparkling wine, isn’t it? In America, for example, there are hundreds of thousands people who are avid fans of this Italian wine".
"Close your eyes and imagine a magical land where the sun is bright, the air is fresh and mild—even in winter—and the hills are stitched with vineyards and olive, almond, and cherry orchards. Now imagine this beauty reflected in the deepest blue of Italy’s biggest lake. This magical land exists. It’s called Bardolino".
"Venice, Italy, recently played host to Italy’s Gusto in Scena—Good Taste on the Scene. The event, the brainchild of journalist Marcello Coronini, is the first show in Europe to combine three events in one: Chef in Concerto (Chefs in Concert), a gastronomic congress for top chefs; I Magnifici Vini (Magnificent Wines), an international wine tasting; and Seduzioni di Gola (Seductions of the Palate), an exhibition devoted to Italian delicacies".
"There was a particularly festive atmosphere this year at “Amarone Preview Vintage 2006” for two unsuspecting reasons. For years, Valpolicella was considered a prestigious Italian wine region, but wasn’t formally recognized until it was awarded the “Wine Region of the Year 2009″ by the authoritative American magazine, ‘Wine Enthusiast‘. The other four wine regions in the running were: Champagne, the Rhone Valley in France, California’s Russian River Valley, and Stellenbosch in South Africa, all of which provided very stiff competition".
