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Cabernet Franc vines - Photo © Weingarten
I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Veneto Region
An article by: Levi Reiss
If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the
Veneto region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that
you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.
Veneto is in the northeast of Italy on the Gulf of Venice. The region
is mountainous with all kinds of water, rivers, lakes, lagoons, and of
course, canals. In its heyday, during the Renaissance (Fifteenth and
Sixteenth Centuries), the Venetian Republic ruled a large part of
northern Italy, and was a major player in the world of commerce and
culture.
The present population is about 4.5 million.
Veneto’s capital, Venice, is one of the world’s top tourist
destinations, claiming 60 million visitors a year. Its attractions are
too numerous to list here. Venice’s neighbor, Padua is the oldest city
in northern Italy. Padua was the home of the famous astronomer Gallileo
Gallilei.
The metropolitan region encompassing these two cities has over
1.6 million people. Another city of interest is Verona with its numerous
Agricultural products include cattle, corn, wheat, sugar beets, and
of course grapes. With all the water you can be sure that fish and
seafood abound. Rice is more important than pasta, and lovers of sweets
will not be disappointed. Industries include textiles, silk,
shipbuilding, and sugar refining, but the major industry remains
tourism.
Veneto devotes almost 250 thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 3rd
among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about
180 million gallons, also giving it a 3rd place. About 45% of the wine
production is red or rose', leaving 55% for white. The region produces 24
DOC wines and 3 DOCG wines, Recioto di Soave, Soave Superiore, and
Bardolino Superiore. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine
Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled
Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. The G in DOCG stands for
Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly
superior. Almost 30% of Venetian wine carries the DOC or DOCG
designation. Veneto is home to about four dozen major and secondary
grape varieties, approximately half white and half red.
Widely grown international white grape varieties include Trebbiano,
Chardonnay, and Pinot Bianco, known as Pinot Blanc outside of Italy. The
best known strictly Italian white varieties are Garganega and Prosecco.
Widely grown international red grape varieties include Cabernet
Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. The best known strictly Italian
red varieties are Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara.
Before we reviewing the Veneto 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 and with indigenous wine when
touring this beautiful region. Start with Pasta e Fagioli; Pasta and
Bean Soup. Then try Risotto di Scampi; Scampi Risotto. For dessert
indulge yourself with Torta de Pappardelle; Lemon Tagliatelle Cake.
Wine Reviewed Corte Gardoni Bianco di Custoza DOC 2004 12.5% alcohol
about $8
I’ll start with the marketing materials. “Floral notes mixed with
sweet red Delicious apple and Bosc pear aromatics form the inviting and
lifted nose. The flavors are quite different with citrus and green
apples coming to the fore. It is light to medium-bodied, providing a
tangy finish that would pair well with grilled, firm (tuna or sword)
fish.” And now for my thoughts.
This wine was first paired to a commercial chicken pot pie with a bit
of chili-lime hot sauce. I tasted some apple. It was quite weak at
first, but did pick up some strength.
The next meal was more in line with the marketing suggestions, namely
grilled salmon filet and oven-baked potato patties and French fries.
While there was some apple taste, essentially the wine didn’t add
anything to the meal. However, it went well with dessert, thin biscuits
containing almonds and pistachios.
My next trial was with chicken legs in a soy and onion sauce with
rice and green beans. The wine was not unpleasant but was light and
fleeting.
Montasio cheese is a specialty of the Veneto region. It is made from
cow’s milk and can have a sharp flavor when it ages. I was happy when
the wine was able to handle this strong cheese. It didn’t do as well
with an Asiago cheese, also from the Veneto area.
Final verdict, I won’t be buying this wine again, even at it’s
relatively low price.
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.
Wine Italy
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