Vinitaly
21/04/2010 3:03:00 p.m.
SINCE 1967, Verona has hosted Vinitaly, the annual Italian festival of wine. What I wouldn’t have done to be in Romeo and Juliet’s hometown this week!
Not only are there scores of seminars on everything from the effect of the recession to methods of appreciating wine, but also loads of opportunities to sample wines of the world along side crazy Italian food – terrine of smoked eel with algae butter anyone?
Touted as the world’s biggest wine show, there are more than 50 tastings. While the focus is fixed parochially on the Italians, Vinitaly also includes a comparison of Pinot Noir from New Zealand’s North and South Islands, along with analysis of Austrian Grüner Veltliner and German Riesling.
Figuring I needed to do some research for this column, I took my date to Fratelli on Blair Street for some fresh Italian on Wednesday last. After the previous day’s netball training, at Establishment on a notorious Ladies’ Night ($1 bubbles), I was in the mood for chilling out somewhere nice and quiet.
Fratelli welcomed us with open arms, fed us with olives, gnocchi and lamb, and watered us with rich Italian reds. My first was a Negroamaro from the heel of Italy, whose sweet fruit flavours were the perfect foil for warm herb marinated olives. Next, lamb loin with eggplant wrapped around bocconcini and wilted spinach had the gaminess to stand up well to a glass or two of Chianti.
Wine of the week: Further research unearthed a 25% winesale at Woolies. Umming and ahhing at the selection, I followed the example of a woman who appeared to know what she was doing when she bustled in and grabbed a bottle of Renzo Masi Chianti Rufina 2008 ($18). Thankfully, she had good taste. Chianti is made mostly from sangiovese grapes grown in Tuscany. Its bready aromas lie over a layer of fruit. Licorice dark berry flavours and fine-grained tannins caress the palate. Much nicer than the vinegary Chiantis I’ve bought on the cheap in the past.
Not only are there scores of seminars on everything from the effect of the recession to methods of appreciating wine, but also loads of opportunities to sample wines of the world along side crazy Italian food – terrine of smoked eel with algae butter anyone?
Touted as the world’s biggest wine show, there are more than 50 tastings. While the focus is fixed parochially on the Italians, Vinitaly also includes a comparison of Pinot Noir from New Zealand’s North and South Islands, along with analysis of Austrian Grüner Veltliner and German Riesling.
Figuring I needed to do some research for this column, I took my date to Fratelli on Blair Street for some fresh Italian on Wednesday last. After the previous day’s netball training, at Establishment on a notorious Ladies’ Night ($1 bubbles), I was in the mood for chilling out somewhere nice and quiet.
Fratelli welcomed us with open arms, fed us with olives, gnocchi and lamb, and watered us with rich Italian reds. My first was a Negroamaro from the heel of Italy, whose sweet fruit flavours were the perfect foil for warm herb marinated olives. Next, lamb loin with eggplant wrapped around bocconcini and wilted spinach had the gaminess to stand up well to a glass or two of Chianti.
Wine of the week: Further research unearthed a 25% winesale at Woolies. Umming and ahhing at the selection, I followed the example of a woman who appeared to know what she was doing when she bustled in and grabbed a bottle of Renzo Masi Chianti Rufina 2008 ($18). Thankfully, she had good taste. Chianti is made mostly from sangiovese grapes grown in Tuscany. Its bready aromas lie over a layer of fruit. Licorice dark berry flavours and fine-grained tannins caress the palate. Much nicer than the vinegary Chiantis I’ve bought on the cheap in the past.
