A Report from Italy

So, Italian wines and American wines. There are many differences just like comparing any other wine growing region to another. Many can be attributed to the differences in terrior and climate and of course the Italians have their own grape varietals, many not grown in the U.S. But the most striking differences between Italian (and for that matter French wines) and American wines are in the making of the wines, specifically in the aging and the capability for the wines to age.

In Tuscany where we spent two weeks they grow almost exclusively Sangiovese a red grape varietal. Sangiovese is not grown in Oregon as it requires a longer hotter growing season then mother nature provides here but it is easy to find in California and has always been one of my favorite grapes. Brunello (the little dark one) is a strain of Sangiovese and is synonymous with Sangiovese. The process from picking the grape, making the wine, getting it in to the bottle and having it available for consumption takes a minimum of five years, six years for the Reserva! When we visited the many tasting rooms or visited the numerous wine shops the youngest Brunello available was the 2003 vintage. This year was mixed in with many bottles from 2000, 2001, 2002, and some even dating back to the late nineties. Italian wines are made in a style that begs to be aged and can lay down for five to ten years before they are at their peak. Even their Super Tuscans are aged a minimum of 3 years!

American wine makers make wine for the American palate and the American culture. Our society is a much faster paced, want it all now, immediate gratification society and this is reflected in the aging style of our wines. Just compare
the Italian 2 hour sit down lunches including a glass or two of wine with our 30 minute drive-through fast food lunches washed down with a diet coke - often as we are driving down the road on our way to run an errand before we must get back to work! Most of our wines are made with the emphasis on a fruit forward, easily accessible, ready to drink now style. Aging is minimal before our wines are available for sale and this is what the American wine consumer wants. The average time in America from buying a bottle of wine to consuming it is 40 minutes!

It has been one week since my return from Italy and I am still basking in the beauty of the country and the beauty of their wines. For me the great thing about travel to another country is the exploration of and the assimilation into another culture. I love the food, the history, the wine (I do not travel to places that do not have great wine) and the land. And I always come home with a renewed appreciation for my own culture and our food and wine. I have to say as much as I love Italy and their amazing Brunellos and appreciate their wine making style we have a little piece of wine paradise right here in The Umpqua Valley. And I wouldn’t trade our wine paradise or our wines for all the aged Brunello in Italy!