When ciao becomes buongiorno
Blame it on a glass of Chianti.
Many moons ago and on a different continent, I tasted my first glass of Chianti wine and at first, we just greeted each other with ciao! Many moons later and on this continent, Chianti and I have become good friends and now we say buongiorno to each other. Perhaps an explanation is required…
While in the Navy, I tasted my first real Chianti in Germany and enjoyed its casualness. It was easy to drink, had a light cherry aroma and was pleasing. That Chianti and I had just met and Italians greet a new acquaintance with ciao — meaning an informal hi — and so, at the time, ciao was proper.
As time marched on, I not only got better acquainted with Chianti but also with the other amazing wine offerings from that boot shaped country called Italy. Currently, instead of us greeting each other with ciao, we now use the more formal greeting of buongiorno — meaning good day/morning. The wines and myself have become old pals and although I’ve become less interesting, Italian wines have become better and more intriguing.
Italy is divided into many wine regions but the six top wine regions are: Veneto, Abruzzo, Tuscany, Piedmont, Lombardy and Sicily. However, don’t think these are the only six regions from which to choose a classic Italian wine — the country is literally covered with vineyards — many of them having a storied history going back to Roman days.
And it’s not only the abundance of Italian grapes that’s of interest but the wines produced from these grapes cover the taste spectrum — from sweet whites to dry whites, from sweet reds to dry reds and of course, there are the blends that straddle the middle of the tasting path. At first taste, they greet you with ciao! After a couple of glasses, you greet each other with buongiorno — that’s how fast these wines become your friends.
What does each of the six big wine regions have to offer? Well, let’s see…
Residing in northeastern Italy, Veneto produces one of my favorite white wines — Soave and one of my most liked red wines — Valpolicella (I love the way that name rolls off my tongue). Soave wines are light flowery wines with a loads of aromatics and are perfect with a light pasta dish. Valpolicella wines are full of fruit flavors and gives you hints of red fruit jam topped off with vanilla.
Abruzzo is located in the central part of Italy and grows Montepulciano grapes that produce Montepulciano d’Abruzzo — a red wine noted for its powerful red fruit tastes and its finish that is flooded with vanilla and cinnamon. If it was good enough for the Romans, it’s good enough for me!
Tuscany is often called the wine lover’s paradise because of the regions rolling hills and quaint villages. Sangiovese grapes are widely grown here and many of these grapes end up in good old Chianti bottles — the dark red savory wine that’s full of cherry tastes. Easy to drink, delicious and affordable it doesn’t get much better than Tuscan wines.
Tuscany’s chief rival is Piedmont. Located at the foot of the Alps, it’s often considered a near cousin to France’s Burgundy region and it’s famous for growing the Nebbiolo grape that turns into two magnificent reds known as Barolo and Barbaresco. These deep, deep red wines are heavily structured but yet nuanced enough to catch your attention — which makes you want to try another glass just to believe the variety of tastes and aromas you’ve just experienced. These reds go from ciao to buongiorno in less than a bottle.
And if you’re in the spirit for a sparkling wine, Lombardy is your destination. It’s one of the largest Italian wine producing regions but only makes two wines: Franciacorta and Lambrusco. If you’re looking for some good toasting wines, look no further.
Take a little boat ride and you’ve landed on the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea — Sicily. Two wines of note that come from the island are Nero d’Avola and Syrah. The Nero d’Avola is a deeply complex wine, has notes of black cherries and ends with a smooth finish. The island’s Syrah is comparable to the Syrah made in southern France and that should tell us how good it is.
Italy is loaded with excellent wines and is always in the top three wine producing countries in the world. However, it’s not just quantity but the quality of Italian wines that make them so appealing. It takes no time at all to go from ciao to buongiorno — from being a newcomer to being a trusted and known friend.
Next week, let’s take a tour closer to home.
As always, eat and drink in moderation but laugh with reckless abandon!
Cheers!
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