love

It's been a long time since we have done anything with Italian wines. Not that we don't love them. But we ran through all twenty regions of Italy (not literally) and reviewed at least one wine from each region with two exceptions. Then we moved on to French and German wines. There are scads of Italian wines to taste and review, but that's for an undefined later. We now review a very timely wine, a Vino Novello. Each year, starting in early November, Italy releases Vino Novello, to the delight of many, and to the eternal disappointment of many others. Will you be delighted or disappointed with the 2007 offering? After reading this article, rush to your favorite wine store and sample the wine. Whether you are delighted or not, you probably will have fun. Traditionalists consume roasted chestnuts and fresh figs with such wines.New wines are produced by a special method known as carbonic maceration in which whole grapes ferment in stainless steel tanks, often reaching a temperature of 25 to 30 degrees Centigrade (77 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit). This process continues for some 5 to 20 days, and may be followed by crushing the grapes, which then undergo traditional fermentation for a few days. The exact procedure varies from one winemaker to another, but the ensuing wine is virtually tannin free. The lack of tannins implies a short shelf life. While you don't have to drink the wine immediately, most people finish the season by Easter. According to the Italian winemakers, perhaps not the most impartial of groups, the 2007 harvest was the earliest and leanest wine harvest in thirty years. Is this yet another proof of global warming?