What is your #1 Favorite Region?

WINE TALK
21

Devin, the Veneto (and by extension the Tre Venezia) is NOT obscure. They have VinItaly there for a reason: it has the highest production of DOC wines in Italy by a wide margin. Then you add in that Friuli and Alto Adige make 80% of the great white in Italy.

Net result is it’s like leaving Burgundy out of France as Bordeaux and Champagne are more famous and make more wine…

It’s not Craig’s fault, it’s the software’s fault that he can’t make a proper poll…

Devin, are Valpolicella, Amarone, Soave, Pinot Grigo and Prosecco “obscure” to you? They are a HUGE percentage of both Italian exports and American imports.


PS: What about South Africa? Oldest wine making zone outside of Europe and some great stuff.

22

[rofl.gif]

Well, if you ever happen to find yourself in/around Brussels, Europe, and are still broke (a bit of a contradiction in terms, I know :slight_smile: ), give me a call and I’ll be very happy to share both some great Prosecco and some great Champagne :slight_smile:

23

Got a question here, is this supposed to be for wines one DRINKS or for the region they like to VISIT or which region to them is most BEAUTIFUL? These can be very different and unique questions.

24

Devin, perusing through the 2011 Gambero Rosso guide I find:

Tre Bicchieri in the Tre Venezia 107

Tre Bicchieri in Toscana 69

Tre Bicchieri in Piemonte 81

25

#1 = Cote de Nuits
#2 = Piedmont (Nebbiolo)
#3 = Northern Rhone (Hermitage and Cote Rotie)
#4 = Cote de Beaune
#5 = Bordeaux
#6 = Brunello
#7 = Chateauneuf du Pape
#8 = Rioja

26

Roberto, I didn’t say Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone, Soave, Pinot Grigo and Prosecco are obscure. I disagreed that Veneto, etc. ‘kicks ass’ over Piedmont and Tuscany.

I get your point, but even still, these regions above do not warrant their own slot in a 20-option poll that represents all the regions in the wine world. Tuscany and Piedmont are Italy’s most acclaimed, popular and well known regions to most wine drinkers in the world.

I’m Italian and I love Italy and a lot of the the wine the country produces, but let’s take off the homer goggles and get realistic. If those options were on this poll, they wouldn’t be getting many votes.

And I must disagree, this is not even close to being the same as leaving out Burgundy from France.

27

This includes only the Veneto proper, not the entire Tre Venezia:

“Reaching 1.4 billion euros, wine exports are the calling card for the Veneto region. At 31% that means almost a third of all Italian wine distributed throughout the world comes from this region, which continues to distinguish itself for the quality of its products, as well as the dynamism of its 38,600 agricultural firms with vineyards stretching across a surface of 78,000 hectares, 63,000 of which are used directly in production.”


http://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.com/food-and-beverage-sector-news-on-gift/consultation-and-analysis-with-gift/veneto-wine-exports

28

So, I guess this poll reaffirms what we already knew. This is a Burg heavy board.

29

The regions are so different that in no way should they be grouped together. Trentino - Alto Adige maybe and I am not even sure about that one.

30

Roberto, I think you are missing my points:

  1. I disagree that Tre Venezia/Veneto produce higher quality wine than Tuscany/Piedmont.
  2. I disagree that in a 20-option poll (which encompasses that entire wine world) regions like Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone, Soave, Prosecco, etc. deserve their own slot.

That’s it. Let’s agree to disagree.

31

Gary, the government groups them together as one administrative area. Don’t ask me why but they do. Perhaps it is giving homage to the former Venetian Empire?

Devin, you also then disagree with just about every wine writer in Europe. See the Tre Bicchieri totals above for one data point. It’s a numbers game and there are just so MANY more producers that there are, in turn, more fab wines not just at the high end but at the middle and bottom where they crush Piemonte in particular on value for money, quality everyday drinkers.


A few producers in Campania, Abruzzo and Etna aside, can anyone tell me where else besides Soave, Friuli and Alto Adige that truly great WHITES are made in Italy?

32

Beaujolais is not really Burgundy.

33

My favorite region is Europe. Why is that not an option?

34

Except it’s in Burgundy.

35

Roberto, the poll isn’t for best qpr/value, it’s for #1 favorite region (yes I’m sure value plays a role in this, but so does quality and familiarity) and those regions you keep mentioning are not going to accumulate many votes, if any. As I said before, let’s agree to disagree. Good luck with the crusade [cheers.gif]

36

Different grape. Different wine. I don’t equate Washington Syrah and Merlot.

37

It’s good to see only 30% of the members have fallen for the Burgundy trap!! neener hitsfan

38

Yes, but favorite region for WHAT? To drink? To visit? Where the winemakers are your best friends? Where you buy the most from? Vague wording…

39

Burgundy isn’t a grape; it’s region. This is a stupid argument. Burgundy encompasses Beaujolais. That isn’t debatable.

40

Kyle, neither is the predominance of the Tre Venezia in Italian wine production, exports and overall number (both in labels and liters) of fine wines but this thread isn’t about facts, it’s about preferences.