Castello del Poggio Winery

• May 2012

  BTW, I just ran across something that illustrates what we (consumers as well as anyone in the business) were having to deal with back in those days, in this case regarding Italian wines in the US. Here are a couple of snapshots from an excellent blogpost by Alfonso Cevola on a... Read moreBTW, I just ran across something that illustrates what we (consumers as well as anyone in the business) were having to deal with back in those days, in this case regarding Italian wines in the US. Here are a couple of snapshots from an excellent blogpost by Alfonso Cevola on a history of Italian wine in America over the past 50 years.  Things were, of course, far worse in Asia at that time, though Japan was a slightly bright spot--forget about anywhere else, including Hong Kong and Singapore.Don't think this tangent is taking things too far in the wrong direction (but when I have I ever been afraid of tangents?). Greg, wanna talk about the history of Spanish wine in the US (or Hungarian or Argentine for that matter)?  1977 – I am living in Southern California, near Pasadena, and working in Hollywood at a restaurant on Melrose Avenue. Ours is more of a continental restaurant, but I get around to other places nearby on Melrose, Chianti and Emilio’s. In those days, there was Ruffino and Brolio for Chianti, Fazi Battaglia for Verdicchio, Fontana Candida for Frascati, and a few other wines. An Orvieto . Lambrusco, which was just not cool in those days.  Soave, Bardolino and Valpolicella from Bolla. Oh, and the Amarone from Bolla as well. An occasional Barolo from Bersano, maybe a Barbaresco from Calissano and of course Asti Spumante. That was about it, 35 years ago. Seriously. 1980 – I am living in Dallas and working at the Mother of all Italian restaurants in Dallas, Il Sorrento. All of the above wines were available and thanks to the insight of a local trailblazer, Tony La Barba, there was also available Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, which was kind of a stretch for most folks in those days. And the list branched into Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Barolo and Barbaresco vintages going back a few years. Bardolino in a 1.5 wicker basket was a big hit, as was Ruffino’s Rosatello, which was a light, fruity rose, the precursor of White Zinfandel. Also a big seller was Ruffino’s Del Magnifico, which was simply a vino da tavola, also a precursor, this time to the Toscana IGT, or in a smaller vein, a Super Tuscan. Biondi-Santi and Poggio alle Mura Brunello were available. Poggio alle Mura was eventually folded into the Castello Banfi Empire as the crown jewel of their Tuscan holdings. 1982 - Things started changing. I started seeing (and selling) Gaja, Giacomo Conterno, Vietti, Selvapiana, Illuminati, Barbi, Cavallotto, Girolamo Dorigo, Scavino, and Lisini. It was a great birthing, and as I was being born into the wine business, so was all of this wonderful Italian wine coming into America. And imagine, I was in Texas. New York was exploding. But Texas was holding its own.  I was selling stupid amounts of 1968 Sassicaia for $28 a bottle. ... 2011- Saw a year of double digit growth. Italy is the largest importer of wines into America. And while America is not the main market of Italian wine, it is a very large and growing one. But my Italian winemaking friends know Brasilia, Phonm Penh, Hong Kong, Berlin, Vancouver. Theirs is a world market, and they live in a global village. People like Roberto Bava, who travels the globe once or twice a year. It isn’t just America, but America is still very much on their minds in Italy. Which brings us to the present day. Anyone who complains about not being able to get an Italian (or any other) wine of their choice is either lazy, unimaginative or just plain silly. Go down the aisles of a local liquor store, and see the immense selection we have now that we didn’t have in 1977. I hear the complaints, and I have to take a deep breath. There are so many of us who have labored our whole career to get it to this point. And when we hear someone complain because they cannot get the Etna Rosso they want, I want to ask them, “Where were you in 1982 when we brought the stuff in and no one wanted it?” I have a million wine stories like that. And so these feeble complaints about the 3-tier system or the choke-hold the large distributors have on the process, or that free enterprise needs to be free and unfettered, they all sound like the collective tantrum that many Americans have gotten themselves into when it comes to choice.     (hide)

  Forum post in the topic A little Thank You

  
  

• May 2012

  How things have changed. When I first joined Snooth which has been quite a while now I was drinking mainly reds, usually Shiraz and Rioja and not much else.Now I find myself drinking a wide variety and really enjoying every minute. I think i have now become a real 'wine... Read moreHow things have changed. When I first joined Snooth which has been quite a while now I was drinking mainly reds, usually Shiraz and Rioja and not much else.Now I find myself drinking a wide variety and really enjoying every minute. I think i have now become a real 'wine lover', I can't get enough, not only drinking but talking and reading about it (have to get my daily fix here on Snooth). I go to as many tastings as I can and my wine rack is getting bigger and biggerBeing going through a Champagne, Prosseco and Riesling stage and more recently I've discovered  Manzanilla Sherry which I now love and get especially with my beloved Tapas. ( Big thanks to dmcker for introduction to Sherry)I now try anything and everything while not forgetting my real passion which is still Rioja and anything Spanish.Thanks Guys, I'ts true to say I think i'm hooked and long may it continueNow where's that corkscrew !     (hide)

  Forum post in the topic A little Thank You

  
  
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  April 2012

  Castello del Poggio Moscato d'Asti 2010

  Snoothrank: Starting at $11^.99

  No written review

  Wine review by luca chevalier

  
  
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  March 2012

  Piemonte Brachetto Dolce

  Snoothrank:

  No written review

  Wine review by LifeNavigator

  
  
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  March 2012

  Castello del Poggio Moscato d'Asti 2007

  Snoothrank:

  First tasted this wine at Olive Garden. Delicious. Be careful---it may be hard to stop drinking it!

  Wine review by sguz123

  
  
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  February 2012

  Castello del Poggio Moscato d'Asti 2007

  Snoothrank:

  No written review

  Wine review by kal3y

  
  
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  February 2012

  Castello del Poggio Moscato d'Asti 2007

  Snoothrank:

  No written review

  Wine review by RCPoet

  
  
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  February 2012

  Castello del Poggio Moscato d'Asti 2007

  Snoothrank:

  No written review

  Wine review by sguz123

  
  
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  February 2012

  Castello del Poggio Moscato d'Asti 2010

  Snoothrank:

  Wonderfully sweet bubbly white.

  Wine review by NanaDeb10

  
  

• February 2012

  It’s always interesting to take a look at the most searched wines here on ... Vineyards Syrah 2007Castello del Poggio Moscato d'Asti 2010 Melini Chianti Borghi d'Elsa 2010 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut Yellow Label NVLa Carraia Sangiovese Umbria... Read moreIt’s always interesting to take a look at the most searched wines here on ... Vineyards Syrah 2007Castello del Poggio Moscato d'Asti 2010 Melini Chianti Borghi d'Elsa 2010 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut Yellow Label NVLa Carraia Sangiovese Umbria 2009Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial NV Collection Napa Valley Chardonnay 2010 Echelon Syrah 2003 Barefoot Bubbly Extra Dry NV Bodegas Zabrin Garnacha de Fuego 2009Cortes de Cima Reserva 2003Beringer Red Moscato 2010Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin 2009Heidsieck Monopole Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Champagne Blue Top Brut NVViña Alarba Old Vine Garnacha 2008The Dreaming Tree Crush 2009 Smoking Loon Pinot Noir 2009 Sister's Run Barossa Valley Shiraz 2008 Diseno Malbec 2010Bogle Phantom 200    (hide)

  From the article The Most Searched Wines From January 15 to February 15, 2012

  
  

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