The Vino Novello Wines will be released on Thursday. This is Italy's answer to Beaujolais Nouveau, new wine released right after bottling - but Beaujolais is only from Beaujolais and Vino Novello comes from wineries all over Italy. It is very popular in Italy. It is fresh and fruity and really fun wine, plus fairly inexpensive. If you see some at your wine shop give it a try!
I ordered some from Mionetto, a winery in the Veneto and will report after my first bottle.
Shannon, By 'released on Thursday' - does that mean that Vino Novello will be available *in* stores on Thursday? I have friends coming for dinner that night, and this wine would go great with the chicken dish I'm planning ...
Colleen in California
Posts: 14516 | Location: The Beautiful San Francisco Bay Area | Registered: 06 August 2001
quote:Originally posted by Colleen: By 'released on Thursday' - does that mean that Vino Novello will be available *in* stores on Thursday? I have friends coming for dinner that night, and this wine would go great with the chicken dish I'm planning ...
Colleen in California
Yes... it will be in the stores on Thursday. Colleen, in your area you could try Beltramos in Menlo Park... they should have some.
Shannon, thanks for the heads up on the wine, I have never tried this wine before so am really hopefull that I'll be able to find it in Vancouver. Any tips as to where, would be greatly appreciated!
Liz--the BC-LDB usually brings in a Novello or two along with the Nouveau, but you have to get there early, because there's never a whole lot! When I worked for Mark Anthony wines in Victoria we also had at least one Novello every year, and just a few cases of it--I don't know if the Vancouver Mark Anthony Group store is still around (in the plaza by the Safeway at King Edward and Oak St.), because I haven't worked for the company for a few years now, but you might want to check there!
If you call the LDB to ask, make sure to call the big store (is that still the one by Oakridge? I've been out of Vancouver for a while!) and ask to speak with the wine specialist rather than just talking to a customer service person... the big specialty liquor stores always have a knowledgeable "wine geek" on hand, but the smaller ones don't!
Good luck, Sonia
Posts: 131 | Location: Seattle, Washington | Registered: 28 February 2002
I went to a tasting week before last. Of the twelve on offer I liked Mezza Luna and another with a strange name. I will have to find out what it was and post it. Some were really hardly more than agrodolce water, frankly, and one was a wine that doesn't want to be novello but wants to grow up. The Tuscans were all bad. So were the Umbrians.
Posts: 2787 | Location: Umbria | Registered: 13 September 2001
My friend Lisa just got back from a week in Siena (a business trip, poor thing ) and said that 'the word' was that it's not a great year for Vino Novello in that area. Too much water this year...
Colleen in California
Posts: 14516 | Location: The Beautiful San Francisco Bay Area | Registered: 06 August 2001
quote:Originally posted by Colleen: My friend Lisa just got back from a week in Siena (a business trip, poor thing ) and said that 'the word' was that it's not a great year for Vino Novello in that area. Too much water this year...
Colleen in California
what a bummer! Duh, I didn't even think about how the bad vintage would affect Vino Novello.
I went to Beltramo's today and asked for it, but was told they won't be ready to be on the floor until Saturday. They had a few of the French beaujolais available, but I'm holding out for the Italian stuff!
Shannon, Have you tried your Mionetto yet?
Colleen in California
Posts: 14516 | Location: The Beautiful San Francisco Bay Area | Registered: 06 August 2001
FYI A lot of the new wine is made by adding something to it ( chemical) Dean help here.. but whatever, it is supposed to all be drunk by April. Doesn't keep. I think it is fun, but mostly a commercial product and I really don't know why Italy thinks it has to do everything France does.
November 10th is San Martino, and you are supposed to drink new wine, eat roast goose and chestnuts!
Judy Divina Cucina Florence Everyone should try being Italian at least once a day!!
Diva - I don't think they add anything chemical to the bottled Vino Novello - it is just made a different way, using carbonic maceration instead of using yeast. But I do remember drinking Vino Novello from the bulk wine shop, out of a barrel and thinking there was something else besides wine in there (mostly I thought it was sugar.)
Maybe the wine is not so popular outside of Venice - every bar in Venice seemed to have it, and not because they wanted to be like France but because they liked to serve it. Everyone certainly liked to drink it.
I am picking mine up tomorrow, will let you know how it is.
That is it... some producers add something to create the carbonic maceration!!! It is everywhere in Florence and everyone drinks it for awhile to celebrate, but it was never pushed as much as it is now and seems much more commercial ( in fact the quality has dropped I think as everyone is trying to make it) Here is a good article
Judy Divina Cucina Florence Everyone should try being Italian at least once a day!!
Today I picked up two different bottles to try - Mionetto and Tonon, both from the Veneto. They taste the same as last year... very light and fruity, and low alcohol too (11%) so you can, uh, drink more? I prefer the Tonon, it is a little richer. These are wines to drink with your buddies, don't cellar them, don't analyze them, just drink them. I just had some wheat thins and that was a perfect food match to go with the Tonon
Topic Closed
) and said that 'the word' was that it's not a great year for Vino Novello in that area. Too much water this year...
I went to Beltramo's today and asked for it, but was told they won't be ready to be on the floor until Saturday. They had a few of the French beaujolais available, but I'm holding out for the Italian stuff!
