Nice Rosso Conero

[Innkeeper]

1998 Lanari, Rosso Conero D.O.C. ($15 Wine Expo). You may ask, what's a Rosso Conero. Well, it is a red wine from the Marches that is similar to a Rosso Piceno (which I like very much from certain producers), but has a higher percentage of montepulciano than sangiovese, of which both are composed. The Conero, thus, is a bigger (14%) and more tannic wine. The Lanari therefore matched very nicely with broiled Italian sausage with pasta and salad. Very fragrant with fruit and spice, very big and complex across the palate, with an appropriate finish. Very nice.

[Botafogo]

And,IK, I am here reporting live from VinItaly to tell you that this may be THE Next Big Zona in value for money. We visited about fifteen cantine and kept asking ourselves "With wines like these at these prices why would anyone give ANY money to the toscani?". The ones we will be bringing in this year will set new milestones in QPR....

PS, Enzo Mecella says howdy and, yes, we met up with Foodie (and if the two of us ever got together in one mission the world would never be safe for boring Merlot again!)

Roberto