The australian flavour in europe

[Thomas]

Roberto, another great mouthful.

Wine history is filled with those little tidbits that make a large difference.

Southern Italy, along with North Africa, have been (since 1,000 BC) a place for major European wine producers to go for "help." The big, bold, ripe body available from wines in those regions is an obvious benefit to normally thin, often unripe northern European products. The best northern producers have been able to balance the two extremes and to produce elegant wines, which did not make an impact until the early Middle Ages, after the fall of Rome and the rise of northern European merchant classes.

To say that Italy produces inconsistent quality wine is to speak volumes of "canned" propaganda. Every country produces inconsistently; that is what vintage dating is all about.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 10-16-2000).]