While other Christian families throughout the world celebrate the Christmas Eve meal with various meats, for Italian families, the dinner is all about the fish – seven fishes to be exact. The Feast of the Seven Fishes (festa dei sette pesci) is a celebration and commemoration of the wait for the midnight birth of the baby Jesus, and it is one of Italy’s most famous traditions. In Italian, the meal is known as La Vigilia (the vigil) or Vigilia di Natale.
Apparently, The “Feast of the Seven Fishes” started in  southern Italy and/or the island of Sicily, where the tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates from the Roman Catholic tradition of abstinence—in this case, refraining from the consumption of meat or milk products—on Fridays and specific holy days like Christmas Eve. As no meat or butter could be used, observant Catholics would eat fish, typically fried in oil.
For many Italians, and those of Italian descent, the delight of gathering around a bountiful, beautifully laid table, the thrill of indulging in unforgettable regional dishes, and the convivial holiday atmosphere are enough to inspire anyone who loves a celebration or a good feast.
Although the dinner is traditionally celebrated with seven types of fish and seafood,  there may be eight, or even thirteen specific fishes that are considered traditional.
No one is certain about the significance for servng seven fishes, and I found several explanations for the significance of 7. In many societies the number 7 is a Magic Number and is considered a number for perfection. The theory being that the traditional Biblical number for divinity is three, and for Earth is four, and the combination of these numbers, seven, represents God on Earth, or Jesus Christ. Another explanation states it took God seven days to create the world, hence seven fishes. Some Romans claim it represented the Seven Hills of Rome. Then there was the theory that the seven fishes symbolize the seven sacraments in the Catholic Church, along with the seven sins.  Whatever the true explanation, the basic number is always seven and that remains the starting point.
For La Vigilia, there are no requirements as to which types of fish are served. In Italy, eel is regarded as a delicacy and is often, along with  capon and turkey, the few non-fishes on the table.
Popular fishes that are eaten on this special holiday are prepared versions of calamari, oysters, scallops, whiting, smelts, squid, conch, mussels, anchovies, sardines, clams, and shrimp. The most famous dish is southern Italy’s Baccalà (salted cod fish). The meal usually begins with antipasto, the Italian equivalent of hors d´oeuvres. This can include a variety of cold foods such as cheeses and raw or marinated vegetables, baked or fried kale patties, baked goods, and homemade wine.
In southern towns  La Vigilia Napoletana celebrations include “drowned broccoli rabe” (also known as Christmas Broccoli), a choice of vermicelli with either garlic and olive oil, anchovies, or clams, roasted or fried eel, followed by other fish dishes of your choosing, and a caponata di pesce (fish salad) to wrap up the dinner portion of the meal. Of course that doesn’t mean lobsters, crawfish, tuna, snapper, sea trout, salmon, aren’t included — it depends on family tradition. Somehow, capon and turkey (my family’s traditional Christmas bird) is included on the menu—chicken of the sea?—probably for the non-fish eating members of the family.
Traditional sweets (i dolci) are also important items for the Menù di Natale (Christmas menu) in Italy. These desserts include: struffoli (Neapolitan honey pastry); cenci (fried pastry ribbons sprinkled with powered sugar); dried figs, candied almonds, chestnuts, and marzipan fruits and vegetables.
Okay enough about the food, what about the wine? With all these dishes what wines do you serve?
Well, everyone knows Italian pinot grigio and Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio is a delicious place to start. This light yellow almost sandy-colored wine has the typical intense nose of pear and candied fruit. Extended lees ageing gives softness and roundness to the fresh palate. The noticable acid and phenolic finish provide impeccable balance and plenty of character emphasizing the dry, full-bodied taste and round finish. Tiefenbrunner makes a good companion to appetizers, asparagus, kale, seafood, poultry, pork or veal.
Want something different? Try Terredora Dipaolo Greco Di Tufo. This white from Campania has an interesting nose, offering ripe citrus fruits and hints of apricot, apple, and peach with a light, spicy mineral edge. It is full-bodied, soft,with balanced acidity carrying the fruity flavors through to a long, intense finish.  It is ideal with hors d’oeuvres, shellfish, grilled fish dishes, salmon and tuna, buffalo mozzarella, chicken and cold meat.
For a delightful blend of four Italian varietals: 50% Grechetto, 30% Procanico, 10% Verdello and 10% Canaiolo bianco, try Ruffino Orvieto Classico. This straw-colored white wine is fresh, crisp, and delicately fragrant with flowery notes of meadow and clover accompanied by fruity hints of green apples and a slightly nutty aroma. It is dry, crisp, and fresh, with earthy flavors and a suggestion of pear, fading to a crisp and balanced finish. Orvieto is excellent for antipasti, soups, flounder carpaccio, scallops,  seafood, and white meats. Serve it chilled rather than ice cold, to allow its subtle flavors to blossom.
Another classic is Fazi Battaglia Verdicchio Dei Castelli di Jesi Classico. The funny-shaped bottle was created  in 1953 for Fazi Battaglia by the architect Angonio Maiocchi. This Verdicchio is a bright medium-straw color with brisk scents of Granny Smith apples, nearly ripe pears and hazelnuts with a few petroleum aromas reminiscent of German Riesling. The freshness carries over to the palate–with excellent acidity to match up with a pasta sauce, spinach, lemon and garlic. Perfect for stuffed calamari in tomato sauce, deep fried calamari, linguine with clam or lobster sauce, cod fish balls in tomato sauce or kale patties.
Soave Wine is one of Italy’s old time favorites, and Si Soave Italia 2008 should become a classic tradition. Lively, fresh, and smooth, this is ideal for nearly any occasion. Similar in style to a Pinot Grigio, Soave has less of an acidic kick and comes off smoother with flavors of apple, citrus and tropical fruit.  Made mostly with Garganega and rounded out with some Trebbiano, Si Soave is ideal for Octopus or Scungilli salads, salmon and tuna dishes. Drink liberally with an arrugula salad, Italian salumi or even a thin crust margarita pizza!

For oysters and oyster shooters, I heartily recommend my all-time favorite, Domaine du Baumard Clos du Papillion Savennieres. Yes, it is French from the Loire but—the beautiful minerality and citrusy flavors make it deliciously delectable with shellfish. It is a little pricey, but for shellfish and crustaeceans, it’s well worth the price.

Okay, you’re not a white wine drinker, what sort of reds will work with this feast?

My all-time goes-with-everything Italian red is Cantele Salice Salentino Reserva. This red wine is from Puglia, in Southern Italy, and is a blend of 85% Negroamaro and 15% Malvasia Nera. The color is ruby red with dark glints of garnet. This wine is medium-bodied withbeautiful aromas of dark cherries, black tea and spice. This luscious wine explodes with fresh acidity that is keenly balanced by well-developed tannins and flavors of fresh dark berries and caramelized plums and hints of cedar. This wine pairs well with any aged cheese or any dish with tomato sauce, eggplant, kale, spicy peppers and capers! Perfect for pasta and meat sauce, as well as a goat stew and any red meat dish. This red is ready to drink immediately or will keep for 3-4 years It is an excellent quality “spaghetti wine”!

For something a little more classic, Rocca delle Macie’s Chianti Classico fits the bill.  This bright ruby-red Chianti is a blend of  blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo and 5% Merlot. There are mature cherry and berry fruit aromas. The flavors are rich and well-balanced with ripe berry fruit. This red is a perfect compliment to a wide range of entrées including beef, chicken, drowned broccoli, kale, eggplant, and pasta in flavorful sauces.

Another Italian favorite is Zenato Valpolicella Classico.  A blend of 80% Corvina, 10% Rondinella and 10% Sangiovese from the Valpolicella Classico area, this ruby-red wine delivers super clean aromas and flavors of blackberry, with a hint of licorice. This red is medium-bodied with a crisp palate and a fresh, fruity finish. It’s dry and robust on the palate with an excellent, velvety texture, offering fleshy aromas of wild berries, currant, black cherry and spice, framed by intriguing hints of chocolate. A perfect wine to pair with stuffed calamari in tomato sauce, stuffed-baked lobsters, deep fried fish/shrimp/scallops, linguine with clam or lobster sauce.

Here’s a hint to try for the salty Baccalà and anchovies that you may not have tried before: Fino sherry. It is a beautiful combination.

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is a tradition that has existed since ancient times, and one which will surely continue. Life changes, but for Italian people throughout the world, this is one tradition whose religious and cultural significance outweighs everything else. Have a merrry!!!

Nonostante i prezzi del petrolio abbiano registrato un aumento significativo soprattutto negli ultimi mesi, con conseguente ripresa degli investimenti, si prevede che purtroppo il nostro mercato resterà debole per la prima parte del prossimo anno. Su orizzonti temporali più a medio termine si prevede invece un mercato in crescita sensibile, sia a livello up stream sia a livello mid stream con la realizzazione di molti jumbo projects, ai quali il nostro Gruppo è stato invitato a partecipare.

Il Consiglio di Amministrazione di Socotherm S.p.A., Società quotata alla Borsa Italiana (SCTM.MI) ed uno dei principali operatori mondiali nel rivestimento protettivo di tubazioni per l’estrazione ed il trasporto di petrolio, gas e acqua, ha esaminato il resoconto intermedio consolidato del terzo trimestre chiuso al 30 settembre 2009 non assoggettato a revisione contabile. Lo si legge in una nota.

I Ricavi del Gruppo nei primi nove mesi del 2009 si assestano a 113, con un’EBITDAR di Euro 15 Mln, con un’incidenza sui ricavi del 13% e con un Margine operativo lordo di oltre Euro 10 Mln.

Per quanto riguarda il terzo trimestre 2009, i Ricavi Consolidati si assestano a Euro 28,6 Mln con un’ EBITDAR di Euro 2,5 Mln con un’ incidenza sui ricavi del 8,6% e con un Margine operativo lordo di Euro 1,4 Mln con un’incidenza del 4,8% sui ricavi.

Il risultato gestionale del periodo dimostra l’inversione di tendenza positiva rispetto all’esercizio 2008 e alla prima parte dell’anno, inversione che dovrebbe continuare anche nel IV trimestre.

L’Indebitamento netto consolidato (compreso il prestito obbligazionario convertibile) al 30 settembre 2009 si è assestato 234,5 Mln di Euro, in diminuzione rispetto ai 273,8 Mln di Euro di inizio esercizio.

La domanda e prezzi deboli del petrolio e accesso al credito più difficile avevano determinato a fine 2008 un rallentamento degli investimenti delle Compagnie Petrolifere e conseguentemente un deterioramento del mercato per l’Oil Services Industry.

Nessun incontro in data odierna presso l’assessorato all’industria della regione Sicilia.
Il dott. Marco Venturi, capo del Dipartimento dell’Industria, delle Miniere e dell’Energia del governo Lombardo, ha assicurato la disponibilità di Socotherm a incontrare i rappresentanti sindacali di Filcem-Cgil- Femca-Cisl e Uilcem-Uil, assieme alle confederazioni d’appartenenza, nei primi giorni di Dicembre.

Nessuna cessione dello stabilimento di Pozzallo, nessuna svendita di attrezzature, macchinari e impianti. Socotherm avrà l’opportunità di confermare a quel tavolo la decisione e la volontà di proseguire col vecchio progetto industriale per la Marine Base di Pozzallo, che vuole adesso e per tempi ben definiti uno stabilimento “congelato” con lavoratori in stand by, ovvero occupati in cassa integrazione e dunque in forza all’azienda, in attesa di congiunture societarie più opportune e momenti economici sicuramente migliori, afferma Giuseppe Scarpata, Uilcem Ragusa.

Intanto l’iter di messa in mobilità per i 16 dipendenti di Pozzallo procede non senza inciampi. Socotherm spa, malgrado le reiterate richieste d’incontro, non è stata ancora convocata dall’Ufficio Provinciale del Lavoro per l’espletamento della procedura. Un futuro tutto ancora da scrivere quello dei 16 lavoratori pozzallesi che sperano in un intervento concreto del governo siciliano.

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]]> http://uilcemragusa.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/socotherm-confindustria-ragusa-appare-disinteressata/ Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:28:06 +0000 uilcemragusa http://uilcemragusa.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/socotherm-confindustria-ragusa-appare-disinteressata/

“E’ l’ora del confronto vero e delle risposte puntuali, Socotherm non può continuare a nascondersi per sempre”. Forti di queste posizioni le organizzazioni sindacali di categoria, Femca Cisl, Filcem Cgil, Uilcem Uil, assistite dai segretari generali confederali, si sono presentate, all’incontro coi lavoratori della Socotherm s.p.a. stabilimento di Pozzallo, a Ragusa, sala conferenze Cisl. Presente anche il deputato regionale Roberto Ammatuna. Secondo il sindacato, “è necessario aprire un confronto vero con la proprietà Socotherm, che non si fermi alle parole o alle discutibilissime e mal sopportate minacce di liquidazione e licenziamento collettivo delle maestranze di Pozzallo, ma si traduca in scelte e decisioni, per evitare di imporre ai lavoratori ulteriori disagi che non sarebbero assolutamente sostenibili”. È dello stesso tono l’intervento dell’Onorevole Ammatuna che ha evidenziato la necessità di fare sintesi, in questo delicatissimo momento, e di procedere sulla via della totale concordanza d’idee e d’azione tra politica e sindacato. “Sollecitare l’incontro in Prefettura, coinvolgere da subito l’assessorato al lavoro e il ministero delle attività produttive. I tempi della politica sono terribilmente lunghi, conclude Ammatuna, e chi subisce un licenziamento non può concedersi il lusso d’aspettare”. I 16 lavoratori della Socotherm il 6 di dicembre saranno inderogabilmente in mobilità, licenziati a tempo indeterminato, se non s’interviene in tempo. Il sindacato e la deputazione Nazionale e Regionale stanno facendo tutto il possibile perché ciò non accada.

Sul banco degli imputati sale a pieno titolo anche Confindustria Ragusa, per aver prestato il fianco a una facile politica di dismissioni e di chiusure, per aver gestito male la vicenda dello stabilimento pozzallese, assumendo un ruolo marginale e disinteressato nella trattativa con gli imprenditori veneti. L’associazione datoriale non ha mosso un dito per la difesa del territorio ragusano, sostiene il sindacato, e non ha chiamato Socotherm al rispetto degli accordi presi, nell’ottica di precise e corrette relazioni industriali. Socotherm prende a pesci in faccia lavoratori e sindacato, liquidando le azioni di rappresentanza e di tutela delle maestranze di Pozzallo come semplice e puro “marketing sindacale”. Parole forti quelle pronunciate dall’amministratore con delega Socotherm nei confronti della classe sindacale ragusana.

“Battelli si cimenta in gare di canto provocatorio dal tono basso e indistinto -sostiene Giuseppe Scarpata, segretario generale della Uilcem Uil- è la prepotenza tipica del piccolo artigiano in affanno, che di grande imprenditoria multinazionale e di corrette relazioni sindacali sa ben poco”.

Uno scambio di battute a distanza tra azienda e sindacato in una vicenda che pare non trovare sbocchi. Bloccare la procedura di mobilità e incalzare la Prefettura e la Regione per avere Socotherm al tavolo delle trattative. Cgil, Cisl e Uil tirano così le somme all’assemblea dei lavoratori dello stabilimento chimico della famiglia Soave con la deputazione Iblea. L’annuncio dell’incontro della delegazione politico e sindacale ragusana con il Presidente Lombardo, fissato per oggi a Catania -che anticipa di tre giorni l’appuntamento con l’assessore all’industria Venturi, convenuto per Mercoledì 25 Novembre- è l’unica buona notizia della serata, quella che chiude il cerchio al primo degli interventi indispensabili e praticabili per tenere in vita la speranza dei 16 lavoratori pozzallesi.

Intanto, il presidente della Regione siciliana, Raffaele Lombardo, ha incontrato, sabato pomeriggio, una delegazione della provincia di Ragusa composta dai segretari generali di Cgil, Cisl, Uil, i parlamentari Ammatuna, Ragusa e Minardo, il sindaco di Pozzallo, il segretario ibleo Uilcem, Giuseppe Scarpata, ed un gruppo di lavoratori della ”Socotherm”. Al centro della riunione la grave situazione occupazionale della fabbrica, sita presso la zona industriale di Modica/Pozzallo, costruita utilizzando anche un cospicuo finanziamento di fondi europei. L’impresa ha ”congelato” gli impianti ed e’ arrivata alla decisione di porre in mobilita’ i dipendenti. Lombardo, su richiesta della delegazione ragusana, ha assunto l’impegno di intervenire sul ministro delle Attivita’ produttive e di accertare le dimensioni del finanziamento e le condizioni di concessione dell’area da parte dell’Asi di Ragusa.

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Ragusa – Hanno espresso preoccupazione i segretari provinciali di FEMCA Cisl, FILCEM Cgil e UILCEM Uil, Vito Polizzi, Piero Noto e Peppe Scarpata, in merito all’affaire Socotherm, che ha avviato, secondo i rappresentanti sindacali, in modo unilaterale, una procedura di mobilità per le unità lavorative inserite nel sito di Pozzallo.

Socotherm -in una nota inviata alla Amministrazione Provinciale, a Unindustria Ragusa, alle Segreterie Confederali e di Categoria- precisa che non ci sono le condizioni, ad oggi, per un accordo sindacale che consenta l’utilizzo di strumenti di ammortizzazione sociale non espulsivi rispetto agli equilibri aziendali, che tradotto dal burocratese vuol dire, cessazione attività lavorativa nella Marine Base di Pozzallo e licenziamento dei lavoratori.

«E’ stata una decisione unilaterale da parte di Socotherm, notificata alla fine della scorsa settimana. – ha sottolineato Scarpata della UILCEM – Al tavolo di giorno 14 Ottobre, presente Confindustria Ragusa e i tre Confederali, l’amministratore con delega, Battelli, aveva riaperto le porte della speranza per i nostri 16 lavoratori di Pozzallo, con il preciso impegno di chiedere alla proprietà un’alternativa al licenziamento. Così non è stato, Socotherm non rispetta i patti e continua a marciare in maniera unidirezionale verso la chiusura definitiva dello stabilimento di Pozzallo».

FEMCA Cisl, FILCEM Cgil e UILCEM Uil contestano tale provvedimento sostenendo che le condizioni per tenere ancora in vita le speranze delle maestranze di Pozzallo ci sarebbero tutte, ma non c’è volontà da parte di Socotherm al dialogo, questa è l’unica nota certa. L’impossibilità di un accordo per la salvaguardia dei livelli occupazionali -così come era stato disposto e garantito il 14 Ottobre presso l’Unione Industriale di Ragusa- si è rivelata una mossa spregiudicata di Socotherm che desta seria e profonda preoccupazione. Un regalo che il Sindacato ragusano non si aspettava.

«L’attivazione della fase istruttoria della procedura di Mobilità presso l’Amministrazione Provinciale, come da normativa L.223/91, ha come unico risultato – prosegue Scarpata- quello di privare i lavoratori della Socotherm del salario minimo di sostentamento che la Cassa Integrazione  aveva garantito fino al 30 Ottobre. Dal primo di Novembre le risorse di Pozzallo non percepiranno alcun reddito fino a quando, e passeranno mesi, l’iter procedurale non avrà percorso tutte le tappe a bordo della lentissima macchina burocratica italiana. Vogliamo capire bene quali sono le intenzioni dell’azienda – aggiunge Vito Polizzi della FEMCA Cisl – e non esiteremo a coinvolgere le istituzioni a tutti i livelli. A Ragusa viviamo in un contesto industriale critico e sempre più incerto non possiamo permetterci il lusso dell’ulteriore perdita di 16 posti di lavoro».

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la Joint Venture che piace a Soave

Pozzallo – «Il piano di ristrutturazione procede e stiamo ottenendo importanti risultati. Le prospettive industriali sono positive e siamo ancora alla ricerca di possibili partner disposti a portare finanza ed eventualmente contributi industriali», ha dichiarato all’Apcom Cristiano Battelli, responsabile della ristruttazione del gruppo Socotherm. Saipem, il grande contractor dell’ industria petrolifera avrebbe messo sotto osservazione la Socotherm spa. La società del gruppo Eni sarebbe interessata ad una joint venture col gruppo Soave, motivata dal timore che Socotherm possa finire nelle mani di un grande competitor di Saipem. Possibile interesse anche di Riveco Generalsider s.p.a, competitor di Socotherm nella produzione di pipeline offshore, all’acquisizione dello stabilimento di Pozzallo.  Ma Socotherm, in Italia, non vende pezzi della propria industria. A parlare è Giuseppe Scarpata, neo segretario Uilcem Ragusa.

L’ esito dei due progetti è legato a doppio filo a due passaggi delicati. Primo, che la Socotherm, tra i leader mondiali nel rivestimento di tubazioni per l’ oil&gas, ottenga dal tribunale di Vicenza l’ ok al concordato preventivo richiesto a luglio (il via libera al concordato è stato dato il 15 ottobre, rimane da nominare il commissario ad acta). Secondo, che l’ assemblea dei creditori (soprattutto banche che vantano crediti per circa 200 milioni) convocata per il 28 gennaio 2010 per esaminare la proposta di concordato che stabilirà modalità, tempi e ammontare dei rimborsi dei crediti, accetti la proposta di ristrutturazione del debito con rimodulazioni e stralci.

«Il piano di ristrutturazione procede e stiamo ottenendo importanti risultati. Le prospettive industriali sono positive e siamo ancora alla ricerca di possibili partner disposti a portare finanza ed eventualmente contributi industriali», ha dichiarato all’Apcom Cristiano Battelli, responsabile della ristruttazione del gruppo Socotherm.

Saipem e Riveco Generalsider s.p.a. stanno alla finestra in attesa che la situazione si chiarisca e si delinei un possibile intervento.

Intanto Socotherm a  Pozzallo, dopo due anni di attività,  stoppa le produzioni, avvia la procedura di mobilità per i 16 dipendenti, chiude i battenti, saluta il territorio e prende il largo, va via. La multinazionale quotata in borsa ma con fortissime difficoltà finanziarie non ha commesse per Pozzallo e preferisce mantenere in marcia lo stabilimento di Adria.

“Socotherm non è in grado di far fronte ai debiti di cassa, ha messo in vendita pezzi della sua industria all’estero, riorganizza Adria -che passa da 230 unità lavorative a 119- e chiude Pozzallo -spiega Giuseppe Scarpata, segretario Uilcem Ragusa-. Questa è la triste realtà di Socotherm,  dove la sommatoria quasi aritmetica di strategie fallite e avventate -un piano industriale annunciato e mai messo in campo, una rinuncia al finanziamento pubblico di 15 Ml di euro di cui 2/3 a fondo perduto (Socotherm ha usufruito solo dei 6.6 ML iniziali per lo start up delle produzioni), uno stabilimento che nasce per grandi commesse ma che di fatto produce solo debiti, una plusvalenza di manodopera assunta per ordinativi in assegnazione e mai andati in produzione- ha generato una falla nel conto economico dello stabilimento pozzallese che difficilmente potrà essere risanata.”

“La ristrutturazione finanziaria del gruppo è tuttavia in corso -280 Ml di debiti da saldare, di cui 200 contratti solo in Italia- ardua da gestire e dalle evoluzioni incontrollabili. Per Pozzallo, all’orizzonte delle scelte aziendali, è cessione dell’attività lavorativa e basta. La presentazione del piano di mobilità per i 16 dipendenti uccide le speranze dei lavoratori e scrive la parola fine al sogno industriale di Socotherm in Provincia di Ragusa.

Occorre tenere in qualche modo legati i lavoratori all’azienda, congelarli in mobilità non ha senso, magari aggiornando il periodo di Cassa integrazione, in attesa di altri eventi, o meglio, altri acquirenti. Questo abbiamo chiesto a Socotherm alla presenza di Confindustria Ragusa, questa è l’unica via percorribile tracciata dal sindacato”.

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]]> http://chirurgiagrafica.wordpress.com/2009/10/10/soave/ Sat, 10 Oct 2009 13:57:16 +0000 Chirurgo Grafico http://chirurgiagrafica.wordpress.com/2009/10/10/soave/

Foto originale: http://janejayne.deviantart.com/art/rehashed-old-stock-139791286

Sundays in Bangkok is usually fish day. There are many beautiful fish for sale in the markets. So for lunch we select a fish and a white wine. Often I choose to have a Riesling with the food. This time we went “Italian” and bought two bottles of white wine, one on the cheap side, the other a bit dearer. The former was a ‘2007 Montecelli Soave Classico’ from Piave in the Veneto, the latter a ‘2008 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio’ from the Trentino, in Alto-Adige, Italy.

2007 Montecelli Soave Classico

2008 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio

The Soave might costs about 3-4 Euro in Europe (or less). If I would buy the Pinot Grigio in the US I would have to pay 25 to 28 US$ for the bottle. In Thai Bath I paid about 500 for the Soave and about 1,000 for the Pinot, which corresponds roughly to 10 and 20 Euro respectively. We liked both wines. The Soave is a bit edgy and had a salty/oily after taste. The Pinot Grigio from Santa Margherita is just great, light bodied, spritzy with crisp acidity and a light lemon-citrus flavour.

Fried potatoes, zucchini and onions

Red snapper in caper and olive marinade

The food was simple. Red snapper is a beautiful fish which I like very much. The recipe is from the Philosopher’s Kitchen by Francine Segan. I have written about this fabulous cooking book in earlier entries of my blog.

I just love lunches like this one. We all relax, enjoy the food and the company. This was the first time we moved away from the dry Riesling-fish pairing and moved tp the Italian whites. We will repeat this, for sure.
And as Epicurus said: “Pleasure is the beginning and end of living happily”.

I have wanted to go to Venice since forever. I loved it in that way you love a place you’ve never been to or a person you’ve never met – superficially, yet unconditionally. It should come at no surprise that when the details skeleton of our trip was coming together and I realized that getting to the eastern coast of Italy would be an integral part and that Venice could be reached via a $44 train ride from Geneva, it was immediately added to the plans.

I spent days trying to get Priceline to accept our bid of a price too low to mention without being embarrassed. After much rejection, we decided on a four star hotel with beautiful photos at, what we thought, was a rate we could deal with. I read and read about Venice, but realized that, while there were sites to see, I really just wanted to be there.

Despite getting only thirty minutes of sleep the night before, the closer we got to Venice, the more anticipation would not let me sleep. I was eager to get off the train when we finally arrived at Venice – Santa Lucia train station around 2pm. I had already google mapped directions between the train station and our hotel back when I had internet so that we could find it and start the day.

We walked out of the train station and into a very crowded, very hot city. We quickly sought refuge. Luckily, our hotel, Boscolo Bellini, was less than a block from the train station. We would later see tourists struggling with their luggage on the vaporetti and over the bridges. Each time, we were happy that we stayed so near to the station.

After putting our luggage down and realizing that our hotel did not have internet, we walked down the street to Hotel Principe to sit at their bar, order local wine and use their free internet to book what we had not been able to the night before. We sat near the Grand Canal, a green-tinted version of any dirty city river you’ve ever seen, and could still hear and see the hoards of tourists on Ponte dei Scalzi, but I was completely enthralled – with Venice and my glass of Soave.

We went from our makeshift internet bar to dinner almost straight after putting our laptops back in our room. JC’s guidebook warned of tourist-trap restaurants with multilingual menus and, at best, mediocre food, so we implemented the “three language rule.” If a menu had three or more languages, we would not dine there. For the record, it was not easy to find. We need we had to get away from any major waterways if we were going to find a restaurant we’d want to eat in. So we literally got lost , turning down anything that looked like an alley. After about an hour, just as JC was about to throw in the towel, we came to Campo Widmann and found Ostaria Boccadoro, a cute restaurant with outdoor tables, dim lighting and a menu in Italian. We ordered the three course daily menu and a bottle of Soave, both to share. Truth be told, I also ordered an extra first course, and was pleasantly surprised that the daily menu had enough food for the both of us. It wasn’t cheap, but the traditionally Venetian seafood and pasta, the regional wine, and the plate of Italian cheeses for dessert was delicious. This was, I thought, the true Venetian experience, so I savored it, even without the knowledge that in the future, I would not be so lucky.

xo

J. Justine

Boscolo Bellini, Cannaregio 116, 30121 Venezia

Hotel Principe, Lista di Spagna, Cannaregio 146, 30121 Venezia

Ponte dei Scalzi, 30135 Venezia

Ostaria Boccadoro, Cannaregio 5405/a, Campo Widmann, 30121 Venezia

E’ bastato un banale temporale estivo per far ripiombare, ieri sera, molte zone di Nogara nel caos. A Caselle molte famiglie si sono viste entrare acqua nelle loro abitazioni a causa di fognature pubbliche ormai vetuste  e mai controllate dall’amministrazione comunale.  Questi problemi è già dal 2007 che sono stati segnalati dagli abitanti della zona all’ amministrazione comunale ma nulla è stato fatto dall’assessore ai lavori pubblici Soave. In via Torrazzo, invece, un grosso tiglio si è spezzato in due finendo pericolosamente all’interno di un’abitazione privata; se la pianta si fosse rotta verso la strada avrebbe potuto provocare gravissimi danni.  Altri allagamenti sono avvenuti in via Verdi e in molte altre vie del centro.

Acqua alta a Caselle, le fognature comunali sono ormai vetuste

L’amministrazione Olivieri, invece di occuparsi realmente dei problemi dei cittadini ( come la sistemazione delle fognature, la messa in sicurezza delle strade), continua a insistere nel realizzare opere INUTILI, DANNOSE E ANTIESTETICHE come i marciapiedi in piazza Umberto I.

IL COORDINAMENTO PDL DI NOGARA PRENDE UNA POSIZIONE IN DIFESA DELLA NOSTRA GENTE E DEL NOSTRO TERRITORIO PERCHE’ UNA NOGARA MIGLIORE E’ POSSIBILE!!

Reprinted from the Tastings (WSJ)

We were looking for wines that were tasty and easy to enjoy on a summer day, but that also had enough character to proudly represent real wine against all of the ice-cold beer in the bucket. We were also looking for jug wines that are widely available so that we could offer some specific recommendations. We tasted quite a few bad ones, the kind made by greedy vintners who figured they could disguise second-rate fruit with sugar and oak flavorings. But there are some good ones out there. At the end of the day, these were the five we’d recommend to friends. In each case, the price is generally representative, but prices, as always, vary widely.

Concha y Toro “Frontera” Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (Chile). $9. This wine is a steal. It’s fresh, fruity and fun, with lively Sauvignon Blanc green-pepper character. If you have a floating chair in the pool that holds a little plastic cup, this is the wine to pour into that cup. Lusty and easy to like, it would also make cold summertime dishes like cold poached fish sparkle. In our tasting, we found that too many whites lacked character. They tasted so much like lemon-lime water that we’d rather have Perrier with lime. This is a white with character, but oh-so-easy to gulp, too. In general, if you are looking for a crowd-pleasing, inexpensive white this summer, the new vintage of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc is one good place to start.

Barefoot Cellars Pinot Grigio Nonvintage (California). $11. We are generally not big fans of Italian Pinot Grigio, which is often watery and charmless. U.S. wines called Pinot Grigio can have the same problem, though we have better luck with U.S. wines called Pinot Gris, which is the same grape. We had a terrific Pinot Gris from J Vineyards & Winery at Disney World recently (2007 Russian River Valley; $60 at Wolfgang Puck Café at Downtown Disney) that had hints of earthy honeydew melon, with some weight. It had a certain clarity of fruit and some richness and it was really pleasing and satisfying. In a tasting of American Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris last year, Barefoot Cellars was one of our favorites. We tried it again for this tasting in magnum size and, once again, thought it was a real winner, especially for the price. It’s fleshy and peachy, with some weight and true white-grape tastes. We’d pair it with more-flavorful, more-complex summer dishes, like salads with all sorts of toppings, and pastas.

Folonari Soave 2007 (Italy). $12. In a broad blind tasting of Soave earlier this year, good old Folonari was among our favorites. Soave is such a classic name for so many of us that we were delighted to find some we liked, including this old friend. Soave can be fairly neutral, and this wine is quite clean, but we like its weight and hint of minerals. There’s also a little touch of white peaches that is quite summery. It’s important for a white wine to taste like just-picked, perfectly ripe grapes and too many jug wines don’t. This one does and that makes it an easy pair with all kinds of summery foods, especially grilled fish and grilled vegetables.

Bolla Bardolino 2007 (Italy). $14. As we were trying to pin down what we liked so much about this red wine, Dottie finally used the perfect word: “It’s gentle,” she said. Perfect. When you think about the kind of wine you want in that tub (or, since this is red, perhaps on the picnic table after a good dousing in the tub), isn’t “gentle” a good idea? We love the color of this—lively, with fiery highlights. It looks a little like a dark Beaujolais, which is a good sign of its vibrant fruitiness. John took one sip and wanted to order pizza with anchovies. Our daughters stopped him—anchovies, yuck!—but his craving is an indication that this wine would enhance a variety of foods, including cold roast chicken; Italian subs with Genoa salami and provolone cheese; and vitello tonnato, veal with a tuna and anchovy sauce, served cold (a serious summertime treat).

Citra Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2007 (Italy). $10. We really enjoy this wine, which was a favorite in a tasting of jug reds several years ago and also in a broad, blind tasting of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (which is a great bet in general, by the way). It has a dark color that looks rich and serious, with some minerals on the nose. The taste is blackberries and blueberries, with good tannins and some body. Too many jug reds seem heavy to us, with unidentifiable tastes and plenty of creamy, vanilla wood stuff. Summer is an uncomplicated time and we like uncomplicated wines that taste like fresh fruit—and this one does. But its extra depth means it’s perfect with a rare burger off the grill or a big, thick steak.

Above: We spent the Fourth of July in Orange, Texas, along the Louisiana border where Tracie B grew up.

Had you told me a year ago that I was going to fall in love with a gorgeous Texana and move to Austin, I would have told you you were crazy. But, then again, stranger things have happened. I can’t complain: for all of its surprises, life certainly has been good to me so far. Yesterday, Tracie B and I celebrated the birth of our nation with her beautiful family in Orange, Texas, along the Louisiana border (pronounced LUZ-ee-AH-nah), where Tracie B grew up.

Above: Tracie B’s Uncle Tim — an outstanding cook — used his grill as a smoker. He stuffs his bacon-wrapped jalapeños with cream cheese and chicken (or duck when he has it).

Living in the South has been an interesting experience for the San Diego Kid. There’s perhaps no other place I’ve lived in the U.S. where people feel such a strong tie to culinary place and culinary tradition. And I can’t imagine a warmer welcome anywhere in the world.

Above: “Low and slow.” That’s the mantra of Texas Barbecue. The centerpiece and litmus test of any Texas barbecue is the smoked, dry-rubbed brisket, smoked for 10-12 hours at 200-225° F. The “depth” and evenness of the pink “smoke ring” are two of the criteria used to judge Texas barbecue.

Yesterday, we were the guests of Tracie B’s Aunt Ida and Uncle Tim who were also celebrating their return to their home: flooding and storm damage following hurricane Ike had forced them out last September. What a difference a year makes…

Above: Tracie B’s Mee Maw’s deviled eggs paired beautifully with the Bisson Golfo del Tigullio Ciliegiolo, which has become my new favorite barbecue wine and probably my favorite rosé for the summer of 2009. It was the hit of the flight that Tracie B and I brought to the party.

Tim, an excellent cook (his gumbo is off-the-charts good), made barbecue and Tracie B and I opened a bottle of Inama Soave, Bisson Golfo del Tigullio Ciliegiolo, and Villa di Vetrice Chianti Rufina — a tricolor summertime triptych.

Above: Ida and Tim live on a bayou. They only recently moved back into their home. The backlog of reconstruction in the area kept some people out of their homes for nearly a year.

Yesterday’s celebration made me think of this poem by Walt Whitman.

from Leaves of Grass, 1855

For You, O Democracy

Come, I will make the continent indissoluble,
I will make the most splendid race the sun ever shone upon,
I will make divine magnetic lands,
With the love of comrades,
With the life-long love of comrades.

I will plant companionship thick as trees along all the rivers of America,
and along the shores of the great lakes, and all over the prairies,
I will make inseparable cities with their arms about each other’s necks,
By the love of comrades,
By the manly love of comrades.

For you these from me, O Democracy, to serve you ma femme!
For you, for you I am trilling these songs.

Above: At the end of the night, the glow of the DuPont plant down the road lit up Cow Bayou. The image reminded me of the first part of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at the original Disneyland in Anaheim.

Happy Fourth of July, y’all! Thanks Ida and Tim and thanks Mrs. B and Rev. B for having me!

Above: Tracie B and me’s favorite wine to pair with Torchy’s trailer park tacos is Inama Soave. It has just enough richness in the mouthfeel to wrap itself around the intense flavors of the spicy pork and salsa.

It’s summertime in Texas and that can mean only one thing: BYOB trailer park tacos.

After we watched The Hangover at a matinee yesterday (hilarious, especially the raunchy closing credits), we headed out to spend the steamy summer evening with Tracie B’s childhood friend Jennifer and her husband CJ (check out their cool wedding photography blog), munching on chips and salsa and tacos, sipping Soave and Sangiovese at the Trailer Park Eatery in Austin — trailer park dining world capital.

Above: One of the trailers at the Trailer Park Eatery makes tacos, one makes burgers, and one makes S’mores — yes, S’mores. How’s that for an impossible wine pairing Dr. V?

Inama Soave is always one of our favorite pairings for BYOB tacos because of its bright acidity but also because it has a certain richness and unctuousness to the mouthfeel that wraps around the texture of steaming hot, soft corn tortilla stuffed with juicy roast pork and delivers ineffable pleasure.

I also thought the 2003 Villa di Vetrice Chianti Rufina Riserva showed well. I was a little hesitant to buy this wine: I’ve had too many 03s from Tuscany that are too stewy. But this wine was a beauty: 100% Sangiovese, grown at proper elevations (your ears pop as you drive up to Rufina), and vinified in a traditional manner. Great acidity, great plummy fruit, and lightness in body balanced by tannin that I just can’t resist. Both of these wines retail for under $20, btw, perfect for BYOB tacos.

There’s no doubt about it: Austin has some of the best Mexican food I’ve ever eaten — from the haute to the bas.

Le Sette Sorelle cuneesi si rivelano in controtendenza rispetto al trend delle ultime elezioni amministrative: oltre a Savigliano, che ha eletto Sergio Soave al primo turno (oltre il 54% sugli altri quattro candidati), le liste collocabili nell’area di Centro-Sinistra escono vincenti dai ballottaggi di Saluzzo (Allemano va quasi al 56% su Pierino Sassone), Bra (Bruna Sibille si impone con quasi il 55% su Comoglio), Fossano (Balocco vola oltre il 65% contro Mana) e, novità succosa, Alba (dove il “giovane” Maurizio Marello, dirigente locale delle ACLI e del Partito Democratico, ottiene quasi il 58% dei consensi, mentre il candidato del Centro-Destra Castellengo va appena oltre il 42%).

Dunque, sommando i risultati dell’ultima tornata elettorale con il dato di Cuneo (dove l’apprezzato Valmaggia è nel pieno del suo mandato), solo Mondovì si colloca in area azzurra.

Pra Vineyards outside of Verona, Italy

I had the privilege of going to Vinitaly, the world’s largest Italian wine trade show in Verona, Italy this last April.  Through a mix up with my hotel, I was left without a place to stay in one night.  Pra, one of the premium Soave producers in the area, kindly invited me to stay with them for the night in a town called Monteforte d’Alpone about 20 minutes outside Verona.  I got to sleep next to the room with the stainless steel aging tanks and above the family’s wine cellar in a tiled room with a tiny love seat in it.  I was cold and could not extend my legs fully, but I slept beautifully in such a gorgeous, “oh I want to live here” setting.

Seeing the winery brought home first hand the idea that this was such a small production.  This is a wine that is fairly popular and can be found at any good wine shop.  But I could see most of the Garganega vineyards with my own eyes.  The Pra Soave Classico is the winery’s entry level Soave and it is an exceptional effort.  Most years it receives the 2 Glass Award or Due Bicchieri Award in Gambero Rosso, the Italian critic publication.  This is the equivalent of 90 points on a 100 point scale.

Jenny O'Donnell in the early morning at Pra vineyards. Garganega grapes growing in the background.

Pra’s Soave Classico is 100% Garganega which is a varietal only grown in the Veneto area.  The wine is not too dry or too sweet.  It is floral and I always get a lime note.  It is full bodied and very refreshing.  It is great as an aperitif.  I like to drink it with fish, goat cheese, or with a light pasta.  Many scholars believe Soave was the wine mentioned in Romeo and Juliet.

Soave has had to live down the reputation of Soave Bolla from the ’70’s and ’80’s.  Soave is no longer an insipid, watery, pedestrian wine.  Boutique, careful productions like Pra show what this wine is supposed to be and what a treasure it is.

In Atlanta, this wine can be purchased at the Whole Foods in Buckhead.

Week two of the vlog! We are having a blast doing these and I hope you enjoy them. Got two for ya this week. First up is a preview for tonight’s wine tasting at Alphabet City Wine Company with the one, the only Vince from Vinifera Imports. We are still getting the kinks out of doing this and there was something wrong with the boom so the audio is a little low but its there. Next week it will be remedied.

And here is our first “in depth” vlog where I riff on some fact or another about my favorite subject…wine. Check it out. I am rambling about pepper. Why do we sense the aromas of bell pepper, cracked black pepper or white pepper? A lot of things go into it but what it boils down to is a Temporary defense mechanism in grapes. Here is the video.

Above: 2007 Soave Classico by Suavia by the the glass and fried calamari at Siena Ristorante Toscano in Austin.

Girl: Sorry you had to wait!

Boy: I’m not…

Of course food and wine can transport you to a particular place – sip a muscadet with fresh oysters and you might as well be lunching in the Loire Valley. But what about time travel? In the weekend’s Wall Street Journal, wine columnists John Brecher and Dorothy Gaiter discussed Soave, that forgotten italian white that went the way of one-too-many-buttons unbuttoned on a leisure suit but is now showing signs of being reinvigorated by some modern producers dedicated to quality. And in passing, they mention clams casino as an equally out-of-date dish to pair.

Which got us thinking. We’ve heard that this is the worst recession since the 70s. If we could travel back in time via clams casino and a glass of Soave, maybe we could offer a historical perspective on the current crisis. Having just returned from our trip this morning, we have this advice to offer: (1) everything is going to be okay eventually; and (2) everything is better with bacon on it.

Clams casino is deceptively easy, makes a great presentation and is surprisingly economical (a dozen clams will only set you back about 8 clams). The fish counter is happy to open the clams for you and leave them in the shell. Each wine store has a different Soave, they’re both from producers with an eye to resurrecting the reputation of Soave and will complement the dish.

Cantina del Castello Soave Classico 2007 (Manhattan)
Filippi Soave 2006 (Brooklyn)

Clams Casino

12 littleneck clams left in half shells
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup pancetta or bacon (we used Schaller & Weber double smoked) chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup red pepper chopped fine
1/4 cup shallot chopped fine
2 small garlic cloves chopped fine
1/2 cup white wine (great excuse to open the Soave!)
3 tablespoons grated parmesan
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper
leisure suit

Put on leisure suit and button to navel. Uncork Soave and pour glass for self and best friend’s wife. Preheat oven to 500F. Pour olive oil into skillet and heat. Add bacon. Cook for 3 minutes or until bacon bits are crispy. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and reserve, leaving oil in skillet. Pour two more glasses of Soave. Add shallot, garlic, red pepper and dried oregano to oil in skillet and cook 3-5 minutes until shallots are translucent. Add wine and simmer until wine is almost evaporated. While you’re at it, top off the two glasses of Soave. Remove from heat and cool. Stir in bacon bits and 1 1/2 tablespoons parmesan. Place clams on 1/2 shell on baking sheet covered in tinfoil. Make sure the clams are not attached to the shell – cut if necessary. Place small spoonful of bacon mixture onto each clam and use remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of parmesan to sprinkle over clams. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. While clams are cooking, swirl, swish and swallow Soave. Remove from baking pan with spatula and serve immediately with Soave!

The 2009 Wine Pleasures Workshop: Buyer meets Italian Cellar will take place in Treviso, Italy, from May 18 – 20, 2009. Bringing together small to medium sized boutique wineries of all regions of Italy including: Veneto, Sicilia, Campania, Lombardia, Abruzzo, and Toscana and wine importers, wholesalers, retailers and HORECA from around the world, this year’s workshop will be the first of its kind in Italy.

Today we feature another winery from the Veneto region: Tenuta Grimani who bring to the workshop wines made with the Garganega and Pinot Grigio grape varieties. Tenuta Grimani present their winery:

“The story of our firm started in 1934 when the mother’s grandfather Pietro Dal Care bought some vines soils that once belonged to the noble family Grimani who were know because they had governed the Venice Republic as doges during the XVII century and from this family our firm owes its name. Strong with a vines surface of 13 hectares, “Tenuta Grimani” is now at the third generation of passionate vine-dressers with the son and daughter Andrea and Laura. The first follows the viticultural-oenological aspect while the second follows the commercial aspect.

The vineyards are situated in the fertile valley of Roncà at the foot of the Mount Calvarina, a famous prehistoric volcano.

The zone seems like a bay, in winter, when a light fog covers the lower part of the territory; in fact, it was like that when millions years ago, the sea covered a great part of the surrounding land. The fossil shells body and the specimen gathered in the local museum are evidence of the old origin of this fertile hills. On this land, upset and burnt by the ancient volcano, rich in lagoon deposits, the vineyard has cultivated since distant times.

The growing form classic Veronese espalier and the biggest production is of the grapes garganega, above all in the area called “Farinaldi”. It is an area marked by soft slopes, dotted by the white cherry flowers in spring and dominated by the remaining ancient middle Ages woods where, in the evening, furtive families of foxes slip away from their holes as if they wanted to check the precise achievement of the rural works done during the day by the hard-working vine-growers. And it is from grapes harvested in this area that we get a Soave by the unique and special character, the Farinaldo.

Downstream, exactly at the hill there is the ancient cellar which has been changed since a long time in a new structure with modern technologies.

New vineyards have increased the range of the traditional products as the pinot grigio, the cabernetand the merlot. First, the grandfather’s oenological and commercial success, then the father’s success encourage and make the still young heirs so proud that they can offer the consumer products of high quality rich in history”.

If you would like to meet Laura and enjoy her wines (Soave DOC, Passito IGT & Pinot Grigio IGT) then please complete an enrollment form to participate in this unique event in Italy.

These types of white wine are available almost everywhere in the States.

Popular white wines

Chardonnay
Can come from California, Australia, France, or almost any other place.

Sauvignon Blanc
Can come from California, France, New Zealand, South Africa, and other places.

Riesling
Can come from Germany, California, New York, Washington, France, Austria, Australia, and other places.

Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris
Can come from Italy, France, Oregon, California, and other places.

Soave
Comes from Italy.

Popular red wines

Cabernet Sauvignon
Can come from California, Australia, France, and other places

Merlot
Can from California, France, Washington, New York, Chile, and other places

Pinot Noir
Can come from California, France, Oregon, New Zealand, and other places

Beaujolais
Comes from France

Lambrusco
Usually comes from Italy

Chianti
Comes from Italy

Zinfandel
Usually comes from California

Cotes du Rhone
Comes from France

Bordeaux
Comes from France

Wine Pleasures has chosen Treviso, Veneto for the 1^st edition of the Wine Pleasures Workshop Buyer meets Italian Cellar. Served by two nearby airports, Treviso and Venice, it should not prove difficult for buyers to get to.

The Veneto wine-producing region is one of the most important in Italy both for quality and quantity. The region counts over 20 DOCs and a variety of sub-categories.

Perhaps the best known DOCs are Bardolino, from the town with the same name and surrounding the shores of Garda Lake, Valpolicella, and Soave. Other noteworthy wines produced here are the white Bianco di Custoza, the sparkling Prosecco, the Breganze, and the Amarone (a rich and powerful red from the Verona province).

The importance of winemaking in this region is underscored by the creation in 1885 of the very first Italian school for vine growing and oenology. In addition, Veneto was the first region to constitute the first strada del vino or “wine road”. This first wine-touring road featured special road signs providing information on vines and the wines they were made into and joined the Valdobbiadene and Conegliano DOC zones crossing a series of hilly vineyards.

As one might expect there are several wineries taking advantage of the Wine Pleasures Workshop taking place close to their wineries and homes. These are Casa Vinicola Bennati (Verona) Soave DOC AND Valpolicella DOC, San Gionvanni (Treviso) Prosecco DOC di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, Sfriso Pier (Treviso), Tenuta Grimani (Verona) Soave DOC and Garda DOC and Vicentini (Vicenza) DOC Vizenza, DOC Lessini, DOC Gambellara, DOC Berici.

Wine Pleasures limits the number of wineries from any one region. This means that participating buyers are guaranteed a wide range of wines from varied wine regions. Each wine region has a maximum number of 8 places which means there are still places available for 3 more wineries from the Veneto region.