The name Frescobaldi may immediately evoke both history (the Tuscan family has made wine since the 1300s and once traded wine for Michelangelo's paintings) and quality (they are responsible for some of the top Brunellos in the region).
In these lean economic times, Frescobaldi is trying on an new image -- value. According to industry research, people are still drinking vino, but they're trading down. A $30-per-bottle kind of guy may now be springing for $20 bottles. Folks who snagged $15 bottles in the fat days of 2008 may be hunting for $10 wines in the lean days of 2009.
But no one wants wines as thin as their portfolios. Can we get the same quality at a lower price?
The wine is made from a white grape grown primarily on the slopes of Valdobbiadene and the hills of Conegliano in the Veneto of Northern Italy. The grapes also grow in Friuli and Trentino, and even in Germany and Austria. In order to be labeled Prosecco, the wine must be made from 100% Prosecco grapes, though there are Proseccos on the market that are blends. While Champagne has an "intentionally bready" flavor, Prosecco is light and fruity, with a gentle and lingering aroma of almonds, apples, and pears.
The article has a list of about a half dozen Proseccos, all of which are under $20, the usual price range for Prosecco.
TV chef, mushroom evangalist and owner of the Carluccio café chain, Antonio Carluccio, has launched an Italian wine festival.
It is actually already underway with special tastings half-way through their run with one held or to be held in each of the Carluccio cafés. Carluccio himself has selected a wine from each of Italy's 20 wine regions with each available in the cafés and many available to buy online.
The remaining wine tastings are to be held in Putney (23rd May), Brighton (24th May), St Albans (30th May), Bicester (31st May) and Tunbridge Wells (1st June). Annoying I missed the one in Reading, which is just down the road from me, that was held on the 10th.
What they don't rave over-- but should -- is Il Valore Primitivo, a wine from the Puglia region of Italy (the "heel "of the "boot," geographically speaking). It's made from red Zinfandel grapes, and it's perfect with Italian food (naturally) but would work well with any grilled red meats. And quite frankly, it has a depth and complexity that one expects from Zinfandels in the $10 to $15 range.
The price? That's the best part. At the TJ's in Northern Virginia where I make pilgrimages once every six weeks, it's selling for $4.99.
So why spend money on Charles Shaw when you could have a real wine for five dollars? I'll admit, Il Valore Primitivo doesn't have a catchy nickname ("Five Bill Il" was the best I could come up with), but dollar-for-dollar, it's more bang for the buck than Chuck.
A recipe for the perfect Chicken Burrito in a Crisp
Tortilla. The subheading is "How to keep those burrito-loving teenagers close to home." Which I find
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"It tastes like bacon," my husband said, sniffing the dark red wine. He was bringing the first glass of a
bottle I'd just brought home from the Italian market. The reason I'd selected it: it looked nice and meaty, and it was
cheap. $6.99.
I laughed. He's such a silly guy, that husband of mine.
I took a sip. Ohmigod.
It tasted like bacon.
It was salty, rich, and pork-flavored. And it was delicious. If you have a chance to try
it, I highly recommend this bottle: the 2004 Vila Bonarda. It's especially delicious with prosciutto, goat cheese,
cured olives. And bacon.
Roasted beets are vibrant and flavorful tossed in salads, pastas and more. Learn how to roast them and stock them in your fridge as tasty additions to your dishes.
Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine that many may label as city Champagne's less sophisticated country cousin. However, 
Everybody raves over 
A recipe for the perfect 
"It tastes like bacon," my husband said, sniffing the dark red wine. He was bringing the first glass of a
bottle I'd just brought home from the Italian market. The reason I'd selected it: it looked nice and meaty, and it was
cheap. $6.99.
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