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The Trabocchi Coast – Abruzzo

I’m just back from Abruzzo, Italy – It’s a fascinating region of majestic mountains, national parks, stunning seascapes, charming villages, breathtaking views, and exceptional wines.

The coast of Abruzzo ranges from flat golden sandy beaches to dramatic coastlines with high cliffs to pebble beaches, which is on the Adriatic Sea. The water temperature can reach 28 degrees in the summer. I was told by the local lifeguards that you can swim starting in April to the first week of October. It’s interesting to note that Abruzzo has one of the highest densities of “blue flag” beaches in Italy!

What I found fascinating is the “Trabocchi Coast” a UNESCO World Heritage-protected for its traditional wooden fishing structures “Trabocchi.” This stunning 70-kilometer coast goes from Ortona to San Salvo (Chieti) and is a beautiful drive where you can see the striking collection of these stilt wooden huts. Some have been left abandoned, which make them more mystical, and some have been turned into restaurants.

Trabocchi were constructed by local fishermen in the 18th Century and were simply an extension of the rocky coastline. In order to facilitate fishing, boards were placed on the submerged rocks on the beaches so the fishermen could fish further offshore. Gradually, wooden stilts were used to erect freestanding platforms, which allowed the fishermen to project further out into the sea and were connected to land by long narrow boardwalks. The local fisherman fished for for anchovies, sardines, sea bream and sea bass.

The Trabocchi have been described as “colossal spiders” and “machines that seemed to live their own lives” Gabriele D’Annunzio.

After speaking to locals, I found out that some of the Trabocchi are a few centuries old and still belong to fishing families.

It truly was an amazing experience .. walking along the boardwalk suspended above the sea, the smell of algae and crashing waves over the rocks – the atmosphere is both magical and romantic.

Having dinner on the Trabocchi we ate fresh fish and drank local white wines Pecorino and Trebbiano d’Abruzzo – an unforgettable evening with amazing views!

The “Trabocchi Experience” is a must when you visit Abruzzo!

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UC Davis Library Acquires “Le débat du vin et de leaue” the first wine book written in French [dated 1515]

The UC Davis Library, Archives and Special Collections recently acquired Le débat du vin et de leaue with help from a $38,000 gift from the B.H. Breslauer Foundation. The book, a debate between wine and water by Pierre Jamec (or Japes), is the first known book about wine published in French. This edition was printed around 1515 and was bound later by Antoine Bauzonnet, one of the great French bookbinders of the early 19th century. It is the only known copy of its printing.

The book’s topic, a debate between water and wine personified, is an offshoot of the classical-era poems and fables that were used to define virtues and dictate how people should live. The debate between water and wine, which initially appeared in Greek, was popular among the Goliards, wandering medieval scholars who frequented taverns. The text of Le débat first appeared as Denudata veritae in the 12th century. The French version of the poem dates to the 14th or early 15th century.

The library’s earliest item on wine is a 12th-century bifolium from the library of the legendary wine merchant, gourmand, wine writer and bibliophile André Simon (1877–1890). The earliest printed item about wine in the rare book collection is the text of a complaint printed in 1500 on behalf of the City of Nuremberg, against a Brandenburg official who levied a wine duty on shipments for the city. Until now, the library’s earliest French book on wine was Deuis sur la Vigne, Vin et Vendages (1549). Le débat du vin et de leaue is now the library’s earliest French work on wine and the only record of the popular, historical debate in the library’s collections.

Sources:
Gary Price UC Davis Library – Archives and Special Collections

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Interview: Elizabeth Gabay – “Rosé has the potential to be the most exciting wine category around”

Elizabeth Gabay is a Master of Wine and the world’s foremost rosé expert. She is the author of ‘Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution’ (2018), the ‘Buyers Guide to the Rosés of Southern France’ (2021),and was recently on the panel of the Rosé Wine Session, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles.

When did you discover your passion for rosé and what fascinates you about it?

EG: Quite late. I was turned off by the marketing of the lifestyle image, swimming pool wine. Around 2015, I started to taste more interesting rosés – but still only from Provence. Once I started researching the rosé book in late 2016, I just discovered more and more. Rosé has the potential to be the most exciting wine category around.

What do rosé wines owe their rising popularity to?

EG: This is the multi-million-dollar question. Global warming, hotter summers. Young Millennial market looking for easy, fun, glamour drinks. The rise in quality. Excellent marketing campaign by Provence for the past 25 years.

What makes rosé wine so appealing to Millennials?

EG: Rose initially sold itself as a simple fun wine which did not need in-depth wine knowledge, vintage charts or a big budget. Marketing pushed the lifestyle image. 2010 and the rise of Instagram fed into this marketing.

Are rosé wines still more of a female drink?

EG: In many places, but not universally.

Is rosé a “summer wine”?

EG: No, it stopped being just a summer wine a while back. From easter to autumn…. The season is long and there are weightier rosés good throughout winter.

In terms of origin and style, what are the most sought-after rosés today?

EG: Provence still remains the most sought-after origin with ‘Provence-style’ being popular, although whether the consumer always knows what a Provence-style is other than being pale, is debatable. There are also very popular rosés in more local markets.

Currently, which are the most relevant rosé categories?

EG: I think the style is becoming as diverse as red and white. Sparkling is a massively growing sector, fresh dry rosé is a classic, natural ‘funky’ rosé is developing a small hipster market and I would love to see sweet pinks become more popular.

How do you see the future of rosé?

EG: I would like to see the wine trade not ashamed of rosé, for producers and the wine trade to recognize the full diversity of styles, for restaurant wine lists to offer as many different rosés as red and white wines. There is still a long way to go to educate the market.

Which are the rosé market trends to watch in 2022?

EG: Growth in premium and ultra-premium rosés and growth in regional identity.

Source: Concours Mondial Bruxelles

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North America’s Best 50 Bars list launches this summer

The World’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, will launch its North America list this summer!

The awards will be held in New York City June 7, 2022. Mark Sansom, content editor for 50 Best, is confident that the new list will become a key part of the global bar industry.

“The bar scene and extensive talent across this region set the tone for the rest of the world, and we are confident that this new list will be a vital addition to the international bar landscape as bar-goers plan their next cocktail-led adventures,” said Sansom.

“We are especially delighted to bring our inaugural North America’s 50 Best Bars awards ceremony to the city of New York, a vibrant cocktail heartland that has long established itself as a ubiquitous force in the bar universe, having provided The World’s Best Bar in our global list on three occasions.”

The inaugural North America’s 50 Best Bars awards ceremony and unveiling of the list provides a unique opportunity to unite bartenders, bar owners, cocktail aficionados and drinks media from all over the region at a captivating celebration, shining a light on the best in hospitality, while also promoting the strength and diversity of the region’s bar scene as a whole to a global audience.

The inaugural ranking for North America’s 50 Best Bars will reflect the best bar experiences based on the votes of more than 250 gender-balanced voters, made up of anonymous North American bar industry experts which includes bartenders, bar owners, drinks media and cocktail connoisseurs from USA, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

For more details https://bit.ly/NA50BBLaunch22

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Madame Pommery to be honoured for International Women’s Day [March 8, 2022]

Champagne Pommery will be celebrating and recognizing the achievements of Madame Pommery for International Women’s Day on March 8, 2022.

Madame Pommery, one of the great widows who marked the history of Champagne in the 1800’s, played an essential role in the development of modern Champagne as we know it.

This year, focusing on gender bias, stereotypes and discrimination – challenges women have been fighting for many years, the house will recognize Madame Pommery as a woman who had great confidence in her decision making and used her success to help others – especially other women and workers.

Madame Louise Pommery took over her husband’s Champagne business in 1858 when she was widowed and left with an infant child. Madame Pomery wasn’t just a businesswoman but also an innovator – she came up with the invention of “brut” Champagne. At that time dosage was added to champagne which was varied and unregulated resulting in sweet wines; she wanted something more elegant and fresh. Madame Pomery also popularized the use of caves for aging Champagne and is credited with pioneering wine tourism.

It is interesting to note that Madame Pommery was the first woman in France to receive a state funeral, and was a key figure who valued difference and inclusivity.

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