Italian Wines 2000: A Guide to the World of Italian Wine for Experts and Wine Lovers (Italian Wines, 2000)

I'm not going to openly disrespect the more popular and better known sources for international wine reviews, but again, as far as I'm concerned, the Gambero Rosso simply blows away the competition when it comes to consistently identifying and rating the best Italian producers and their wines. Over several years, I have never had a bottle recommended by Gambero that I have not enjoyed or found true to the review. I only wish more Gambero rated wines were widely available in the US!

The Gambero is not without its faults, however. The reviews of the wines are breezy and tasting notes often given over to a certain poetic license which I consider to be part of its charm. The book is organized by region. Within the region it's not alphabetical by producer as you would expect, but by town. Unless you are a fanatical student of Italian geography and know where all the producers live, there is no practical way to use the book without relying on the indexes of wines and producers. Even then, unless you have a perfect match for the data on the wine you're looking up, it can sometimes by hard to find what you want. Throw in quirky typos like misplacing Umbria in the table of contents by 50 pages, and you can start to get a little frustrated. Additionally, the 2000 edition closed September 30, 1999 and many of the incredibly exciting Super Tuscans and Piedmontese wines from the '97 vintage that are just reaching American stores didn't make it in.

But relax. Sit back. Pour yourself another glass. This is Italy after all and life's too short to worry so.

The idiosyncratic scoring system of 1-3 "glasses" at first may seem limiting to Americans used to the 100 point must system (sorry, that's a bad pun), but it's a heckuva lot less arbitrary and in the end a more satisfying and consistent approach. Just last weekend, for example, I was fortunate to have a bottle of the 1997 Montiano from Falesco, a killer merlot about which the Gambero goes bonkers and gives its highest 3 glass rating.

Reading the Gambero Rosso is like having a conversation about wine with an extremely knowledgeable Italian friend, who simply can't contain his enthusiasm for the subject.


missing   August 28, 2000
 3 out of 26 found this review helpful

where is Josko Grauner in this book ? Why people from other country should not know one of the most famous Italian winemaker ? for political reason ?


An Invaluable Resource to Appreciate the Very Best Wine   July 20, 2000
 8 out of 11 found this review helpful

As a wine connoisseur and Italian, I can attest to the accuracy of the guide. Many different Italian wines are covered and rated using a unique system. Written for already informed wine drinkers, the text is nevertheless uncomplicated and inviting. Pick up this book next time you choose wine and you won't be sorry!


Excellent   May 26, 2000
 36 out of 36 found this review helpful

This is an excellent Italian wine guide, the best of its kind on the market. The writing has a cheery and approachable style, yet is unmistakably informed and authoritative.

In my opinion, the Three Wine Glass rating system (good, excellent, outstanding in its category) is much better than rating systems based on the 100 point scale (like the Wine Spectator's and Wine Advocate's) which profess more precision than they have accuracy. The Gambero Rosso shares its opinions, but in a way that leaves room for my tastes and palate.

The 2000 edition presents a good selection of the highly touted 1997 vintage in Tuscany and is worth having just for this.

The book is decidedly *not* an introduction to Italian wine, though. It does not discuss the differences in wine regions or wine making techniques and will not help you distinguish or decide between a Chianti and a Barolo. It's not that kind of book.

I highly recommend it for anyone interested in buying and drinking Italian wine.