Which would you choose?

[cape chef]

So,

If you had the oppurtunity to tour,taste and dine,which one of these destinations would you choose?

[Pete]

What a tough decision!!! Though I would have to head off to France. The final choice, for me, comes down to more than just wine. I love the long history of these two regions. The wine making traditions in B&B go back hundreds of years, and to be able to immerse myself in not only wine, but living history is a dream of a lifetime. And well, who am I to resist the call of great French food, especially the more peasant style fare of Burgundy! Of course, Spain would be a lot of fun also, and besides, my Spanish is much better than my French (that is not saying alot). The wine regions of Austrailia and New Zealand don't interest me as much. Yes, I would love to travel there, but I think that I would spend my time "Down Under" do other things. And I can't forget Italy....if I had to base my choice, other than just wine, on just food, then it would definately be Italy. Not to snub Napa and Sonoma, but I have been there before, though I would go back in a heart beat. Decisions, decisions, decisions.....Ok, I have it all solved. I think Nicko and Cheftalk should send me on a 6 month tour of the great wine making regions of the world. I could write daily journals, and keep everyone informed about my working vacation (of course I would consider this work, bringing all my friends at CT, the lowdown on the best wine regions to visit).....yes, the more I think about this, the more I think it is a good idea. Nicko, are you reading this? Just let me know when you want me to leave, and I will give you my address, to send the plane tickets to. Gee, thanks Nicko!!!

[panini]

France,
Probably the best possible chance of not returning.

[cape chef]

Great post Pete....

But how about 2 months so me and Panini can help you with your research

I also would choose B&B because this is where my love affair with wine started 25 years ago.

The opputunity to sit in the mustard fields of Burgundy enjoying a Bourgone rouge sounds to enticing.

But in a funny way, I think my mind would drift to Tuscany and piedmont wondering what Solia is shaping up,and Gaja's sori tilden!!! oh man..this is depressing.

[Pete]

LOL!!!! CC, I think the 3 of us would make a great field reporting team for Nicko! Now if we can just convince him of that, we will be all set. I could clear my calander immediately.

[panini]

I have a confession. I know very little about wine. I think my wine buds were altered at a very early age from my uncle Al's red and my uncle Tony's rice wine. I tried early on to educate my palate but had a very hard time relating to what the rest of the pupils were tasting. My tastes in wine are like a car with a gas pedal and a brake. If I like it, I drink it and enjoy it, if I don't, I will not try to acquire a taste.
You guys will hate me, but the house bottles of wine at home sometime come in cardboard boxes.
I have had the luxury of tasting some really fine wines, but I must tell you that I have also sat with friends while they articulate the various flavors,bouquet,etc. of a very expensive bottle of wine and I will just sit and smile thinking ' this stuff wouldn't make good vinegar' yuck!!!!
But I'm still in!!!!

[Pete]

Panini, your post reminded me of my 1st year wine instructor at culinary school, Ann-Marie. She was 35-40 years my senior, wife of one of the founding chefs, and, to this day, still one of the sexiest women I have ever met, but I digress. After weeks of class, learning about wine, and tasting some great bottles, she told us all something that I will never forget. She said, "Drink what you like, not what other people tell you to like. If you like Reunite, then drink Reunite. Personally, I think that it is s***, but if you like then enjoy it." To this day, I live by those words. Yes, I love the great wines of the world, but I do have my little, secret indulgences, ones I would never admit to in public.

[Suzanne]

Australia and New Zealand are tempting, since they are now developing some truly fine wines. California? Nah -- nothing wrong there, just not a thrilling choice. And as much as I love French and Italian wines, I would choose Spain, because there is so much to learn about there. We have not really dealt with their wines very much, except for sherry, and there are some coming from there now that are possibly equal to the French, truly. Plus the food there is wonderful. I almost feel like it's what Italy was, 20 or 30 years ago -- a place to discover some little-known treasures.

Of course, gentlemen, if you need someone who speaks French to handle the little travel details, I'm at your service.

BTW, CC: 2 other choices you could have included: the Pacific Northwest (oh, those Oregon Pinot Noirs!), and the North Fork of Long Island, NY. But I forgive you for leaving them out (even though some of my current favorites are from one or the other )

[Kimmie]

Napa and Sonoma are most appealing to me at this point in time.

And I concur with Suzanne about Oregon: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris...

[Pete]

The Northwest, home to my favorite American Pinots. Other wine making areas of growing importance are also South Africa, and Chile. Chile tends to make a lot of cheaper, jug wine,but they also have some very nice wines coming out of there also.

By the way, Nicko, I still haven't heard from you about our travel arrangements!!!!

[panini]

Don't forget Texas wines, we have some wonderful wines. Or is that Tex-Mex Food??

[Suzanne]

Actually, you're right, there are some good wines from Texas (not that I can remember which they are, but I know they exist ).

Isn't it great that so many parts of the US are raising grapes for good wines?

[foodnfoto]

As I suffer from RWHS (red wine headache syndrome) traveling to embibe wine is not a big motivation for me. However, I dream daily of visiting and traveling throughout Spain. I love Jamon Serrano, Manchego and Idiazabal, Paella and white Gazpacho Andaluz. Remember Maximus' farm home in Gladiator? it's somewhere in the SW. If I could build any kind of house it would be just like that one, including all the lands and cypress lined drive.
I also have a fantasy of touring all the old Moorish castles and Cordoba-the jewel city of the Moorish civilization-public libraries, doctors, restaurants, hospitals, public sanitation, and soap-in 500 AD! All when the rest of Europe was scratching out a fearful feudal life and dying of plague.
Amazing.

It seems that every 3 or 4 years Spain and Spanish food gets a lot of press as being the next new trend and then the hype fizzles. Go figure....

[Tetsuryu]

All of the above!

But seriously, I chose Piedmont and Tuscany just as much for the food and countryside as I did for the Barolo's and Brunello's. I think if I chose one not listed, It would be the Rhone and the South of France. I find few wines as appealing right as I do the Earthy wine from Gigondas, Chateau-nuf-du-Pape, Provence, Minervois, Cahors, etc.... There are amazing wines to be found in the Southern Rhone, and some truly unbelievable bargains in the very south of France. I guess given the proximity, It wouldn't be entirely unreasonable to work my from Tuscany through Piedmont into the South of France. Now that!, woud be a **** of a Wine Trip.

I have to make quick mention of where I grew up, The Finger lakes of New York. A lot more going on there than people might expect. Some fantastic German style reislings to be found, Vidal Blanc make a fantastic Icewine here, Cabernet Franc makes a respectable showing even given the climate. If anyone is looking for specific wines I would be more than happy to oblige.

-Tetsu

[catciao]

Went to Napa/Sonoma a few years ago and found it interesting; went to Tuscany last year and nearly didn't come back!! The Brunello is that spectacular, especially in Montalcino. I'm so eager to visit the Bordeaux region as I hear the food and wine is wonderful.