Never in Rusty's wildest imaginings as a young Corporal in the Marines did he ever think he would be holding forth on comparative oenolgical observations. One of Rusty's early wine experiences, foggily remembered, involves a bottle of pineapple wine after a night of Cuba Libres on the Isle of Viecques on the road back to Camp Garcia from Isabella Segundo in January of 1968. Since then Rusty's taste has 'evolved' a bit, with a taste for better wine to develop as evidence of this evolution. Economic circumstances have tempered this taste with economic reality.

Wine
Discoveries










The Italians









"bon appetito, y'all"

   In the aisles of local wine merchants Rusty travels the world searching for a new taste experiences in wine that cost less than ten bucks a bottle. While this effort is not easy, it has borne a few discoveries along the way.
   The first discovery in Rusty's wine 'evolution' was that supermarkets probably aren't going to have anything to discover. Supermarkets stick with tried and true mainstream quaff. That's okay, but if you are searching for a transcendent oenophilic discovery you will need to look elsewhere. Rusty's next discovery was that is easier to find very nice wine if you are willing to spend thirty bucks per bottle (good ole economic reality). Economic reality has a very sobering effect for those desiring to consume better wine. Overcoming the laws of economics isn't easy, the work-around solution is to find the best quality in interesting but overlooked categories.
   Rusty floundered for a couple of years fighting the Francophile and Napa Valley sophisticate's notion that better wine should cost a lot. Then, joyfully, Rusty discovered Italian wines. Stating the obvious has always been easy for Rusty, but finding the obvious has proved to be a bit more difficult. Early glimmers of Rusty's Italian discovery were revealed in Chianti Classico, followed by a full wake up call in the form of a six dollar bottle of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo accompanying a hearty Italian sub sandwich from Jimmy's Food Store in Old East Dallas. For a $6.00 wine the Montepulciano revealed the flavor and fragrance of dark stone fruits mixed with a moderate earthiness. For Rusty it was a moment of blinding realization that he had uncovered something worthwhile in his search to find affordable wine. Like an Egyptologist stubbing his toe on a pyramid, Rusty discovered the great Italian wine truth - good food makes good wine nicer, and everybody should drink good wine.
   Italy offers adventures in wine with a tantalizing variety of reds and whites. Each region produces a style of wine well suited to their cuisine. Rusty's favorite hot find from Italy isn't the wines of the fabled Tuscan hills, but wines from Southern Italy where they say -
"Bon Appetito, y'all."
Lusty full bodied reds are the order of the day from Italy's south. Rusty loves great rich California Zinfandels, but the Zin Zealots of California deliver wines at scorching prices. Zin vintners in California scour the state searching for old Zinfandel vines planted seventy or more years ago, some of these plots amount a few precious acres. In Apuglia, the heel of the Italian boot, they have thousands of acres of Primitivo grapes. DNA testing has revealed Primitivo to be genetically identical to California Zinfandel, whose origins have been shrouded in mystery. At first glance wine experts might consider Apuglia to be too southerly a locale for fine wine production, but uniquely its warm climate is moderated by the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas bounding the narrow, rocky penninsula.
      Guess what! some sharp Italian wine makers have gotten together with some Zin Zealots from California to make some great California Zin styled Primitivos. Better yet! these Italian Zins are even nicer because of a blend of old world terroir and economic reality. The Primitivos in blind testings give California Zins at $25 a bottle a run for the money, while making themselves available to the thirsty masses for $8-$10 a bottle. Check Puglian Primitivos out if you like a dry, full flavored, medium to full bodied, slightly fruit forward, earthy red wine. Great with grilled meats and full flavored cheeses. Rusty says, "get some."