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Barbera (Fiulot)
Prunotto
1999
By Fred L. Bouchard
The concept: Old grape, new treatment!
Barbera is one of the fresh, bright traditional red grapes of Northern ItalyÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Piedmont, more famous as home of the noble Nebbiolo that makes grand, brooding Barolo and Barbaresco, as well as the earthy and also long-lived Gattinara, Ghemme and Carema.
Traditionally, Barbera is aged for months in oak barrels, but Prunotto has recently taken the unusual step of aging its Fiulot version in stainless steel, as if it were one of the regionÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs easy-going, delicate white grapes, like Gavi. The results are astonishing: the color is still bright garnet, but now itÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs limpid; the nose reflects fresh black cherry and raspberry; and the taste has none of the tartness and tannin of many Barbera bottlings, but instead is juicy, approachable, and fairly bursting with plummy,naked fruit. ItÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs a shoo-in with combo pizzas, not-too-spicy red-sauce pastas, and backyard grills. It costs about as much as a new CD.
Rating: 90
Visit the Prunotto Web Site
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Another Bite Of The Apple
BeatleJazz
Zebra Acoustic
By Fred L. Bouchard
When I took a quaff of this fruity, thoroughly believable wine, I smacked my lips, took another, and immediately thought of Dave KikoskiÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Beatles Project. This bright, swinging young pianist has taken on The BeatlesÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ venerable -- yes, traditional-- book of classics and translated it to your swinging jazz Rhythm Section -- piano, bass, and drums. Kikoski's results are equally astonishing: he distills the essence of the Lennon/McCartney (and one Ringo Starr) melodies, stripped to the bone and reimagined as jazz, with nearly none of the venerable Beatles trademarks (the vocals, the vamps) that made them cult hits. Volume 2 (following up last yearÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Volume 1) includes Rubber Soul, Magical Mystery Tour and White Album favorites, not missing a trick.
Additional AAJ review of Another Bite Of The Apple.
Fred Bourchard hosts Crosscurrents (WMBR-FM, MIT Radio, Cambridge, MA, 88.1mHz, 2-4 Thursdays) and AGLIO (Italian wine-dine club.) Reach him at fbouchard@juno.com or visit his web site at www.fredbouchard.com.
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