Modern Etiquette: Drinking wine in Italy

Modern Etiquette: Drinking wine in Italy

A glass before dinner, a glass at dinner, a glass after dinner. White, pink, red, grappa. Drink to emphasize the taste of the food, it is to emphasize the taste of wine. Modern Italy, like France, is drinking less than the previous generation of the country's population, but the culture of alcohol consumption are still distributed very widely. Italians still know how to enjoy wine like no other. We describe the basic traditions of wine consumption in the country.

1. History

Modern Etiquette: Drinking wine in Italy

The Italian wine over Italy. Virtually the entire peninsula is ideal for growing grapes, so that the case is engaged by the ancient Greeks. Great contribution to the development of the wine made by the Romans, in particular, they have perfected the technology of cultivation of the vine and improved methods for the preparation of wine.

In the Middle Ages the art of wine-making going through hard times and survived mainly thanks to the efforts of the monks.

Modern Etiquette: Drinking wine in Italy

In the 20th century in Italy have grown much more grape varieties, but the beverage production technology still remained obsolete. In the second half of the century the government finally come to grips with the control of winemaking, making this industry received a major boost for development.

Of course, this is the story of Italian wine production in a very simplified version, because each country has its own traditions of the region and especially the manufacture of alcoholic beverages. However, the culture of alcohol consumption in Italy is united, regions originality contributes only some of the nuances.

2. When drinking

Aperitif

The tradition of the aperitif - alcohol before eating - is widespread throughout Europe, but it was the Italians are considered the founders of this custom. They came up with most of the drinks, which are usually consumed as an aperitif.

Modern Etiquette: Drinking wine in Italy

The meaning of the aperitif to awaken the appetite and better describe the taste of food. It is ingrained and very important Italian habit. After work or school decided to go with friends to a bar and drink a glass before you go home for dinner.

As an appetizer consumed dry sparkling, light, not sweet wine or any other beverages of a strength not exceeding 20 degrees.

Modern Etiquette: Drinking wine in Italy

Despite the fact that the drink appetite, appetizers has not been canceled for cocktails. Usually served olives, bread sticks, tiny bruschetta, potato chips and anything. Arriving at the bar for an aperitif, you often get a drink and a buffet of appetizers. Some institutions do not stop feeding what is left from lunch, so this may be a cheaper alternative to a complete dinner. Although, of course, to grasp the essence of an aperitif, it is better not to get a snack and drink to exert their beneficial effects on appetite.

The wine during the meal

Lunch or dinner in Italy, washed down with a glass of water or wine. The classic rule consumption of wine has it that at first there are a light white wine, then red with plenty of tannin. First, less flavorful, then more. Although the mature complex wine can be opened after a light red.

Modern Etiquette: Drinking wine in Italy

Combine year, color and wine castle with a certain dish - an art, but it is possible to adhere to at least the general rules. Thus, heavy fatty meals washed down with a simple light wine with acidity. Another version of the combination of wine and drink - in color. For risotto, pasta, white meat taking white wine and dishes to dark - red.

If you are lucky enough to drink wine in Italy, then try to combine the cuisine of a particular region of the wine made in the same area. They say this is the win-win situation.

Didzhestiv

This aperitif contrast, designed to improve the digestion of food. If an aperitif can also be soft, then it didzhestiv exclusively vysokogradusny, so tea and coffee do not count.

Modern Etiquette: Drinking wine in Italy

After the meal, the Italians drink strong sweet drinks - liqueur or grappa. Grappa, like wine, made from grapes. Earlier this drink was considered less noble than wine, because it is made from the waste from the production - grape pomace and seeds. Now the technology of preparation of grappa is much more perfect. The name itself is protected by the European Union: grappa can be called only drink produced in Italy and the Italian part of Switzerland.

Fortress of digestives from 40 to 55 degrees. Taste, like wine, is very different and depends on the grape varieties and aging.

3. How to drink

Before you include alcohol in your daily diet in pursuit of the Italian serenity, adopt the basic rules without which you did not senorita, and the usual alcoholic.

Modern Etiquette: Drinking wine in Italy

The Italians drink to enjoy, not to get drunk and celebrate the end of the week. The most important thing - to use and very moderately dosed. If the meal is over, and the wine in the glass yet, finish drinking it - bad taste, so drink Taste slowly. The effect of alcohol is neutralized delicious food, wine - this is only a two to communicate, the food and the atmosphere, not the main event of the evening. To understand the philosophy of the Italian pleasure, not necessarily wait for vacation. You already have some recipes ideal paste, it remains to choose the wine and buy different glasses for him. It is important to drink this drink properly or work winemaker in vain, because the taste is revealed in his own way, depending on the shape of the glass.

Everything you need for your own wine bar, there's the online store Wine Gadgets. Glasses handmade Burgundy wine, white wine of the Austrian brand of Riedel crystal glass, exquisite sets, cooling glasses - they fully reflect the aesthetics and culture of drinking wine.

Modern Etiquette: Drinking wine in Italy

Do not forget about one of the most important wine accessories - decanter. Mature wines it is necessary to separate sludge, the young - for the oxygen saturation of the beverage. Easy to use and stylish decanter was created by Peugeout Vin. With him in the kit is a saucer, which works as an aerator. Insert it into the neck of the decanter and wine shimmers. While the drink "breathes", you can admire the drops running down the crystal glass. With the help of the decanter wine is ready to drink faster.

Buy decanter