Italian Bargains

A bonus is that vineyards keep their regional character

Christopher Cook

Despite the ever-tumbling U.S. dollar and the increasingly robust euro, a duel that should be driving up wine prices here, some wines from Europe continue to be extremely reasonably priced.
The Italians are offering some of the greatest variety and value, even as they continue increasing quality. They are truly making some of the best bargains around. But why? How can they do it?
Some of it is attributable to smartly played positioning now for the future. Interviews in European publications suggest that some European wineries are willing to cut profit all the way back to keep a position in what is still the deepest retail market in the world, with an expectation that eventually a return to the good times will become most lucrative.
What I like most about Italy, more than some other countries, is that its wineries have been sticking to their way of making wine rather than trying to adjust their wines for an American palate.

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