(Sorta) interesting article in Wines&Vines:
W&V:NovelloVisit
on Italian viticulture expert Dr.VittorinoNovello's recent visit to the SierraFoothills and his recs for Italian grape varieties that he thinks should be planted in Calif.
I find his list rather...peculiar. The focus is on grape varieties from the South of Italy. The emphasis seems to be on high productivity, rather than on quality. The Muscat of Alexandria rec is most puzzling. That grape is grown all over Calif.
I say, with all the authority vested in a guy who has never grown a grape in his life, in Calif they should be looking to the North: Ribolla/Nebbiolo/Schioppettino/Refosco/Malvasia d'Istria/Schiavia/Prunent/Terrano/PetiteArvine/etc.
Wish I could have been on that tour.
Tom