iPhone app: Vini d’Italia 2012 from Gambero Rosso
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The respected Italian gastronomy review and publisher Gambero Rosso has a new iPhone app: Vini d’Italia 2012 del Gambero Rosso.
OK, it is in Italian, but it’s free and even if you use just one element, it can be useful. After all, the names of the wines are the same in Italian and English. Go first to the button at the bottom labeled “I migliori” — the best. That’s where you’ll find a listing of this year’s wines that have won the review’s highest honor — Tre Bicchieri (three wineglasses). Consider it a crib sheet to the best wines in Italy at the moment. Note too prices are in euros, and will be different than U.S. wine shop prices.
You can also view a map of Italy and find wines by region and producers, very useful on a road trip through Tuscany or Piedmont. But if you want to know more about any particular region, you’ll have to buy the $1.99 package for that region.
I tried out the one for Campania, the region known for Greco di Tufo, Fiano di Avellino and Taurasi, among other wines. After purchasing that package, when I press the name of the producer, I get the address, email address, phone and website. It also tells me if you can buy directly from the winery — si or no — and gives me a listing of all the wines made at the estate. If you want to read further about the producer, though, you’ll need to get out your Italian dictionary.
Oh yes, you can also add your own tasting notes to the listing for each wine as well as make a list of favorites so you don’t have to go scrolling through the entire lineup in order to find a wine.
All in all, I would say the app is pretty handy at the wine shop or on a trip to Italian wine regions.
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-- S. Irene Virbila