Comments on: Politics, Italian Style

By: He’s Back… « spume

He’s Back… « spume — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:26:02 +0000

[...] my earlier post about the collapse of Prodi’s government (which brought about this early election in the [...]

By: Franco Ziliani

Franco Ziliani — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:01:18 +0000

I have a great nostalgy of Bartolo Mascarello who was a great friend and a Master and the soul of Barolo. All the Barolo fans miss the irony of this old man honest and free. An intellectual not only a great wine producer…

By: wolfgang

wolfgang — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 23:49:30 +0000

What a fantastic image, Alba covered with Bartolo’s bottles. Especially after that somewhat frightening scene with the carabinieri. Thanks for sharing, Joe.

By: joe

joe — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 23:12:11 +0000

I was Owens companion on the trip when we met Bartolo….

The “NO BERLUSCONI” label story as I remember it…

Bartolo who had taken up watercolor painting created the first label for a bottle that was placed in his friends wineshop in Alba…”Libreria di Vino” I believe. The proprietor placed the bottle in his window along with the self congratulatory autobiography that Berlusconi’s publishing house mailed free during his campaign.

The Carabinieri appeared a day later and confiscated the bottle under the regulation prohibiting political comment in a commercial zone. Bartolo supposedly stayed up all night painting and the next day the stores of Alba were filled with his bottles…..

He was a beautiful man who stood by his beliefs through all the years that Gambero Rosso and Parker hammered the traditionalists….He was truly LA ULTIMA MOHICANA!!!

By: wolfgang

wolfgang — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 01:40:00 +0000

Owen, thanks for sharing such an awesome story.

Alfonso, brilliant suggestion. I’m making bumper stickers.

- wolfgang

By: Alfonso

Alfonso — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 01:33:34 +0000

How about un-Oaked, un-Bushed?

By: owen

owen — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 23:46:27 +0000

I count myself one of the privileged who met Bartolo. June 03…We called him and he answered the phone. My friend was taken aback! Bartolo he asked? Si the reply. We arranged the visit. Arriving in Barolo we saw Bartolo sitting in his usual place in the bar around the corner from his house. His wife answered the door and she went to tell Bartolo we had arrived. 2 friends wheeled him home and into the office. We sat and spoke for what seemed like an hour. I don’t remember speaking about wine at all. It was politics, music, philosophy. It was deep. Bartolo told us he had not heard Beethoven until a few years prior.

Before tasting with Maria Teresa we asked Bartolo if we could show him something outside. His wife, Maria Teresa, and now three friends followed us out to look at our rental car. We had 8×10 pictures of Bartolo in the back windows, and on both side panels of the car we had written in soap

NO BARRIQUE, NO BUSH

Needless to say Bartolo was pleased as was everyone! we definitely got some funny looks driving around in Alba…..

After tasting we both purchased one 82 Mag and 1 89 Mag. Of course we asked if we could have the No Barrique No Berlusconi lables put on. While I have no more of the wine to drink I am proud to have the bottle of 82 with label intact and the label of 89.

It was on honor to meet Bartolo and I wish there were more like him.

By: dobianchi

dobianchi — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:51:27 +0000

I love the idea of a Napa Valley producer pringint “Impeach Bush” on a label…

great post…