De Sica and Abruzzo wines, why they're not “crap”
We are in the age of susceptibility, as is well known and as Guia Soncini reminds us every three seconds, and so it's normal for every little criticism, joke, or jibe to turn into an occasion for mourning, reprimands, popular anger, or a pretext for capitalists new and old.
If we were to analyze—but does it make sense to analyze a joke?—the irony is aimed not only at Abruzzo wines, but also at the "wine shop guys" who act like snobs with their expensive, low-quality wines, and even at the awards, which will undoubtedly be paid for by the producers. A fine summary of wine populism, which will surely enthuse those who think a bottle of wine should cost four euros, that supermarket bottles are essentially the same as those from wine shops, and that guides and awards are just a show-off for the elite.
Abruzzo Governor Marco Marsilio immediately expressed his outrage: "It's unfortunate that the authors lacked the imagination and foresight to avoid causing a gratuitous and ungenerous, as well as profoundly unjust, offense. We don't want this decision to stem from a long-standing prejudice against Abruzzo wine, which has, in fact, achieved peaks of excellence for decades and continues to win prestigious national and international awards. The risk is that, upon seeing the trailer, the general public who have always followed and appreciated it (including the many Abruzzese who have loved it for generations) might actually get the impression that Abruzzo wines are generally of poor quality, undermining a reputation earned with so much work and passion."
An understandable defense, given that it comes from an institutional representative. The same goes for the Consortium for the Protection of Abruzzo Wines, which laments poverty: "In this already challenging historical moment for the Italian economy, we should be careful about attacking—even with the intent of provoking a laugh—such a significant portion of Italian wine production, an emblem of Made in Italy." There's even a request to change this "unfortunate joke before the film's release."
There is some truth, however, in the commercial effects. Just remember when the legendary film Sideways came out, which contrasted the intellectual elegance of Pinot Noir with the somewhat vulgar brutality of Merlot, causing the latter's sales to plummet in America.
At this point, it would be worth making a small list of the excellent wine-making products of this region, even if De Sica is not particularly interested in them.
Valentini, of course, with his extraordinary Trebbiano and Cerasuolo, followed by Praesidium and Emidio Pepe. And then Cataldi Madonna, Torre dei Beati, Terraviva, Umani Ronchi, Cirelli, De Fermo... There are more, but I'd say it's enough. The real issue, of course, is the undervaluation of many regions, overlooked by consumers and restaurateurs due to their limited commercial strength. Just think of Calabria, almost unavailable on the map, even as it boasts a new generation of great winemakers.
