United Europe - Dreams or Delusions? (a continuation)

By now you are all bored with my travels, my eating, my drinking habits and all those photographs - often shaken, never stirred! Today I decided to return to a subject close to my heart which contains no photographs, though many images may emerge from my words... ha-ha! This is my second rambling rant on the subject, but not my last, of that you can be certain. Enjoy or suffer, depending on your viewpoint.

One man's terms are another's punishment, it seems, as emotions concerning the, some are convinced shaky, future of the European Union and Britain's place within/out it (Brexit etc.) run riot. Boris Johnson, surely a caricature as a foreign secretary, continues to annoy all and sundry, while at the same time entertaining them with his wit, ridiculous hairstyle and complete lack of scruples. And people everywhere are left wondering what The Donald can achieve as President of the USA (aka the world's most powerful man) if he continues to react to everything like an affronted, annoyed, spoiled 8 year old.

Europe has been, or has considered itself to be, at the centre of our world's events for a very long time. In ancient times this was, of course, understandable, as our knowledge of the rest of the world was limited and many a tiny nation naively considered themselves to be hugely important. In today's world, where we have a clearer image of others geographically, culturally, even racially, can this image of importance sustain itself? Is Old Lady Europe anything other than a has been, living on past glories?

Well, no, it isn't. Europe was, perhaps, never quite the world force it saw itself as, even when powers such as Britain, France or Spain ruled over large portions of the globe, as there was little 'European' consciousness - everyone thought of themselves as part of their nation states/empires. Their influence on life across the globe was relatively short-lived and transient by great empire standards, was largely economic in nature, and revolving around the pursuit of great riches to be discovered and appropriated.

Not content with plundering anything possible around the globe or perhaps as a result of this, Europeans developed an inward-looking mentality of superiority, largely expressed through ideas of racial (white) dominance. There was a sense of cultural supremacy, largely self-promoted and encouraged, yet often based on ignorance and partly promoted by the church. Was it deserved? Force of arms seemed to suggest it were so. Still, from the end of the 18th century Europe played a major role in scientific discoveries, technological progress etc., matched only by the USA in the 20th century and beyond. Yet largely there was little feeling of being European, being one group of people from which all sprang, as witnessed by the countless local and the two great wars eventually known as World Wars I and II.

The 'European Ideal' is a result of the immense, largely needless, bloodshed that occurred from WWI up to and including WWII and its aftermath, though since further developed by the politicians involved; any weaknesses lie not with the idea of a United Europe (not a Unites States of Europe) but with the way this has been executed and run. The fact that there has not been a major war on European soil for a very long time is the most easy to spot result of Europeanism, and one for which we should all be grateful. If we think about it carefully there is much to unite us, a disparate but connected bunch of people.

Our Europe (make no mistake, it is OUR Europe) is a funny, small, densely populated part of the world supporting manufacturing industry, agriculture and services to a very high, if varying, degree, depending on where you choose to look. It boasts fine architecture going back hundreds if not thousands of years, ancient universities, magnificent natural scenery, intertwined civilisations. It is the birthplace of Democracy and where it has developed the most, from its inception in the city-state of Athens in ancient Greece to the complex forms found today, giving all a voice. In many ways a protector of free thought and speech despite a less than democratic history, this Europe is not one thing but many joined together, co-existing, feeding off each other. Civilisation is making better progress in Europe, promoting fairness and humanity, than most anywhere else in the world today.

Travelling to other parts of the world I am always struck by how different and unusual Europe is by comparison: small, individual, independent (and bloody)-minded, full of local prejudice and contradictions. Perhaps bizarrely, my belief is that this makes us richer not poorer, stronger not weaker; unity is to our benefit as a whole, a sum total, inclusive despite our differences. Wherever I am in the world I always feel that, ultimately, culturally I am a European.

I have long believed that the politicians have pushed the European vision further and faster than their remit, further than people were ready, willing or able to accept; this was, to my mind, partly for personal gain (not necessarily monetary, think of history...) and partly because the world changed with the collapse of the Soviet Union, presenting them with new challenges and/or opportunities. This has resulted in a hastily enlarged, unbalanced entity which the attempt at monetary union has further undermined through ignorance and certainty of purpose. This, together with the refugee crisis, has brought the European system's weaknesses  to the fore, to the point that all it took was one world economic blip (Lehman Brothers etc.) to unsettle the whole edifice, bringing bits crashing to the ground (Greece and the Southern countries in general - this will be the subject of a different post).

We are now faced with fundamental questions about the future. Should the EU in its present form be scrapped? Is the Euro a liability? Is the whole European concept out of control and out of place in this modern world? And if it is to change to survive, who will initiate the change and fight for it to be put into effect?

My view is that there is a lot of work to be done to get the 'European Ideal' back on track, and for that we need politicians with determination and a distinct lack of personal hunger, for money or short-term glory. The administration should be better balanced and able to live more modestly and  productively, for the good of the people it purports to represent. It can - and should be - done, for otherwise the future will be far less rosy. We are, after all, talking about economic compromises, financial give and take, the material world; it seems we have forgotten what happens to our material world during wars, the pain, the suffering.

Would you like to leave your children the legacy of a disunited Europe and more World Wars, with millions dying needlessly for grandiose ideas of unworthy leaders? All wars, however noble - and that depends on your point of view, surely - their cause, bring about huge suffering and in my view should, if at all possible, be avoided.

I would like to write further on this, and perhaps try to be more specific about how the EU can best achieve its goals and continue to play a part in this world of ours. This is becoming more important by the minute especially as the US appears to be, courtesy of its President, ready to move away from the unity fostered in the past and willing to abdicate its 'leader of the free world' position.

Osteria Al Carro Armato, Verona

As I've said before, Verona is full of places to eat and drink, for all tastes and wallets. There are superb places at all cost levels, simple pizzerias, gastronomic temples, tourist traps, everything really that your little hungry heart desires. The food is generally decent, the wine selection good and most places won't break the bank; this is essential for me, because, as regular readers of my nonsense know, my bank is already on its knees, if not already broken!

So these days I shun the expensive places, no matter how good they are, and am, alas, unable to pose in the more pretentious ones. My tastes, therefore, are concentrated on the simple but good, the individual, independent, inexpensive, interesting and human. And the place you are imminently to read about combines these qualities admirably, but is so much more.

In your wanderings around Verona's 'Centro Storico' (old town) you will doubtless want to see important things like Juliette's balcony and other interesting (ha-ha) sights. Around the corner from that, the beautiful Piazza delle Erbe is a busy place with smart caffes (italian spelling...), wine bars, a rather tacky market and loads of tourists, but two blocks up the tourist flow dwindles and the little lanes are relatively quiet. In one of these, and if you know where it is, can be found a little osteria well worth discovering, dispensing hospitality to all and sundry.

The Osteria Al Carro Armato, to give it its full name, is just a gorgeous place to have a nice glass (bottle? bottles???) of wine and/or a bite to eat. You don't go there for the designer surroundings or trendy environment - it has changed hardly at all in the 20+ years that I have known it - nor to people-watch (although there are regularly notable local personages to be seen if you are that way inclined) for it is not that kind of place; rather, you go for the warm welcome, the civilised, congenial atmosphere, to eat, drink and relax.

There are many places to go to in Verona, as befits a tourist town, and many surpass the C.A. in luxury/variety/views/trendiness; not one surpasses it for respect and affection to the customer. If I were fortunate enough to live in Verona I would be in there as often as possible, a regular, for it is that kind of rare, loving place. It belongs to no chain, conforms to no stereotype, is nothing but itself - a temple (very simple, plain almost) to hospitality.

Don't go there for elaborate cooking or outrageously rare (and expensive!) bottles of wine, as Verona has other places for that. Go there for the genuine hospitality that the wonderful proprietor Anna-Lisa (she is the small lady in the glasses and the warm, shy smile) and her staff show to everyone who crosses the threshold, whether the place is busy or relaxed.

The menu is relatively simple and the food mainly regional in style. Everything is freshly prepared and presented in the same style as the C.A. itself, without pretension and fuss. The surroundings are minimalist and not for those seeking comfortable armchairs and starched tablecloths - this is an osteria and for those you go to a ristorante and pay accordingly! To explain this, I had a plate of mushrooms and polenta with Asiago cheese, warm, local, tasty and satisfying; there are also cold plates small and large, pasta and meat dishes, as well as selections of cheese and charcuterie. Do not expect 101 choices, though, keep it simple and be assured that whatever you choose will have been checked out thoroughly and approved by the proprietor herself.

The wine list is also relatively simple and is not hugely long, but contains many interesting bottles worth trying, local or otherwise; it is compiled with knowledge, affection for the product and a desire to offer the customer choice and value for money. We had some nice - and interestingly different - bottles, as you will see from the photographs, the first of which (Durello by Sandro de Bruno) is apparently now a curiosity; the grower has either stopped or is about to stop making it, an individual aged white with too much personality for today's more stereotyped consumer and, therefore, difficult to sell. Its golden colour hints at the age, the nose and full taste confirm its age, quality and attitude - I found it delicious.
The reds were both local, made by a producer called Fondo Prognoi (of Tinazzi Laura), with a heavy emphasis on responsible agriculture, respect for the environment and so merit the certification of 'Biodiversity Friend'. One of the wines, Quedius, is a simple Valpolicella DOC in the lighter, more authentic style that I love and that is, of course, less fashionable today when the emphasis is on heft and rampant fruit. Instead, good plain  Valpol is fresh red fruit in a glass, winningly subtle and complex, at first glance simple but not really, look again. Not a great wine, no, but at its best a very enjoyable, characterful glass indeed. The second red wine, Lichene (Lichen!), a mixture of merlot and croatina (a red grape variety I had not come across before), was indeed heftier (thankfully not in alcohol terms) but to my mind less interesting than the Valpolicella, though perfectly competent and tasty; perhaps it needs a bit of time to settle in the bottle?

Did I have a tiny bit of Grappa at the end of the evening? Well, I believe I did, as both the setting and the company seemed to require it. The tiramisu I had with it was just to keep a bit of a balance of tastes and flavours, and to be able to report on its quality, which was pretty good... I know, I know, any excuse to enjoy myself, but believe me I need to in these sad, straightened, times.

Will I go back to the Caro Armato? So long as Anna-Lisa is there, with her kind smile and her warm welcome I will keep going back whenever possible. As Michael, Patricia and Stanley are regulars there I will always try to go with them, for their presence makes it even more special.

If you are going to Verona, I would urge you to visit them, otherwise look them up on the web to get a better feel for the place. And write in and tell me of your experience, maybe?

Go on, you know you want to...

Verona, Northern Italy

This impoverished little traveller had to travel to one of his favourite places the other day, after a long time, to support a friend (Jen, widow of my late friend Nick - see earlier post, but then you know them by heart by now, do you not) and to see other friends who live there and at whose wedding celebrations many years ago Nick, Jen and I met and bonded in lifelong friendship. The place is Verona in the Veneto region of northern Italy, a lovely city with a gorgeous historical centre, beautiful buildings and pleasant pizzerias, restaurants and wine bars; anyone who's read my scribblings would realise it's the perfect place for someone like me!

The friends there, Michael, Patricia and their dog Stanley, used to put me up on their sofa bed when I used to visit Verona in the past, and a most pleasant time was had by all. Alas Jen was occupying the sofa bed at MPS Mansions this time, so I was shunted off to a lovely - and thankfully inexpensive - guest house about 15 minutes walk away where, being the only resident at the time, I had lots of peace and quiet and a very civilised, relaxed base. I spent four nights there, catching up with both the friends and Verona, and enjoyed myself immensely. It would be fair to say that the excellent wine consumed during the stay, either at MPS (you work it out...!) Mansions or at restaurants, helped in that respect.

Verona city centre is an astoundingly beautiful old town full of glorious buildings, narrow cobbled lanes and, of course, visitors; it is fully equipped to handle tourists in their droves, which is just as well, but it is not all tourist tat and rip-off places. In fact, unless you are looking for sophisticated Michelin guide grub, most restaurants are surprisingly reasonable in both quality and price of both food and wine. Should you be lucky enough to visit you are advised to either stay in a decent hotel in the centre (if your budget can stand it) and be right in the heart of things, or do as I did and stay in a good B&B a short bus ride or a slightly longer walk from the centre. This is a place where walking is they key to unlocking the beauty nestling at every street corner, and finding all the little cafes and bars hidden away where you least expect them.

The beauty here is abundant but not over-ostentatious, often more to do with symmetry and proportion, and is everywhere in the old town with few exceptions. Stepping away from the centre is another matter, however, with plenty of dull, indifferent - and sometimes downright ugly - post-war apartment buildings dominating. There was even an outrageously horrid concrete bunker-type building that I initially felt must be a military installation but which turned out to be a school, and I photographed it for your delectation. It sits there, drab and menacing, next to a beautifully decorated old villa which is elegant as can be... go figure!

The countryside near Verona is also worth a mention, with many interesting places worth seeing such as wine estates, lovely lakes, castles; it is an area to explore and savour, taking your time. As a car in Verona old town is about as useful as a pedalo I would recommend hiring one for a day or two to wander and sightsee, or, if you have arrived in your own car, securing a safe parking spot and limiting car use for your out of town escapades. Unfortunately during this visit we were short of time and unable to venture further out, even to re-visit the Serego Alighieri estate where Michael used to work a long time ago. This is a working estate producing things like olive oil, wine, rice etc., all of good or excellent quality, and belongs to the descendants of Dante; they also run a small luxury B&B called Foresteria, which will give any guest a feel for life in the Valpolicella countryside.

Walking everywhere is to me the defining activity in Verona, and it gives me the greatest pleasure whether strolling or going quickly from a to b. It will allow you too to soak in the atmosphere of the old town, to see hidden buildings with lovely interior courtyards, to discover enticing cafes and wine bars, to feel part of this magical city and be carried away in its feel of longevity, of living history. Wherever you turn you are reminded of the past, yet this is not some mausoleum but a vibrant, living city with lots of modern amenities.

Verona may be beautiful but it is not perfect - it is both sophisticated and provincial, relaxed and strangely uptight. The river Adige surrounds the old town and protects it from the mediocrity of the suburbs, giving it character but also plentiful humidity, which in the height of summer can be unpleasant. And the hordes of marauding tourists - yes, they include me and you... - can at times be unpleasant, even overwhelming. The Veronese too can sometimes be a bit snooty and annoying (especially if they are fed up of bumping into tourists everywhere), though thankfully this is either relatively rare or I have been extremely fortunate. But do avoid coming here when there is a fair (like VinItaly) on, as the city becomes overstretched and overcrowded to the nth degree.

All in all though, this is a place worth visiting time and again, to relax and sink gently into an illusion of the past mixed with modern comfort, to eat and drink and stroll and saunter and feel at home, at least temporarily, in this beautiful, beautiful place. It is a short train ride away from Venice, and a slightly longer one from Milan, so there's no excuse, none.

Greek Wine Tasting - more detail

I tasted quite a few wines, though obviously not everything on show as time and stamina imposed certain limitations. I omitted wines that I knew well, irrespective of quality, and wines that did not inspire me with their presentation, or whose basic proposition I felt held no interest for international buyers. And then I omitted some more as I ran out of steam...

Santorini white wines are now stars on the international stage, as mentioned in my last piece, so I was keen to try as many as possible. The growers showing 2016 were proven correct, despite its youth and recent bottling, as it is shaping up to be a stunning vintage with near perfect balance. 2015 by comparison is a bit clumsier, but still very fine indeed. By and large Santorini whites are far better unoaked, letting the terroir and raw material do the talking; oak seems to diminish the local taste while at the same time making them bigger, chunkier. I tasted the following:

a. Sigalas 2015 Santorini - Understated white peach nose, same and floral on palate, long but somehow hollow.
b. Thalassitis 2016 Santorini - Slightly burnt rubber, white fruit and alcohol on nose, bit closed on palate, finishes sharp and green, needs to settle.
c. Hatzidakis 2016 Santorini - Very understated and elegant nose, slightly bitter palate, bone dry and long.
d. Argyros 2016 Assyrtiko - Despite youth exuberant nose and palate, long and clean, good.
e. Argyros 2015 Assyrtiko - Exuberant floral nose, spicy and complex, creamy white fruit on palate, very long, superb stuff to drink now or keep, drink with or without food.
f. Gavalas 2015 Santorini - Pear and alcohol nose (almost like Poire Williams...), pear on palate, dry with a hint of sweetness, long but something missing...?
g. Hatzidakis Cuvee 15 Santorini 2015 - Very subtle mirabelle nose and palate, multi-layered, complex, dry and very very long, excellent now but I feel will improve with a bit of age.

h. Hatzidakis Louros 2013 barrel-fermented Assyrtiko - Lots of oak and white fruit on nose, round woody palate with fruit, long and complex, good.
i. Hatzidakis Nykteri 2014 - First impression=overoaked, wrong. In fact oaked but balanced, needs time and food, oak dominates currently, long, keep, observe changes and drink in a year or more?

Incidentally, a lot of fuss is made over some reds from the Cyclades, including Santorini, using the Mavrotragano (black & crisp) variety. I tasted none this time, as to my mind they fall into the 'interesting' category of things that you enjoy trying but would not regularly select for pleasure, and they are quite expensive, though their cost is fully justified by the difficult conditions and low yields of these vineyards. I did not taste any this year but hereby promise to do a Mavrotragano report in the not too distant future, and all will be revealed, so be patient.

Savatiano, as previously mentioned - you were paying attention, were you not? - is my tip for future stardom in Greek white wine, and I tasted (all from the Attica region, near Athens):
a. Perihelion-Domaine Evinos 2016 - Understated herby nose, green mirabelle on palate, long, a decent glug.
They also showed an Assyrtiko 2015 - Typical Assyrtiko nose, good dry palate, long-ish and clean.
b. Aoton Winery 2015 - Aromatic, slightly toasted nuts/burnt rubber on nose and palate, exuberant and long, from a new, potentially exciting producer.
Aoton's Roditis 2015 (another grape variety, more flowery) - Low-key perfumed nose, unripe white peach on palate, long and clean.
c. Papagiannakos Savatiano 2016 - Understated typical nose, dry white peaches on palate, long and typical, young. Papagiannakos have an excellent biodynamic winery not far from Athens airport and a good selection of wines, including a Retsina; a place well worth visiting for any wine enthusiast spending time at or near Athens.

Part of the problem is that everyone is trying to find interesting, different grape varieties for their new

wine, trying to appeal to the local individuality factor. This is positive in that it rescues grape varieties from extinction and makes for some very characterful wines indeed; the whole Portuguese tasting a couple of weeks ago was based on how different the wines are. Unfortunately on occasion the result may be individual and unusual but not wonderfully appealing to drink, so the whole thing can be counterproductive, especially as tastes have changed since the distant past and wines that our ancestors would have loved may now be considered practically undrinkable! So beware, winemaker: me too is commercial but boring, too peculiar and your product may be extremely difficult to sell. Your skill lies in finding the balance that's right for your product/area/grape variety/market, and with that comes success. Remember that ultimately if your wine does not sell you will eventually go out of business, even if you make 'authentic ancient wine' just like Pericles (or whoever...) used to sup.

There are two main traditional red wine areas in Greece are far apart from each other and use different local grape varieties: Nemea is situated quite a way south in the Northern Peloponnese near the ancient town of that name, using the variety Agiorgitiko (St. George's), whereas Naoussa is in northern Greece, in the central part of the Macedonia area, province of Imathia, and uses the Xinomavro (Sour and Black) grape. Nemea at its best is robust, long-lived with complex stewed red fruit, juicy and long on the palate, and responds well to subtle oaking; cheap Nemea is all crude jammy fruit, easy to drink, which is why a lot of it ends up as house wine (jug wine, really) in many restaurants. Naoussa on the other hand can make ethereal, complex, subtly acidic and tannic wines, lighter in colour but full of taste and ideal with roast meats. There is little, if any, cheap Naoussa on the market.

As Xinomavro is a personal favourite - in a strange way it often reminds me of Pinot Noir - I tasted several wines (but many more remained untasted, sorry!), including some from the Boutari company, once the leading light in the area, then over-commercialised, trying to change and making a comeback, as well as some independent growers: 1. Boutari Naoussa 2014 is the basic red wine of the lineout, with a lively colour, a round untypical nose, well-made if untypical and in a modern style not to my personal taste. 2. Grande Reserve 2010 is rather fuller and also  untypical these days, dark colour (for Naoussa), with a big, rich Xynomavro nose, lots of fruit on the palate, young and vibrant, a far cry from the over-sold beast it had become in the distant past, when this supposed family reserve cuvee was produced in quantities of over 400,000 bottles. At under £10 pounds retail this is a relative bargain. 3. Boutari Legacy 1879 of the 2007 vintage is a beast of a Xynomavro, with a deep, almost black colour, oaky creamy damson fruit nose, BIG red fruit on palate, luscious/juicy/untypical, still tannic and long - I would like to taste this again in say 5 and 10 years time to see how it develops, as at present I find it overproduced and overpowering. 4. Diamantakos 2012 Naoussa was light in colour with a strawberry nose, delicate, light, long on palate. 5. Diamantakos 2013 Naoussa had better colour, typical subtle nose and was more complex but still delicate. 6. Domaine Karydas 2013 had a bricky red colour, raspberry nose, delicately complex on the palate. 7. Domaine Foundi Naoussa 2011 had very light, bricky Xynomavro colour, restrained strawberry nose and palate. 8. Estate Foundi 2008 was bricky red, slightly cloudy, slightly oxidised sweet nose, livelier palate desperate for food to show its true worth. 9. Thymiopoulos Naoussa 2014 had a light, typical colour, gorgeous clean strawberry nose and palate, no obvious tannin, very drinkable. 10. Earth & Sky by Thymiopoulos is the undisputed star of the area, and the 2015 had a light, typical colour, complex strawberry nose, amazing multi-layered palate of strawberries, roses, prunes... Impressive but very gluggable stuff!

Avgoustiatis is another Greek variety from the Western Peloponnese which has started to appear more and more, making big, richly coloured red wines with good fruit. I have only ever tasted them young, so have no view on how they age, but they certainly provide good juicy current drinking stuff. Mercouri, near Olympia, make a good example, but others (either local to Olympia like Ktima Brintziki or far away - in Samos, Domaine Vakakis) are making Avgoustiatis wines, so we should expect to see better quality and a variety of styles soon. 

Mercouri are an enterprising estate whose wines I first tasted over 20 years ago, and they seem incapable of making duff wine. Not only do they have an excellent standard lineup of whites and reds, but they also release experimental wines that are always worth tasting. Their red Domaine Mercouri 2014 (unusually from 85% Refosco, 15% Mavrodaphne) is more ordinary since they launched a top cuvee (Domaine Mercouri Cava) but still good with deep colour, sweet red fruit on nose, tannic and with somewhat less fruit on palate. The star, undoubtedly, is Domaine Mercouri Cava 2012 - dark, almost black colour with a slight lighter edge, sweet red berry fruit and stewed prune on the nose, same on the palate, long, balanced and satisfying, very good indeed.

Chateau Porto Carras is no longer the star it was when the late John Carras established his magnificent estate in the north of Greece and hired Emile Peynaud as a consultant. There are now many plantings of foreign varieties all over Greece, more adventurous wine-making and a clearer vision with other producers. Since the estate was taken over by the banks and auctioned off to a large construction company they have become producers of wines that are competently made but rather ordinary, perhaps lacking passion. The 2006 Ch. Porto Carras on show had a ripe red fruit and oak nose, a clunky one-dimensional palate and finished bitter; I had hoped and expected for better.

The Economic wines from Crete are firmly in the 'interesting' category, with all the wines representing a bit of a challenge to thoughts and palate, but the whites especially: his Assyrtiko 2012 had a big, old-fashioned nose and spicy fruit on palate, untypical; his Sitia 2013 was golden-yellow, spicy on the palate but kind of weird. There was also an ethereal 2014 rose, but...

The sweet wines I tasted were:

a. Economou Sitia doux, a bit cloudy, complex burnt sugar on nose, less sweet but layered and complex on the palate, long.

b. Domaine Vakakis Samos Epogdon 2015 had a light golden colour, very sweet muscat nose, luscious, sweet rosewater/honey palate, long if not overly complex.

c. Argyros Vinsanto, of which I tasted several vintages, preferring (obviously...!) the older wines, though the 2014, with its subtle nose and complex dry palate of white peaches, was unusual and tickled my fancy. Vinsanto wines are jewels to be cherishes and sipped, not glugged.

Here I must stop, despite there being more notes to write up, perhaps another time and/or combined with something else.

Finally I would like to dedicate this post to my friend Lefteris Kouris, who passed away a few days ago rather unexpectedly. Well-known in the Greek wine world, his smiling face, sense of humour and underlying kindness will be missed by all who knew him - may he rest in peace.