Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/61075
WHAT WE'RE READING Slow Food, Slow Wine I t's fast times for the Slow Food move- ment with the launch of its new English- language wine guide in the United States. Associated with the 23-year-old Slow Food movement, the 343-page guide, simply called Slow Wine 2012, offers a kinder, gentler way to learn about wine from the source. Some 200+ former Gambero Rosso contributors traveled Italy in search of the wineries that best demonstrate Slow Food's guiding principles of "good, clean and fair." It's the fi rst such wine guide to consider wineries' commitment to sustain- able viticulture practices. The book, says editor Giancarlo Gariglio, introduces a new generation of wine evaluation that consid- ers wines more holistically by taking ethical and environmental values into account. "The philosophy is very different. With Slow Wine, the winery is getting the review, not the wine," he said. "We wanted to give more priority to sustainability." A cousin to the 25-year-old Italian Wines published by Gambero Rosso, the guide includes detailed descriptions from on-site visits to more than 400 cellars. But, published by Slow Food Editore, it is a signifi cant departure in content and spirit. "The days of tasting 100 wines are over," Gariglio said. "Our contributors have met the producers and they tell their stories." The makeover includes a new rating system using three symbols: a snail, a bottle and a coin, respectively representing Slow Food values, quality and value. Says editor Fabio Giavedoni, "The point system was out- dated. It was a too simple and superfi cial way to look at a winery and its wines." The American debut included press and trade tastings of "slow producers"—68 in New York and 44 in Chicago. —Lana Bortolot Slow Wine 2012 ($25), distributed in the U.S. by Chelsea Green, can be ordered here: http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/ item/slow_wine:paperback Editors Giancarlo Gariglio (left) and Fabio Giavedoni. Eat What You Drink Meat in cocktails? Catch up with this and other delectably drinkable trends as mixed drinks maven Natalie Bovis, aka "The Liquid Muse" and a TASTING PANEL contributor, publishes Edible Cocktails: From Garden to Glass—Seasonal Cocktails with a Fresh Twist (Adams Media, $17.95). Geared as much for the behind-the-bar professional as for the home mixologist, the lavishly illustrated 224-page volume takes a just-picked approach to cocktails, whether you're a forager, a gardener or simply a savvy farmer's market shopper. The 100 recipes for jams, syrups and purées not only add an artisanal touch to cocktails but can also fi nd other uses in the kitchen. Available at Amazon.com and other online retailers. —David Gadd 88 / the tasting panel / april 2012