Plans are just about completed for the coming together of a leading wine shop, a leading winery and a leading Italian cultural organization in San Diego County to bring Italy to Carlsbad on Saturday, July 12.

It’s the fourth annual Festa Italiana and the Wines of Italy, in cooperation with the Sons of Italy, Carlsbad Wine Merchants and Salerno Winery of Ramona. Admission is free at the Island Shopping Center at Faraday and College from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Scheduled attractions include: opera singing, music and dance exhibitions in full costume, Italian food, art and craft and even a bocce ball booth. Carlsbad Wine Merchants will have an Italian wine tasting in their shop from 2 to 5 p.m. Call (888) 750-WINE for details.

In a typical Italian party atmosphere, a pre-event gathering was held at the Salerno Winery off Highway 67 just south of Ramona. The "maestro" of wine, owner Herman Salerno, who is also an Italian-trained opera singer, broke out a sample of his latest releases.

He is known for his Petite Sirah, a more concentrated, fruit forward version of the more popular Syrah. But on this day, the big buzz was his venture into the traditional Italian grape-growing area of Piedmont to present Salerno Barbera.

The Barbera grape is Northern Italy’s answer to Tuscany’s Sangiovese grape, a foundation for the Chianti and Chianti Classico wines. Unlike its more expensive, moody cousins, Barolo and Barbaresco, Barbera is the everyday star grape, full of structure and accent but without the highly tannic power of the other two.

The rustic taste shows through, but it is a "drink now," delicious wine. No aging needed here. It is the Advertisement

[ Berry-Bell and Hall Mortuary ] most widely planted grape in the Piedmont district, but here in California it has no yet caught on. Salerno Winery’s goal is to change all that.

Angelo Abril, a Spaniard who has embraced the Italian style of winemaking, is general manager of Salerno, and even though he has high praise for the signature Petite Sirah, he feels that Barbera will be conquering many wine aficionados given the time to catch on.

"If there is a red wine for summer, it would be Barbera with its smooth, low tannin entry and slight acidic mouth-feel, ready to pair with a summer salad, hard cheese, olives and a rustic loaf of bread," he said.

The grapes are sourced from Paso Robles and the Salerno touch in making the wine is what makes this Barbera music to the taste. The 2006 and 2007 is being barrel tasted with 2006 bottles available soon. Contact the winery for details at (760) 788-7160.

For more information on Festa Italiana, call Joe Zazzaro at (760) 438-0554.

Red wine can extend your life

It happens time and time again and with more credible reports: red wine, consumed in moderation, can lengthen your lifespan through the antioxidant Resveratrol. The latest findings came as a result of work with living organisms.

Resveratrol is an active ingredient found in the grape tannins cultivated in red wine. Health officials conclude that this ingredient may extend life by cutting down on the degenerative diseases of aging.

Still another reason to consider wine the beverage of choice. Drink to your health!

Frank Mangio is a wine connoisseur certified by Wine Spectator. His library of columns may be viewed at www.tasteofwinetv.com. Reach him at mangiompc@aol.com.