“Italians do it better” is more than just a slogan popularized by Madonna. It’s a fanatical belief espoused by Italians, Americans, ItalianAmericans and seemingly everyone else on the planet that all things Italian are superior, unrivaled and, above all, beyond reproach. I get it. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the warm and fuzzy feelings of family, tradition and conviviality that dreams of Italy conjure. And romanticization— perhaps more accurately fetishization—of Italian culture is a national pastime. It’s as though we, as a society, have agreed that a “Made in Italy” label or the Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP) designation is shorthand for perfection. But is it though?
A product being made in Italy doesn’t make it better. It makes it more likely that we as consumers will suspend our disbelief and buy into whatever quaint marketing fable we’re fed, regardless of quality. We’re told fine Italian ingredients are fresh and local, so when we are in Sonoma or the Hudson Valley the epitome of that is going to come from producers nearby, not an ocean away. It’s not that there aren’t exceptional foods and drinks produced in Italy and exported to the U.S. I would argue there just aren’t as many as we’re led to believe and there’s plenty of sub-par products—not to mention rampant fraud in the tomato and olive oil industries. I encounter them all the time, especially when I shop for Italian canned tomatoes at supermarkets in both Italy and the U.S. Pretty much
This Article was originally published on Wine Enthusiast
