Absent without leave

See Guide to Walter's Tuscan week for links to all the related articles published this week.

During this year's tasting marathon in Tuscany, there was the recurrent theme of absenteeism: estates which do not show their wines at the official presentations led by the various Consorzios.

Chianti Classico seems less affected by it than are Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and, especially, Brunello di Montalcino. Some of the most famous names of Montalcino were not available at the offical tastings because, one can only assume, they are so famous that the wines are snapped up the minute they hit the market. But...