You know you're jaded when you go to Rome, the Eternal City and home of the magnificent Pantheon, and you don't bother to leave the hotel and you order a club sandwich (30 euros) because you're so sick of running around in the cold. And, really, how many times can you fight the crowds to stare at the Trevi fountain for five minutes?
Ah me, life is tough. Compare this with me a year ago, joyously crossing the East River to Roosevelt Island to teach every day, wondering if I could get the tramway door open and jump into the icy drink before they could stop me.
I exaggerate but not by much. Not much at all.
Anyhow, it's late and I'm too tired to write anything really insightful and witty and so forth. I will share a few pix of various places I've been on this magical winery tour into the hinterlands of Bari, Avellino and Montecucco, fascinating and beautiful areas that relatively few Americans visit. (Cuz they ain't RomeFlorenceVenice and not many people down there speak English, which means Yanks won't show up at all.)
I do have to say that, South or North, the people you meet are overwhelmingly hospitable and charming. You easily bridge any language problems you might have. And you have a hell of a lot of fun, which oceans of good wine help keep going.
Vineyard of Domenico Mazzone near Ruvo, Puglia
Francesco Mazzone with his vines (biologic)
Francesco's Italian Jewish mother, if you get my drift
Can you read this? Immensus. Immensely good, a dry Malvasia
Angela Rosa family vineyard in Avellino area, lovely white wines from a cold zone (biologic)
Fortunato Sebastiano, enologo, and the Angela Rosa family
Boccella family, makers of awesome natural Aglianico (biologic)
Sunny Italy, Campania style
Next up: pix from the Montecucco area of southern Tuscany. Nothing like Florence and Chiantishire. And that's a goooood thing.
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