Oh the wacky GPS system! The twisty country roads, the spotty cell phone reception, the even spottier BlackBerry email reception, oh and the lost suitcase! That suitcase has seen more than me. It spent a comfortable night with its friends at JFK while I grimaced and put on the same socks, shirt and undies for three days.
Three days you say? Oh, then my suitcase spent a night in Madrid -- I've never been to Spain at all! And then Venice and to Cuneo, where I am told it will be waiting for me when I arrive.
If that does occur, it will be a happy reunion. I shall cry when I touch my underwear.
As to wine, we had a heartwarming encounter with a young couple who live near San Martino Buon Albergo. Their vineyards are at a high altitude in the Negrar area, and they make a surprisingly accomplished Valpolicella Classico superiore from very young vines -- especially considering we tasted her second vintage (a 2005). Young vines contributed, I think, to the short finish. The wine shows great promise for the future.
The 2004 Amarone is an early indicator of the potential of this tiny family winery. Elegant, balanced and amazingly drinkable at 15 percent alcohol, it feels like the harbinger of a new style and direction. The grapes for this one are from 40-50 year old vines at 550 metres / about 1750 feet. Thin soil, solid sandstone underneath. No wonder the Amarone has such good bones.
Now on to Piemonte for uinder 24 hours, then on to Emilia-Romagna. Jeff, the chauffeur, is doing a competent job guiding the limousine. He did miss the turnoff for the Turin expressway. No tip for him.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Mimmo get me some Amarone I already miss it!!!
Paolo
Posted by: Paolo | September 16, 2008 at 08:46 AM
Tip? A tip would mean I was getting paid in the first place!
Posted by: jeff | September 16, 2008 at 12:17 PM
Tip? A tip would mean I was getting paid in the first place!
Posted by: jeff | September 16, 2008 at 12:18 PM
hei Terry, if you come over to Piemonte, you have to stop by Cascina Gilli and have a good freisa with us!!
Posted by: chiara | September 16, 2008 at 03:50 PM
Ciao vecio!
Posted by: Jeremy Parzen | September 16, 2008 at 06:51 PM
I would cry too if I touched your underwear.
Posted by: Marco | September 16, 2008 at 08:59 PM
You will all be thrilled to discover that although I won't see my suitcase before FRIDAY -- it's been transported all over Italy and is expected to touch down at Florence -- I did get permission from Delta Airlines to buy "bare necessities" of clothing. I went crazy at the very upperclass LeClerc hypermarket and got:
1. 1 pair jeans
2. 2 shirts
3. 4 pair of underpants
4. 1 acrylic sweater (virgin acrylic, I'd guess)
5. 2 pair sock
89 euros the lot.
I am living large indeed.
La vita e' bella.
Posted by: Strappo | September 17, 2008 at 05:35 PM
Chiara, mi dispiace, siamo di corsa come una gang di latitanti. Prossima volta OK?
Paolo, dai, gia' la nostalgia? Quando ritorniamo a New York vi diro' quanto mi ha fatto schifo l'Italia. ;_O
Posted by: Strappo | September 17, 2008 at 05:38 PM