Gee, I haven't been to Italy in so long. I'm not used to being at home for 6 whole weeks at a stretch. Well, that's about to change. We leave in 20 minutes for JFK, will be landing in Venice tomorrow. Our sprint from North to South begins on Monday morning. I don't know how often I'll be able to get Wi-Fi access, but thank Bacchus for my BlackBerry.
Now I can only hope that being out of intimate touch with American political insanity will be salutary for my mental health. Because, frankly, the whole spectacle has been pretty depressing.
So now I'll get to taste "new" producers' wines in Veneto, Piemonte, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Abruzzo, Basilicata and Campania. A somewhat grueling routine, believe it or not, but it's always fascinating and usually very pleasant. It's corny to say but I'll say it anyway -- after you've met the producers you often feel like they're part of one big extended family. The wine always comes down to the people who make it. I'll go out on a limb and say: Tricky wine comes from tricky people. In that case it's Ciao ciao bambino.
Sadly, my being away for two weeks means you'll be deprived of my scathing satire and trenchant wit. Now now, don't cry. We'll always have politicians and wine-scoring systems to ridicule.
Arrivederci, ragazzi.
are you saying that only nice people make good wine?
Posted by: fredric koeppel | September 13, 2008 at 03:51 PM
not exactly. good people seem to make honest wine...although that's no guarantee it's really good wine.
hmmm. sounds almost jesuitical, doesn't it.
Posted by: Strappo | September 13, 2008 at 04:01 PM
Hi! Bye! We'll miss you.
Posted by: Dale Cruse | September 13, 2008 at 04:28 PM
Thanks. I'll be annoying you all while I'm away using the BB like I am now.
Posted by: terence | September 13, 2008 at 04:35 PM
Ciao zio Terry!
We'll waiting for your news here in Italy....when you'll arrive.
For now, have a fine journey!
L.
Posted by: Lizzy | September 14, 2008 at 04:50 AM