Now that all the wines are out of label jail and I have cases of samples stacked all over the place, I've been retasting some of the wines -- some of which I hadn't tasted in six months or longer. I have to say, with relief, that they're even better than I remembered them. I was worried about several. A few are made, at least in part, with "international" grapes, so I wondered if they would now strike me as overblown or somehow "new world" in style.
The answer is no. They're clean, precise and beautifully balanced. It helps that they're organic and even certified biodynamic. It also helps that some are made under the guidance, in vineyard and cellar, of people like Luca D'Attoma and, of course, that emerging talent of the Mezzogiorno, Fortunato "Lucky" Sebastiano.
Still, there's always the fear of wine's not selling. Is it too expensive for today's market? Is the appellation too obscure or not prestigious enough? Is the grape's name too hard pronounce? Do we need a bunch of scores and rave reviews in order for someone to slow down and take the juice seriously?
Whether you're a small importer or a big one, inventory's inventory. You have to move the product. You have to recoup your investment so you can order more. You have to be nimble enough to supply the stuff that will rock in the market. You of course must be relentless.
It's risky. It's hard work. It's way fun.
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