Italian Wine Touring - Get to Know the Whole Family

September 19, 2010

Kathleen and I are back from an amazing (i.e., life changing) trip to Europe. We spent two weeks in Europe -- mostly in Tuscany -- and visited a half dozen small wineries. In general, the tasting room experience is totally different. First off, as hosts they treat you like a long lost cousin. You're there for hours. And during that time, you will sample delicious wines no doubt and you will also get a chance to meet the kids, parents, grandparents, family dog and their Uncle Vinnie.

It's there that you realize full force that wine is a condiment to life. It's to be shared with food, friends and family. Oh, by the way, speaking of food, our winery visits have forced me to loosen my belt because you don't just taste wine at the wineries. Typically, they have prosciutto, salami, local cheeses and amazingly crunchy bread to dip into homemade olive oil. To wit, at Tre Donne Winey in Neive, Italy smack in the heart of nebbilo territory, Piernicola’s mother-in-law joined us with a freshly made dish of ravioli handmade using the freshest ingredients from her garden. That was in addition to plates of meats and cheeses to go with the four bottles of wine that we were sampling.

By the end of the visit, don't be surprised that the wine becomes secondary to the overall experience. You might be kissing babies, bidding ‘ciao ciao’ and exchanging email addresses with a promise to come back. Now, that’s amore!