I’m now officially out of my special Italian Orange liqueur, which means my secret writing weapon is spent. After a week of working long hours and nights writing these posts, I am cooked. But onward, through the fog, toiling, ever vigilant of the need to move onward, upward into the light. Man, sometimes I just want to jump out, pull the rip-cord and head for my island.
Fortunately the weekend is near, so I can get some work done. Hundreds of arugula sprouts are screaming in my hothouse, begging to be taken outside and planted in the earth, with the bees and the sparrow hawks and the outlaw coyote that is cleaning up the neighborhood of meandering felines.
Later today, if anyone reading this is in the Dallas, Texas area, I will finish up the week with a Friday Night Wine Flight, five Sicilian wines. I’ll be taking those folks, who show, on a Sicilian Carousel, starting with several Nero d’Avolas, a white Grillo and a surprisingly good Syrah.
This is not for Master Sommeliers-in-waiting; besides they’re way too busy developing their careers (and, apparently, to return calls as well). No, this is for regular folks who want to hear stories about wine and friends. Details here.
Speaking of wines and friends, the importers have come a knockin’ this week. Seems they’re back from Vinitaly with their sample cases full of new stuff that the market can’t live without. We’ll see. I still am looking at wine from last year's Vinitaly (and the year before), some of which are in my employers warehouses, still looking for someone to love them.
If you are an importer or a marketing person or a hopeful-wannabee, please know this. We want you to make a pile of money and be happy, just as long as you don’t expect us to be thrown out of the plane in mid flight. Come as a partner with realistic expectations. Respect the experience some of us have gained over the years, it could save you a lot of time and heartache. And please, many of us are working 60-70 hours a week for 20+ years at this. We may live in a backwater market, that doesn’t mean we are “jejune”, as Woody Allen would say. We're not "all hat-no cattle", as we say, in the local dialect.
Wine note this week- not Italian, but a nice beverage, Pierre Sparr Alsace One. Five grapes. Had it twice, once in a tasting, once at a lunch. Great with lentil soup and some sautéed perch. The wine had a clean backbone of crispness aligned with the spices of the fruit (Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Muscat and Pinot Gris)
Pierre Sparr Alsace One – Under $15.
Wine before it's time - 1 Liter Italian varietals in tetra-pax. The 17 and 18 year olds will be ready for this in 3-4 years when they are legal and looking for a good value that is 100% recyclable. That is, if the World Bank doesn't devalue the dollar anymore.
So, for the moment I'm writing dry, and it’s late again. Big developments coming. The writing thing will soon blossom. And the day job, well it soon will go to the next level too. I must do something big, before my heart bursts. Passion, baby.
And lastly, too crazy, but I actually heard this tonight (see cartoon below). The world turns and gets more and more interesting in a wicked sort of way.
Like I said earlier, got to rise above it.
And good night.
Comments here:Italianwinetrail[at]yahoo[dot]com