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Sunday, April 11, 2010

Vinitaly Day 3 ~ Mishegas Impossible

“You like to walk fast,” @robbin_g tweeted. I was. It was crazy. This Vinitaly is so crazy, I’ll never get around to seeing all the people I have to see, let alone make time to “float” and check out what’s new. It’s an impossible dream, to actually do all one wants to or needs to do in a show like this.  Mishegas Impossible. And at the end of the day, my dogs were barking.

I guess trying to do all that and do a daily post is getting to me. And the marathon of meat, roasted, boiled, grilled, fried, cured. When I get back home, I’m tackling spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce. I promise.

So while this will be a short one, I have to tell you about a wine I found yesterday, and probably one of the most interesting wines I have seen in the show. It is red. It is sweet. And it is made from Montepulciano. And while folks who know me know how much I love the Nico from Illuminati, and I do, isn’t there always room for one more sticky? In my world, there is.


The meat platter at Cenacolo in Verona - eat your heart out, Texas Hill Country. The "grape soda" in Verona is better too

Note to Sausage Paul back home – this one is for you buddy. You are going to flip over this one. I did. And I know you'd love the roasted meat platter above, too.

The wine is called Clematis, from the Zaccagnini folks. Montepulciano is harvested in the vineyard and left to wither outside (note to nearby birds: stay away :). The sensation in the nose is typical of Montepulciano – grapey, a little of the darker berry fruit aromas. Inky. And then there is this little thread of exotic perfume that wafts up, ever so gently. It is saying, “go ahead, take a sip, it won’t hurt you.” Tempting. So why not take a sip, a little bite? And then the wine is tasted and this incredible array of flavors woven together making a whole new experience. I never use the word synergy, but that would describe whatever happened when I tasted this wine. I can barely describe it (my notes simply had “wow!), but I love, love, loved that wine. And I have had more than my share of great wines lately. (not bragging). Sulpizio Razzi (ok, now that’s a great name) and his daughter Carley Razzi (and a great wine industry name) met with me to present their wines. Sadat X is a fan (the f’up factor guy on YouTube - check out his special Zaccagnini award video). I’m a fan now too.


Ok, out of here, hope all is well at home. Hope my “editor” back home catches my grammar mistakes. I have a lot of quaffing to do. I could also use a new coif. And I could really go for a coffee right now, too. Buon lavoro, tutti!