L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 36 L'Italo-Americano Wine, Work, Play and Love D i g i t a l t e c h n o l o g y h a s m a d e i t p o s s i b l e f o r anyone to share an opi- nion about wine. This is not a bad thing. Nor are the many opportunities for quality wine education available to wine con- sumers and professionals. But, I wonder if either or both may contribute to the relentless criti- cism and evaluation of wine that intends to educate, yet seems to leave something out of the wine appreciation equation. We hear far less about the fascinating, surprising - and sometimes strange - ways wine fits into the patterns of life. To n o t i c e h o w w i n e s h a p e s t h e world where it is enjoyed brings a sense of purpose to wine's pleasure: it's a different way of looking at it. At worst, it can bring an added dimension to its appreciation. At best, it is a con- s c i o u s n e s s t h a t c a n i n f o r m serious wine criticism. The following vignettes are drawn from my own life, hob- bies, work and play: in each of them wine was elemental to the activity, the moment and how I remember both. Consider them an invitation to adjust your wine gaze. And to imagine wine in a different and, perhaps, far more interesting way. WORK I am upside down. Well, more accurately, I am bent over at the waist, nose to t o e . B l o o d i s r u s h i n g t o m y head. Again I push my weeding tool into the ground – improving the blister now forming on my hand – against an invading army of dandelions. As I move to stand up strai- ght, the Allman Brothers Band " O n e W a y O u t " i s p u m p i n g t h r o u g h m y h e a d p h o n e s , m y hamstrings reminding me that I am now too old to stay bent over for longer than a shoe tie. A f t e r f o u r h o u r s o f y a r d work, the electric shrub trimmer, telescopic saw and tree pruner have become temporary exten- sions of my physical anatomy. I reflect upon the plight of Edward Scissorhands. Sweat and dirt combine with copious amounts of SPF 50 sun- block to trickle impressive rivers of funky mud down along my arms. In a primal voice I call out to weeds, bushes, trees and wife: "That's it…enough." Major refreshment required: a cool shower…pizza from a local legend…and a bottle of chilled C e r a s u o l o M o n t e p u l c i a n o d'Abruzzo. PLAY Dinner dishes are cleared, a half bottle of wine still to drink. O u t s i d e , m a s s i v e o a k l i m b s creak in the wind, sympathy for logs crackling in the wood stove. He looks at the chess board, and then back at me, raises an eyebrow. I return a steady gaze that says, "What? You want a piece of me?" H u n c h e d o v e r t h e c h e s s b o a r d , h e a b s e n t - m i n d e d l y swirls a last sip of wine in the glass, and pushes his bishop forward. "Really? Bishop's ope- ning? Popular back in the '60s perhaps. Oh, he's an old school boy, isn't he?" Classic chess man, all the way. Also showing some classic style tonight is the notable and easy drinking Valpolicella. LOVE I don't know if you've ever h a d o c c a s i o n t o s t a n d a l o n g B o s t o n ' s C o m m o n w e a l t h Avenue when winter's white fractures against the interruption of bare tree branches. But I can tell you that there are fewer pla- ces where crow-black hair and dark up-slanted eyes can look more stunning. Cold, it turns out, is neither good nor desirable for violins, Chinese take-out or the univer- s i t y m u s i c s t u d e n t t r y i n g t o carry them. When all three hit the ground, I offer an assist. B a c k a t h e r a p a r t m e n t , w i t h cups of black tea and passages o f J . S . B a c h ' s A d a g i o i n G Minor, she repays the kindness. I am four years and six rows from center stage. Sitting in the best seat I can afford. Seeing her take the stage, I realize I was wrong: she looks stunning here, too. Silence. Then, the beautiful, organized chaos of the orchestra t u n i n g . S u d d e n l y , t h e c l e a n sound of "A" at 440 cycles per second fills the space. T h e y s a y a n i n s t r u m e n t ' s strings, when in tune, vibrate in sympathetic reaction. I shiver. I c a n t h i n k o f f a r b e t t e r endings than sitting here alone, TV on mute, Barolo unwinding in the glass, Amy Winehouse in the background reminding me that Love Is A Losing Game. N e b b i o l o i s s o f * ! # i n g astounding. H o w w i n e s a r e m a d e a n d where they come from is impor- tant, but how wines work in your life and how you exist with them, well, that's important, too. S o , p a y c l o s e a t t e n t i o n . Because that part is on you. And it's not in the book. Tasting Note L u i g i E i n a u d i B a r o l o Cannubi 2013 Aromatic, textured, shows good depth, along with expected notes of tar and roses, finishes with graceful, silky tannins. The wine is pure pleasure even now. T h i s i s o n e t h a t n e i t h e r t h e Nebbiolo-curious nor Barolo junkies will want to miss. We hear far less about the fascinating, surprising ways wine fits into the patterns of life WINE NEWS TRENDS PROFILES JOEL MACK THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2017 Some say that drinking wine is the ideal workout for your brain, engaging more parts of our grey matter than any other human behavior

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