My how time flies! With the dawn of a new year we find ourselves looking back at the year past and on to the one coming. I can honestly say I am nostalgically shocked with where I've ended up in 2009, with great thanks to my opportunities in the wine industry and the fantastic people in my life who support my nomadic habits.
Since last posting I have not only finished my stint in New Zealand and traveled the South Island in a little Van for 3 weeks (with my lovely Kolina of course), but road-tripped to and from California to work the 2009 Harvest at Siduri wines in Santa Rosa. But wait, it gets better. I write this post while sitting on a comfy little couch in Kolina's rustic Italian apartment set quite literally in the center of Florence, Italy. The church bells outside ring five times as the day's last rays of sun set behind the ominous wintry clouds. Voices chatter on the street below as the diverse population of tourists and locals traverse the narrow streets on this holiday weekend.
As of now my stay here is solely a vacation, a two month vacation. In committing to a serious relationship with a fellow travel-maniac I willingly brought upon myself the travails of distance but spurred some fantastic travel opportunities in the process. On Tuesday we are leaving for a few weeks to meander through Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and who knows where else. Look for some stories to come. I hope to resurrect my postings, hopefully still with a focus on wine but also heavily influenced by my travels. For example, within hours of landing in the tiny Florentine airport Kolina already had me carrying empty wine bottles to be filled at the tiny little 'Enoteca' down the street. The two wines we got (a fresh white blend from Sicily and a light Montepulciano d'Abbruzo) were a steal for just over 5 Euro. It could have just been the emotional high of having arrived in this charming city (which I'm still riding more than a week later) but the wine tasted damn good to me. Since I'm on a travel budget I have a feeling the stuff I try from here on out will not be anything flash but that's just fine by me. It can't be too hard to find some decent juice in the places where the juice has been produced for thousands of years. Stay tuned.
Cheers to a happy and prosperous new year!