Drink the Wine, Not the Water

Before the move to Naples, after delivering the news to friends and family, I can't tell you how many people told me to drink the wine while I am here. Well Duh! Italy is know for the UH MAZ ZING food and SUPERB wine.

After griping in a previous blog, a fellow military wife (N) invited me to get out of the hotel and go stomp some grapes on a Fleet and Family (FFSC) vineyard tour. Having never met her, I took a chance and went with my gut. All of the wives who have reached out to me and that I have met have been nothing shy of wonderful. We are a small community out of our element and we help each other because we know what it is like to not know anyone, where we are, or who we can rely on. 

N picked myself and Secret Squierls' wife up from the hotel and we took a road trip north to the Porto di Mola Vineyard. With our handy GPS loaded with the coordinates we were on our way. Well, so we thought. Our GPS and the other drivers' GPS ended up having different coordinates. After making a couple wrong turns, almost going down a goat trail, we got back on track and made our way. The coordinates took us through a vineyard, on a tractor trail. How the GPS picked up this road, is beyond me, but it was interesting to say the least.

We made it, and shortly after arriving it was time. YEP! Time to stomp some grapes! I was the first person to hop int he barrel and get my feet a squishin! First I thought stepping on the stems would be rough, but there were so many juicy grapes all you feel is little pops under your feet and then juice in between your toes. I could have stomped grapes all day, but I had to share with the other people there.

Following the fun we toured the factory, learning many things:

1. All wine is white wine, until dyed by the grape skin.
2. The long the juice is in contact with the skin, the darker and richer the color.
3. Red wine ages better than white.
4. White wine is good for about 2 years (I believe that was what was translated)
5. Wine that can be kept for years have a real cork, not a silicone cork
6. Real Corks must have holes in the foil on top, and should be shelved on it's side to prevent dry rot
7. Italian Law prohibits adding sugar to wine (to increase alcohol) the grapes must be picked at the right time of year to get the sugar quality needed
8. The sun enhances sugar growth, the longer the grapes grow and are exposed to the sun, the stickier they get, the more sugar they have.

After the tour, we walked to a home where 40 of us sat down for lunch. Three older ladies cooked us an amazing Italian lunch. I don't know over half of what I ate, but I was enjoying the experience. Each table had four different bottles of wine to split. I know our table had at least two bottles of the first kind, and maybe two of the last kind which makes six bottles amongst one table of ten people. We chatted and dined over fresh mozzarella, proscuito, olives, friedn sardines, penne pasta, ravioli, some sort of steak and sausage. I was in Italian Vineyard Heaven!

We finished lunch and made our way back to the main building to purchase a bottle or twelve of wine.

I am a wine novice, and don't get caught up in the "Wino" phase, but I must say, I was intuigued to buy a couple bottles of wine! I tend to stick with Moscato di Asti, but since that wasn't available I adventured out and bought a couple different white wines, and a bottle of Champagne.

Over all I bought 4 bottles of wine and paid for lunch all for 33 Euros. Not a bad day at the Vineyard I must say.

I left caring a bit more about the process of making wine, and as well as feeling closer to my mother. Next time I go, I'll make sure to bring her along!

Also, Happy Birthday to Shannon. Her and one of our closest Girl Friend's, Kim, went to  Williamsburg Winery to celebrate, and so I was with them in spirit at another Vineyard, which made me feel close to home.

If you ever get the chance to go to a Vineyard I highly recommend it. At Porto di Mola we paid 10 euros for lunch and whatever wine we bought. The wine tasting wasn't limited to X amount of ounces, and they were happy to let us try something if they didn't have it out, like the Grappa!

I found the Italian Laws very interesting, how strict they are about making wine, but without those laws Italian Wine wouldn't be what it is today. They do what they can to maintain the integrity of TRUE italian wine. I also learned that it is bad luck to pour your own wine, so never let a friend pour their own glass.

And to that, I say "Cheers!"