Michele from Vinity

Came back today, to shop (his hand basket containing prosciutto, si certo) and just say, Hi.  I pointed out to him that I had just brought in the Lacrima di Morro d'Alba.  I ordered it last week.  And re-filled on a few other of his skus.

He had no idea.  Apparently, our direct ordering system does not get back to him immediately when our orders are placed.  He lamented that fact but got over it v quickly.  He really was there to invite me to The Golden Glass, which is part of the Slow Food Festival.

The Golden Glass is on February 3 and I hope the Wife and I can attend.  Michele also told me that he would bring me a bottle of the Lacrima di Morro d'Alba Reserva, just to taste, next time he saw me, even though it is not approved for the Food Hole NorCal and I can not order it or sell it.

I asked him if he was working Tre Bicchieri this year.  Michele said he was.  I had no intention of going this time but now I am starting to reconsider.  If I could just spend time with Michele, Oliver McCrum, and Julian I would most def go.

(Right now I am drinking an Australian Shiraz.  Yawn.  I just can not get in to Oz Shiraz.)

Then I asked Michele where he was from.  Rome, he said.  I told him my DiCesare roots were from the Abruzzo and he said, All the best chefs were from Abruzzo.  I protested and he said (in his delectable Italian accent), "No, it is not my opinion.  It is the truth."

Apparently the best cooking school in the region is in the Abruzzo and every serious Michelin starred chef has trained there, no matter where they are from in Italy.

Then Michele said he wanted to take me to a Producer's Dinner after Slow Food or Tre Bicchieri.

Gosh, I love this guy.  And he is local.  And shops at my store.

Cannot wait to taste that Lacrima di Morro d'Alba Reserva!

Ciao!

A couple of nights ago I drank

A very splendid (yet esoteric) Italian wine:  It was a 2009 Lacrima di Morro d'Alba D.O.C.  (The Italians, jeez.  The wine is not from the Alba region, even.  You know, they have had a significant wine industry in Italy since Roman times -- did you know that when Pompeii was destroyed that it caused havoc in the Roman wine trade and that prices rose to astronomical heights? -- you would think that they could sort out their wine classification system by now.)

Anyhoo, this is a red wine that reminds me slightly of Bandol.  It is fruity for sure, but v meaty, smoky, and gamey.  Fantastic stuff.  It was offered to me by my Vinity rep, Michele.

(True story:  I first met Michele about a year ago.  He came in, shook my hand, found out my name and said -- the accent I am about to unveil in phonetics is not an exaggeration, it is how the superb Michele speaks -- "We have-a the same-a name!" He is Italian, natch, so this last year I have met his wife and his son, and yes, he did the seven fishes Xmas deal, and he is just the sweetest, greatest rep I have right now.)

I am mos def bringing the wine in.  Look for it wherever you live, Lacrima di Morro d'Alba (do not worry about the producer.  Americans are so hung up on wine brands.  It is the terroir you should care about, the region.)

This particular bottle that I will hand-sell (for sure, and it will be tough in my market) is not cheap.  It will retail at about twenty bucks.

Ciao!
(naturally)