My Article: Eat, Pray, Love… and Drink Wine

LONDON (DEC. 10, 2010): The flight to London was uneventful, other than being upgraded to upper class on Virgin Atlantic. That was good news. I could sleep on the flight since the chairs go flat like beds.

I had a glass of champagne. It was non-vintage Pannier, which was creamy with good fruit and bread dough character. I know you are not supposed to drink on flights but I drank plenty of water as well, so don’t worry!

Anyway, I watched this movie on the flight, which James Orr called “yet another chick flick.” He is a member of the Academy, so I tend to take his views on film seriously. I wanted to get in the mood for Europe – in particular, Italy; so I didn’t care that Eat Pray Love was a “chick flick.” And I found part of the film so true about living in Italy.

Okay… It was a little over the top. Not everything about Italy is so great, or anywhere else for that matter. But after living in Italy for over 12 years, it’s true that Italians live to socialize and enjoy life. It’s all about spending great time with friends and family, and eating and drinking well. It’s also about sharing as many special moments as possible with the people you love.

Characteristics like this are why I love Italian wines so much. They are wines to be drunk with food. Their subtle yet unique character and bright acidities complement the rich and soulful food of Italy. I am getting hungry just thinking about it! I can’t wait to get back to my house in Tuscany and cook some pasta, or grill some meat, and invite some friends over for dinner with a roaring fire in the kitchen.

It’s great to be back in Europe. I missed it after a month on the West Coast.