Finally Back in Action
There is something special in returning to action after a long wait, where the fear of the pandemic represented the core of our activities. Our wine encounters were online; through the cold and immaterial view of a computer screen. Beside trying to be entertaining; there is nothing fun of listening a long and sometimes tedious wine lesson on line.
But finally on March 2022 we were back in presence, at the iconic Rari Nantes club, overlooking the gorgeous bay of Naples; with Mount Vesuvius watching over us. The still chilly breeze coming from the bay reminded us that as much we wanted to be spring; it wasn’t yet. The room was well prepared and we expected almost 80 people to fill it that night. Mostly members of the club, excited to get together again; excited to listen about some interesting topic and taste some exceptional wines.
The topic: Campania and its wines. Why not... Campania is where we live, it's an exponentially growing wine producer region. Enrico Sposato and myself were able to engage three very important wine producers that covered the main areas of our region.
The Caserta area, with its pallagrello, casavecchia and sheep tale grapes, some of them new to our novice audience was represented by the “Il Verro” and its President.
The Irpinia region with its Greco di Tufo and Aglianico grapes was represented by the supersonic fast growing producer NATIV and its Director of the Marketing operations.
The Amalfi Coast area with its Piedirosso, Tintore and the indigenous blends of their whites with Ginestra, Peppella , Falanghina and Biancolella grapes was represented by Giuseppe Apicella wines; from Tramonti.
There is something beautiful and enchanting in visiting the above regions. When we did it, it was December , in the chilly days of post Christmas holidays. Despite of it, looking over the gorgeous surrounding as the sun was ready to set at 4:30 PM was just what our soul needed; to remind us that there is nothing more attractive than wine regions.
Tramonti was one of the best surprises, driving though the Valico di Chiunzi that link Naples province with the Amalfi Coast. The mountains, where we could have a peek at the body of water of the most famous winding road coast of the world.
The Caserta region, with its vulcano Roccamonfina and the Massico Mountain was also beautiful, far from the water but so popular with its grapes.
Of course how could we miss the Irpinia; Home of the 3 of the 4 DOCG of the Campania region. The King Aglianico grape, dominates. After all its named the Nebbiolo of the South.
The night of the event all the wines where exposed on this long table.. for the people to see. We tasted them all with the surprise expressions and the sparkling eyes of people that enjoyed the dinner paired with those wines. The surprise to learn about new grapes of our region and above all those exceptional producers that became our sponsors.
When the evening ended with our Neapolitan songs, people were standing, all singing along; sure the great wines had something to do with it, but why not ... it was the first real night out after the pandemic... MR COVID decided to spare us... yes .. it was a wonderful night.