This is not a proper post

Maybe most of you have thought that this blog had been abandoned or that I had left it for more important and glamorous pages(yeah I wish!). Well that's not the case.
I need to apologise: I should have written this before.
But the reason for my lack of activity is that unfortunately I have been very very very very extremely busy with my other occupation (the one that pays the bills) and even though my business was wine focused I had no time or energies left over to share my experiences on these pages (but I'm still keeping my notes!).
The bad news have still to come....I will be away for a little bit longer but this time it is going to be for fun (not that any of you would really care!)
I will be back in 3 weeks, with new adventures in wine, so please don't cheat on me with any other blogger.
...stay wine tuned!

History of wine...

I apologise but this is not going to be a real dissertation on the history of wine.
No big thoughts or words on this lazy Sunday. ...just few pictures taken during a nice walk into the amazing British Museum. Images of ancient wine instruments coming mainly from Italy even though it is now quite well known that first traces of vine cultivation as well as the most ancient reperts are from the Caucasus area. But indeed we (we as for Italians) learnt how to enjoy it quite quickly and were doing it with classy objects!

Some wine instruments from the Etruscan civilization...

And a cup from Southern Italy....

Rapture...sweet rapture.

By luck I recently (virtually) met Franco DiFilippo. And it was good luck. He introduced me to his wine, his little gem…his ‘Estasi’(ecstasy).

It is a sweet wine, produced in Apulia, the heel of Italy around the city of Bari on limestone soil. The grape is white Muscat a very old and noble variety originally from the Mediterranean area.

Unfortunately few winemakers are still producing it and Franco is one of them. He works in his vineyard with passion to produce this delicious nectar and leaves the grapes getting dry and shrinking on the plant until October and harvest them manually to choose only the best bunches.

Just by pouring it in your glass you’ll be surprised by its intense golden shining colour. But that’s not it. At the nose you will discover the enchanting aromas typical of the Moscato grape but also a fine complexity of honey, dry white flowers, apricot jam and a gentle almond finish.

In the mouth the wine will complete its seduction with the harmonious balance of the flavours already present at the nose (apricot, honey white flowers) with the addition of citrusy and tropical fruits. The acidity is lively but is not overpowering the residual sugars and creates a perfect balance with the alcohol (14 degrees). The wine is rounded and soft and has a long persistent finish.

It is a wine that goes very well with fruit cakes or typical South Italian ‘pasticceria secca’ but you will enjoy it as well with foie gras or blue cheeses and (as the producer suggests) with oysters.

And most of all it is a charming elegant wine, the perfect end to a great meal….but also the perfect start.