Weekends in Barolo country!

We've been busy.  We've spent the last two weeks working on some of my bureaucratic immigration stuff. I had to renew my permission to stay in Italy.  That was relatively easy requiring only a couple trips to the Post Office and a bunch of photo copies.  What was a bit more complicated and completed finally yesterday was my request for Italian citizenship.  We're going for the dual citizenship so I can apply for EU research grants and Italian government jobs.  Anyway, it was great to get that stuff in so that we don't have to think about it anymore.  Now Rome has 2 years to decide.  Yes, that's right, 2 years!!  Don't expect to see my Italian passport any time soon.

Through all this Fabri's been working like a dog.  He works 4 night shifts a month and has to do all of his for November before our Thanksgiving vacation!  Poor Fabri.  We have managed to have some fun though.  These past two Saturdays we went to La Morra for Barolo wine tastings.  The month of October they had 5 euro tastings every Saturday.  It was a very nice set up.  The wine cellar of La Morra is very lovely with brick walls and ceilings and they always have an art exhibition.  Packed in the exhibition room were about 10 different wine producers, different each weekend.  Most had more than one wine with them.  We probably tasted 40 wines both times!

One producer's table with the pour bucket on the left.

40 sips of Barolo go to your head.  The first Saturday I was very good.  Taking only a taste and pouring the rest out so that I would be able to taste more.  The second Saturday I must not have poured enough out, because I ended up with quite a headache and I put myself to bed very early.  I blame it on Anna & Claudio who came with us the second time.  They're enablers!

Fabri and I have been going to the Wine Cellar in La Morra since my first or second trip to Italy.  We have become friends with the older gentleman who works there who has taught us a lot about wine.  He's a sweet old guy who asked us our opinions after the tastings and gave us some advice on how to get great bottles of wine for a little cheaper.  For example, 2004 is the best year for Barolo out there now.  But they're saying 2006 might even be better.  The only problem is that 2006 is still too young for Barolo.  So, buy some 2006 now, and age it for 2 years yourself.  You get it before the price goes up that way.  Anyway, we're waiting for 2008 to be bottled.  That was the year we were married and we'll buy a few cases of that to save for all those future anniversary celebrations.  Fancy fancy!

Sorry about the photo quality.  They were taken with my iPhone!