Saturday, January 21, 2012

13. Wine & Vinegar Tour-Jan 21


Departed from the Bologna station, 7 ovest
to travel by train to Zola Chiesa.
Thirty minutes later I am in wine country.
Greeted by Fabio, very hospitable is he.
He tells me the story of his wife's family,
And how they have worked so hard to become Manaresi.
Manaresi was her grandfather, a famous artist,
And, they have preserved the tradition as they know best.
They are a small family vineyard,
with only four labels and 20,000 bottles per year.
The local men were trimming the vines with pruning shears,
In hopes of a good harvest the upcoming year.
I received a tour and instruction on their process,
Met his mother-in-law and wife, who are the bosses.
Into the house for a private wine tasting with his family. 
Sat at the table, tasted three labels and ate salami.
Chose a few to take with me on the road,
Even though it would heavy my load.
Missed the train, so Fabio did drove
To take me to the next village to meet Miss Gio.
Her name is Giovanna, but her nicname you know.
For four generations her family has been
Producing traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena.
Boiled grape juice, aged long and slow
In a series of barrels, the smaller they go.
Each barrel is made from different wood
To give the unique flavor that it should.
The barrels are stored in the house loft
For in winter it's cold and summer it's hot.
Twelve, twenty-five, fifty, a hundred years,
Each must pass a test from the examiners.
There are five different traditional types,
Depending on the color and the aging to ripe.
The tasting was superb and so fun,
A small bit on the spoon and the tip of your tongue.
You savour the changes as in your mouth it melts,
I bought a bottle of 25 years that cost plenty
But appreciate the art that is kept by the family.

Websites for the day
MANARESI - Vineyard
Via Bertonloni 14-16 Loc. Bella Vist
40069 Zola Predosa (BO) Italia

Fabio 39-335 8032189
info@manaresi.net
www.manaresi.net

Azienda Agricola
"La Ca dal Non"
Via Nicolai Ghiaurov 50-56
Vignola (MO) Italy
39 059 300278
www.cadalnon.com
cadalnon@vignola.it







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