Wine, My Favorite Fruit Juice

When I was little I would follow my grandfather everywhere because he let me help him work around the house. He let me paint walls, doors, my clothes…he never lost his cool. He was, and still is, my hero. I remember how he bottled wine. Oh, I forgot to tell you, I’m from Italy. Some of the wine came from our own grapes, the rest he purchased from trusted friends. Then the wine would be poured into generic dark green glass bottles with handwritten labels carefully glued to each bottle. The labels only had the type of grape and the year it was produced and bottled. Then the bottles ended up in the cantina, a musty, dark basement where I would only set foot while holding on to nonno’s pant leg.

Supersized spiders lived down there. Enough said.

Nowadays wine is available just about anywhere food is served or sold. Some stores have more varieties than other. I love to look and read the labels. Yes, I also buy wine, but I’m predictable and usually come home with the same brand, vintage and variety. Unless some label really catches my fancy, I’ll buy the bottle, put it in my wine refrigerator and occasionally consider drinking the wine. Right now, the wine cooler is mostly filled with wine bottles with lovely, meaningful labels.

I have a bottle of Barolo from 1973. It was a gift. I often look at it, dust it and put it back. Another bottle is from 2002 signed by the winemaker, with a gold pen right on the glass bottle. Another of my favorites is from Jerome, Az, where every label is the story of a real town person, a limited edition. That one I drank and no, I'm not telling why.

So, why am I talking about wine? Take a look at this bottle of Pinot Grigio. California wine, 2016. What makes it special? 

If you look closely, you'll see a tiny gondola at the bottom of the label. The name of the producer is Moon Wine, this variety is labeled Venetian Moon. Why is that significant?

Well, if you check out my website here, you can get yourself a copy of my book, Venetian Moon, which can be enjoyed with a glass of wine…or not.

Maria Grazia Swan was born in Italy, but this rolling stone has definitely gathered no moss. She lived in Belgium, France, Germany, in beautiful  Orange County, California where she raised her family, and is currently at home in Phoenix, Arizona—but stay tuned for weekly updates of Where in the World is Maria Grazia Swan?