Blog: Magandeep Singh
There is more to Italy than pasta and Marlon Brando, and both are more American than anything else. I have often been to Vinitaly in the lovely town of Verona (think Romeo and Juliet) and each time I have come back a learned man. Mostly, they were kind enough to invite me; the learning however was mostly pieced together through my keen and supernatural powers of observation.
A bit about the event. Well Vinitaly is this massive wine event which has more wine-starved souls than a posh Indian wedding! I saw some people who came with small suitcases just to fill them with ‘sample' wine bottles and wheel them away for all the makings of many a cosy evening! Some people also collected brochures so dedicatedly it seemed that they were intending to construct an outhouse in paper-mâché.
Some things I liked were that when the tastings happened, everyone behaved professionally. They exchanged business cards and bowed. They dissected each wine like some tiny non-furry animal. They spoke softly and spat speculatively. It was almost like a tea ceremony, or a Sumo match, depending on what you do more.
However, for lunch and snacks, these same ‘connoisseurs' didn't have any problems knocking back pre-mixed fizzy wine drinks and sometimes even in plastic glasses. I was truly overwhelmed by this; a good way to make the best of every situation rather than acting like worthless snobs.
I was invited to a lot of dinners where people were given pre-fixed seats. That way married people don't end up seated next to their wives. I thought this was a great idea and was sure that people would pay top-dollar for such comforts - perhaps even bid to be put next to blondes and brunettes - but I was told this was done intentionally by the organisers and for no fee at all. Then I realised that this is what true hospitality is all about - anticipating needs. The whole idea of the evening was to make new friends through the common thread of the wine in our glasses. And if you flirt too much you can always blame it on the wine, so what if it happens even before the second course is served.
One more thing I loved was that people always came on time. When will Indians learn? The only time the word fashionable is used with our names is when suffixed with -ly and followed by ‘late'.
Starting a dinner on time means that we are drunk way before it is 9pm anywhere in the world. Which gives us enough time to stagger home, drink enough water till we pass out, wake up and nurse a hangover, vow never to do it again, cancel it over breakfast with some bubbly and then be ready for a 10am tasting. It is as if time itself stretches to accommodate our indulgences. Start the evening late you will end up skipping some crucial steps.
All in all my visits to Vinitaly have taught me so many new things about wine which I noted down somewhere but can't remember where. Just rejoice that the boredom buck stops here! I will recommend you visit Vinitaly. Wine gyan aside you will learn a lot about Italian ways. I too learnt a lot more about life and friends and this then is my advice on living La Dolce Vita!
- Drink only wine every time you reach out for a drink. Only take breaks from this when you are drinking coffee.
- No matter how cold it gets, it is always time for an ice cream.
- I like the idea that Italians like to greet true friends with a hug and a kiss on the cheeks rather than a handshake. So Punjabi and so absolutely delightful!
- Dress to kill! Never be caught with your fashion guard down. These guys probably have an 8-drop three-piece pin-stripe just to sleep in!
- Speak with your tongue and hands. Watch out for people close by but speak with passion; show feeling for the matter being discussed. The next best option is to keep your trap shut and listen.
- Live it up! That is something north Indians may only be too familiar with. Simply put, love like you'll live forever; live like you'll die today.
Hmm. Nothing too deep but all this from just a wine fair! Will I go back for the next Vinitaly, the city where the famous love story is based? Perhaps. Thing is I have another old love affair and am torn between the two...which is the topic of my next blog.
Just,
Magan.
