Current/Forever State of Mind: Italy
- Sep 3, 2016
- 2 min read
MONFORTE D'ALBA
PIEDMONT, ITALY
Maybe because they've been living in civilized existence for many centuries
ahead of the rest of the world and by default, had had more practice when
it comes to excellent living, but don't you agree that when it comes to the
good life, the Italians just get it?
We find ourselves in Italy every year, always by choice, and last summer,
we found ourselves driving in the fantastic wine region of Barolo in
Piedmont in Northern Italy, at the foot of the Alps. We were in the
Alps and HAD to make a detour to Italy, if only to spend a few days
in the Italian countryside where the sun glows differently, where the
air is laced thick with the smell of grapes, and the food and wine is
always good beyond belief.
We had a day to do things on the fly and after gathering recommendations
from our Italian host and the folks at a wine shop in Alba, we headed towards
Barolo to do what we came here to do - drink Barolo to our hearts content.
On the way, we stumbled upon this amazing Italian town right out of a
postcard called Monforte d'Alba, its lush vineyards symmetrically
lined up, none out of place.
The town square itself was small, miniature compared to what one would
find elsewhere. Monforte d'Alba is perched on top of a hill and we got
there right as the sun was setting giving us gasp-inducing panoramic
views of vineyards as far as the eye can see, interrupted here in there
terracotta roofs, an occasional church steeple.
And perhaps because of a major project I have lined up with Italy soon,
I find myself flipping through old memories of the Italian countryside
and that affinity is just indescribably intense. If it was once true that
all roads led to Rome, then I would welcome it if I may have been
Italian in a previous life.
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