VINO NUOVO

I know, 300. Don't think I didn't try to think up something wizard for it. I did. I fell flat on my face.

Instead, we crossed the River Ribongo and went to a wonderful little wine shop run by Mr. and Mrs. Bonini. Here, you can buy anything from a bottle of brunello for over 100 euros to vino nuovo, drawn from vask casks, for two euros. You can have a label on it for no extra charge. That's £1.70 or US $2.65 or NZ $3.50. And if you think it is rot gut, you're wrong.

People hereabouts do not go in for dissecting wine. There is never talk of "a hint of raspberry" or "a touch of fresh grass." It is either buono or non buono and that's all there is to be said about it.

This year, the new wine happens to be molto buono. It's this season's wine, it's slightly sweet, quite fruity and very, very mellow and non-acidic. (It does have the hint of the grape about it.) It is 12% alcohol by volume and quite dangerous because it slides down so very smoothly.

The thing is, you have to drink as much of it as you can right away because by mid-December it is going off. If this is somewhat out of focus.......

A thousand million thanks to the House of Blip in Edinburgh, to all those who have looked at my pics, especially to those who have commented and of course, to the ever helpful Himself.

PS: My name is Molly.