Last Month Review

The Good Stuff

• We had a number of great groups stay at the Villa. One such group of 10 guests was from Sweden. They enjoyed a pizza night and cooking class with our private chef, and a ‘dinner with the owners’. Yep, that’s us! They were celebrating Granny’s big 80.
• The sun has come out, and how. It was 35 C yesterday. Too hot but some days are mid-20s. Lovvvverly. We have therefore finally been able to do laps in the pool. And enjoy a Gin & Tonic. Or two.
• We had a very productive meeting with our bank manager last week. Only in Italy would you kiss your bank manager hello and goodbye!
• We received orders for our wine from Switzerland and a couple of new restaurants in Montepulciano. Hurrah! Piano, piano, arriviamo (We’re getting there…slowly).
• We continue to discover new and wonderful areas (and restaurants) in Umbria. We have frequented Rastrello in Panicale more than once, and love it. Their food, drinks and jazz on Tuesdays are fantastic. A must try if you are ever in the area. Picnicco at Madrevite is another must do. A lil video of what it’s like.
• It is summer time so of course there are a number of ‘Sagre’ in Toscana and Umbria, each based on a different theme. A Sagra is a local festival, very often centred around food, that is usually held at the piazza of the town/village. This weekend we plan to try the one in Paciano, which is based on ‍, a type of hand-rolled pasta.
• We have some big news coming up on our wine portfolio front. (Watch this space!) We tasted our 2022 and 2023 vintages, most of which are still in the barrel, to assess the evolution. We are very happy with the results. Niall likes to say: ‘Our past is our future’. He hasn’t found anyone who gets it yet!

• Max and Milo, our two beautiful King Charles/Cocker Spaniel-mix dogs, got their summer haircuts. There is nothing like happy, light and free dogs playing on green green grass!

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The Not-So-Good Stuff

• The AC in one of the rooms of the Villas broke down. Despite a reset, it refused to work. External help was called. Did we mention it was 35 C and the bride was getting married that day? Fingers crossed this doesn’t make the review!
• One of our wine shipments to North America has been delayed at customs due to miscommunication (let’s just call it what it is, incompetence). Our biggest concern? The state of the wine in the bottles.
• We continue to be homeless. The house hunt continues….. where oh where will we end up? Answers on a postcard.
• Between Dubai work, Italy work, the house-hunt, doggie care, socializing, and a cheeky holiday to Greece, we have been torn in different directions every second. We don’t know whether we are coming or going. Breathe. Relax. Meditate. (Glass of wine). Repeat. (PS: #firstworldproblems)

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The tally shows more Good Stuff than Not-So-Good Stuff, and so we go on… :)

The news today is that our wines will be presented, for the first time, at Calice di Stelle(one of the main wine-tasting events held each year in Montepulciano) this evening.

Mr OT and our colleague, Elia (our cantiniere/somm/manager and everything in between!), will also be conducting a guided tasting.

This morning Mr OT was advising on intellectual property issues and Paari was reviewing a shareholders’ agreement.

This, that and a bit of the other. That basically sums up our lives right now.

Until next time..

Toodles,

Paari & Niall