The Wine Guy Is Back! ...... Back In Ecuador.

The Wine Guy owes a bit of an apology to regular readers. Usually, I will post an advisory when I plan to be absent for an extended period. This last time, I failed to do so.

Lo lamento!

Since my last posting, I've enjoyed a cross-country road trip that included a stop to see one of my oldest friends on the planet. I've spent time with family and friends in Georgia and Florida, celebrated the holidays. I marked another fabulous anniversary with the fetching Mrs. Wine Guy. I also returned to Ecuador, bought a home and was approved for residency. It has been an adventurous and hectic three months!

Those of you who are regulars are aware of my travels earlier this year and also at my elation at being able to shop a broad selection of wines upon my return to the US. In my travels to Asia and South America, It turns out I mostly missed having a good selection of Italian wines. French wines seem to be ubiquitous (although sometimes quite pricey!). Good California and Northwestern US wines were also pricey and more often absent but there always seemed to be alternatives. It wasn't impossible, either, to find a fair Australian, South American, Spanish or even South African wine or their comparable equivalent where ever I was at.

My favorite Italians, however, were a different story. They were simply almost always impossible to find and almost impossible to afford when you did. I sorely missed them in my travels. The closest I came was somewhat enjoying a bottle of Argentinian Bonarda that came from a third generation family of Italian descent that I found on a liquor store shelf in Ecuador. I said somewhat enjoyed beacause it hadn't faired well on the shelf and had spent some time within striking distance of the very bright Andean sun streaming through a window.

Needles to say, I was in serious Italian withdrawal upon my return to the US. Thank goodness for stores with varietal selections in the hundreds. You really can't imagine what it's like being emotionally overcome by a chance encounter with a simple bottle of good Sicilian Nero d'Avola. It's a good thing that first encounter wasn't a favorite Barolo or Brunello d' Montalcino. Otherwise, there would have been a pathetic public display of a grown, normally distinguished, man joyfully and uncontrollably weeping in the aisles.

Needless to say, a couple of my Italian favorites did accompany me upon my return to Cuenca and my family and friends have now all been advised that the welcome mat will always be out at El Casa del Hombre de Vino if you come bearing a bottle with an Italian label.

Take a moment soon to visit one of your Italian favorites and while you're sipping, reflect on how much you might miss that experience if it were absent for a while.

Viva el vino Italiano!