So Much Wine So Little Time!

Today CEA took us as well as the New Haven crew to a vineyard in Viterbo. After occupying myself on the 2 hour bus ride by swapping iPods with Derek, we arrived and stepped into the slightly blustery air. We were introduced to the own and the winemaker himself (referred  to as the "Ferrari of winemakers"). We were taken into the vineyard  and  fermentation vats and he explained the winemaking process a bit. Unfortunately, since the weather has been so crazy, the grapes had already been harvested and it was too cold to harvest hazelnuts, but we managed to harvest our own on the walk to the restaurant for lunch (the walk definitely would have gone faster had we not stopped every few minutes to snag a snack off a tree or vine).

The "Ferrari" explaining the pruning process 

The beautiful walk to the restaurant

At the restaurant we were served three dishes and five  of the wines made at the vineyard (2 white and 3 red). The first dish included fried-vegetables, bruschetto, and pasta. Many of us went back for seconds on the pasta, only to be informed later we would be served a meatball and potato course. We then had a cream and chocolate desert.  I took a great deal of pride in the fact that I ate all my food (plus some of Bridget's desert she couldn't finish) and Garrett, who is 6 foot 10, never was part of the clean plate club. It was quite the accomplishment :)

Clean Plate Club: VICTORY! 

As for the wine, it was almost stressful how fast they were serving it. I would still have quite a bit left and would see our waiter coming with the next bottle. If your glass wasn't empty, you'd miss out on that round (unless you were Michelle's table which always seemed to be where the bottles were stationed. I had to sneak over that after missing the first of the red wines...)

Bridget and Andrew being all swanky

We took a quick nap to wake out of our food and wine coma outside on the grass before walking back to the vineyard. I bought the last wine we had tasted (a merlot) and spent the bus ride back contently resting. I wonder if I will ever be hungry again.