From Sunny Cabs to Dark Nebbiolo

Here we are.  The time is now to explore the depths of the glass in front of us.  The time to look and explore all that lies far beyond the polished surface of the glass to really understand the elegant and gritty components of what brings beauty to a wine, a culture, life.

My journey from Santa Barbara to Rome finds me in worlds apart.  Yet both could be, and are, equally respected for beauty, joy and enjoyment.  Where I come from there is a sort of superficiality to what we would consider beauty.  The buildings are white, uniform, and aesthetically soft on the eye.   The natural beauty is inherent in our oceans, mountains, sunrises and sunsets.  There, the people are relaxed and smiling, almost always.  And why wouldn't they be?  After all, it's 75 and sunny nearly every day.

And with Rome, you could paint nearly the complete opposite picture.  Nothing is easy here. The labyrinths of cobblestone streets are noisy from traffic and nestled between dilapidated buildings with bars over windows.  But when you understand the history of why, you immediately find yourself in the most rich and beautiful of places.  And for those people who spend only a day or two here, with no time to truly grasp what lies behind the madness of rock piles, well then I am sure it will be just another city that you can say you saw.  But for those who look beyond, there is an eternal, never-ending story that will imprint your entire existence.

So this is why I'm here, in Rome and on this blog.  To learn, share and explore the cultural differences in life and wine here.  To find a deeper sense of enjoyment than just what is visible through the glass and to explore the acidity and tannins of life which bring all the structure and beauty to what could merely be considered a fruit juice with alcohol.

Alla prossima...ciao! Lindsay Gabbard (an American wine passionate in Rome)

ps Meanwhile I was taking this picture Rome was literally grabbing me from the dark Lindsay Gabbard