I can tell Sicily will be a unique and incredible place before the plane even lands. My face is pressed up against the plane window and I see mountains and beautiful serene turquoise water. The kid behind me is kicking my seat and I’m so excited I could kick him back (I don’t). I’ve heard it before, and it’s true – it feels like a separate country compared to mainland Italy, and the wine follows suit- a whole new terroir to discover. Though I took this trip as more of a vacation, the vineyards were the highlight – that’s what happens when you are lucky enough to work with amazing and talented winemakers who invite you into their homes and seat you at their table. To share the local food and wine of a place with the people who make it is a truly special experience and I wanted to share a bit of it with you in the coming weeks.
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m one of four sales reps for Jenny & François Selections and have been with the company for two years. My interest in wine began long ago during many years of working in restaurants. I became particularly interested in natural wine after working on Long Island’s North Fork at Shinn Estate Vineyards, where they grow grapes organically and have a more holistic approach to winemaking. After exploring the tastes of natural wines my palate wouldn’t have it any other way. My love for wine has really been fueled by my passion for travel which has been a part of my life since I was first allowed to get on an airplane by myself at age 12 to visit a friend who moved to Florida. Over the years my love of culture, food, wine, and history has brought me to a myriad of amazing places, from the mountains and jungle in Peru and Ecuador, to wine regions in Spain, France, Italy and Portugal. I once spent a week with a family in Morocco who cooked the best food I was ever allowed to eat with my hands. Wine for me is a symbol of life, enjoyment and reward for hard work in the way it can join cultures, history and people into a bottle and around a table.
This summer I was able to spend time at three of our vineyards in Sicily– Bosco Falconeria located 40 miles west of Palermo, Azienda Agricola Serragghia in Pantelleria, and Vino Quantico in Linguaglossa, near Mt. Etna. Each one was special and unique, with abundant history, different terroir and lovely families behind the scenes.
I have too much information and too many beautiful photos to pack into one newsletter. So this is me saying stay tuned until next week so I can take you on a little trip and share more stories with you.
Cheers,
Lauren