Tuesday, February 1 2011

Limited Edition, The Italian Connection and the CIA

My Cuban heel fell off in the Bay of Pigs!

Limited Edition wines continue to be made and arrive in the shops of Winexpert's retail partners around the globe. From Sydney to Burbank, Salt Lake to Fredericton the long awaited juices are making their way into the eager hands of winemakers. The first two, the Australian Shiraz-Viognier and the Pacifica White were delivered in January and now the second red, the Italian Primitivo is up.

Darryl, packin' 'em up and shippin' 'em out.

But just how much do you know about Primitivo the region we sourced it from, Puglia? Well, you could always watch my video on the subject and become an instant expert. But if you think you're a real smartnik, have I got some wine-and-food fun for you.

I was perusing the interwebs this morning, as I am fond of doing (they have it on computers now, very convenient) and I came across a bold statement: "The CIA Launches Free Online Learning". Ever since I saw Sean Connery judo-chopping villains, dispensing both ironic wit and mayhem, I wanted to be a spy. This looked like my chance!

Despite my initial enthusiasm I was but a little dismayed when I found out it was the Culinary Institute of America, and not the clandestine spy-org offering the training, and I fully recovered when I found out that the education module they were offering was on Puglia! From the CIA website:

Travel to the southeastern tip of the Italian peninsula, the heel of Italy’s boot, land of olive oil and wine, of broad wheat fields and flocks of sheep, of ancient ruins and modern cities, where a spectacular coastline and a dazzlingly productive agriculture combine to make the case that this is where the Mediterranean begins.

That sounds like a little bit of all right! I love travelogues, cooking, food and wine. I think that if I were a foot shorter I'd probably put on an orange vest and some Crocs and make a living as a Mario Batali imitator, so this is right up my alley. 

Never bring a spoon to a saute pan fight

If you're interested in learning about the culinary bounty of this amazing and bountiful area, including the foods and the wines that go with them, check out the full video learning module here: Food and Wine of Puglia

Now I'm off to start my Primitivo--the first bottle should be ready to try next December, but I'll keep most of it for the fall of 2012. No sense rushing a good wine!

Posted by Spymaster Tim AT 10:47AM

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