1990s and we were touring Umbria by car.
We had a villa near Cortona and Cortona Alta.
Alta being high and to do with defence as Italians just loved to wage war on their neighbours, back in the day.
Parked up & got into a funicular car to take us up to Cortona Alta. Getting out was like travelling back 500 years
The streets were straight out of Robin Hood & local students were dressed like extras.
Walking the street looking for dinner we entered a 15th century former nunnery.
The nuns had left years ago.
The wine waiter brought a list & as we were eating fish, we ordered a half decent bottle of Italian white (there was no other choice of country)
The waiter brought out the wine...on a trolley full of paraphernalia.
Opened the wine, sniffed cork.
Took a chilled goldfish bowl sized glass & wet the whole inside of the glass.
He rolled the wine around against a white cloth.
By now the other diners had stopped eating.
Deciding the wine might be OK he poured some into his own glass & decided it was good enough.
A small amount was poured into our glasses, the rest into a decanter, chilled natch.
As the glass reached your nose the bouquet (err smell) blew your mind.
The taste was astonishing & we nodded that more would be good.
A wine tasting experience to match any red wine experience.
In 20 years no other wine waiter has decanted white.
Although I did ask a French Sommelier & he reluctantly sniffily admitted it could have merit.
