Dreams of Franciacorta

So much of the fun of Italian travel is Anticipation…

In a few days I’ll discover someplace in Italy I’ve never been before…the Franciacorta wine region, north of Milan.

Just a few weeks ago, back in Los Angeles, I was dreaming about it with my friend Pam, and wrote this:

The cork pops, my heart leaps. My friend Pam and I clink glasses.

“Salute” I say, just like my grandparents always toasted at childhood dinners. Of course, these days, toasting “To Health” carries a lot more weight.

“Buon Viaggio!” toasts Pam. That lightens things up. This celebration is making it real. I’ve been watching Italy’s case numbers for a whole month go down, down, down. So I did it. I booked a ticket. Yes, I’ll be proceeding with caution, with N95masks, and vaccination checks. I’ll be back in Italy.

Watching bubbles dance in my glass, happy thoughts bubble in. I’ll be visiting my old favorites and discovering someplace new: the Franciacorta wine region where this bubbly was made.

What a joy it is to say it: Frrrrrahn-chah-CORRRR-tah! Pam puts on her wine taster face, sticks her nose in the glass, takes a long serious sip, and smiles, “Mmmm…crisp, a little citrus, a little creamy…I love Franciacorta!”