Valentino Tessari, who with his son Francesco makes the hot-selling I Stefanini wines, claims that his olive oil is excellent -- and all his. "He makes pretty good wine. My oil is the best."* There's a little father/son rivalry here, clearly.
The reason for this brief post isn't to Jerry Springerize the Tessaris' family relations. It's to provide one more bit of documentation of climate change.
We said, "We didn't think this was a big area for olive trees because it was too cold."
Valentino said, "It was that way. When I started experimenting with olive trees 25 years ago, everyone in Soave thought I was nuts."
"Did they die in winter?"
"Sometimes they did. But everyone grows olives and makes oil around here now. Even a cold winter like this isn't all that cold when you look back at the old days."
You can take a faith position on climate change: yes, it is happening and it's all our fault. Or, no, it's a myth concocted by liberal hysterics.
Put all that aside and listen to the farmers. Strict empiricists like Valentino Tessari.
*By the way, the oil is excellent.
can i get some of this wonderful olive oil?
Posted by: fredric koeppel | 01/29/2010 at 01:46 PM
no.
it's not for sale. it's for them and for kinfolk.
if you knock on their door in monteforte d'alpone and tell them you know me, i'm sure they'd give you some.
Posted by: Strappo | 01/29/2010 at 02:34 PM
sorry about the lack of agreement of tenses. the old order passeth. it's about the right time for the Vulgate to be written.
Posted by: Strappo | 01/29/2010 at 02:40 PM