After a month of inhabiting the heart of Styrian wine country, I finally let myself succumb to the temptation. I’d hoped to find wine tasting opportunities comparable to what we’ve all done a dozen times in Paso or Edna, but apparently they don’t go in for that sort of thing here. No doubt, however, the bottled product is available in rich abundance.
Though I typically prefer the reds, southern Austria is unquestionably a white wine district, so I decided to look for a Riesling, the region’s old reliable. Determined to get the most locally-produced libation I could, I found a bottle from Dreisiebner, a winery in Gamilitz, just ten minutes from the homestead. My six-year-old daughter and I were both taken aback by its delicate bouquet, suggestive of easter lilies and unripe cantaloupe. But as I, unlike my daughter, would soon discover, this bottle was more than just a pretty nose.
Allowing the crispy liquid to roll down my tongue and into the deep crevices of my jowls, my whole mouth just tingled, aroused by the hint of nutmeg and faint traces of anise, followed by the smooth and subtle notes of quince and pear. This was a stand alone wine, but I found the dry, sharp flavor went best with somewhat spicier dishes. Fresh arugula and tomatoes bathed in balsamic vinegar, for example, produced a very pleasant reaction alongside this assertive refreshment. And, as it happens, the Riesling also paired very nicely, like most things do, with dark chocolate.
Having thus adjusted my sense of apperception, I took a moment or two to pause and reflect, to consider where we’ve been and where we’re going. We already are down to our last couple days in outer Austria. Next week we’ll cross the garters of Italy’s proverbial boot, and celebrate Millie’s seventh birthday somewhere along the way to meet host number four in the Cantal department, in France’s massif central.
This is the exciting part, the hard part, into the next chapter, through the next door, behind which lies another home, another family, another way of life. From here we say goodbye, but I have the strange feeling we’ll be back here someday. Maybe in ten months, maybe in ten years, but we’ll have to revisit these people and this place at some point. Our kids have had a great time here, as have we. The best thing about this adventure is also in some ways the worst, meeting and getting to know great people and then having to bid them farewell.
Still, we have a great deal to look forward to in France. Our next hosts have already told me they need help building a stable for their newly acquired donkeys, a task I can hardly wait to set into. Apart from that, they are mostly looking for help around the house and garden, and in restoring their chateau.
Yes, we’ll be living in a chateau for the next month, or maybe longer if things go well. We’ve all reached the point where we’d be happy to settle down for a longer term stay. This family has two older daughters, around 10 and 12 years old, so that’s promising. Our kids could benefit from the influence of some slightly savvier and more sophisticated playmates. It would be nice to see them cultivate a little savoir faire while we relish in the joie de vivre.
