Hump Day: Blast from the Past!

Like most young, college students, my love of wine started slowly.  I began with your traditional Arbor Mist flavors like Strawberry White Zinfandel and quickly moved onto Riesling.  Yes everyone, I was a wine wimp who really only liked the sweet varieties.  Due to its typically dry characteristics, I was very reluctant to try red wine.  It took me moving to California to really experience red wine to its fullest and now I drink it almost exclusively.  But back in 2001-2002, before thoughts of California ever crossed my mind, there was really only one red wine for me:  Brachetto d’Aqui. My best friend Devon spent the summer between our sophomore and junior years of college studying abroad in Umbria, Italy.  She brought back with her Brachetto d’Aqui:  a very sweet, medium bodied, sparkling, Italian red wine that allowed the 21-year old me to say “I like red wine!” Over Halloween weekend, I visited Devon in DC for her 30^th birthday (more on that trip later!).  Devon had a little surprise for us to enjoy:  Giacomo Bologna’s 2006 Brachetto d’Aqui!  We had a great time reminiscing about our college days and how special this wine was to us.  Now that I’m a little bit older and wiser, this wine is a tad sweet for me.  I’d love to try it in a mimosa as a fun twist or as part of a Sangria.  Even though this wine once seemed almost impossible for us to find in Oxford, Ohio, Devon said she bought this bottle at her local Whole Foods.  Buon divertimento!