It all began in the rolling hills of Champagnole, with the song of the hoopoe and the vineyard souls ...
I want you to read me, while accompanying you the sweet songs of Charles Aznavour and Gilbert Becaud, as has happened to me while I was living my adventure.
I thought a lot about how to start my story, a love story, of passion, of contrasts, but a true story, a story of the past, that makes you believe in people, that makes you hope that the world can change, that you understand that our connection to the earth is inseparable, indissoluble, and only you can save us.
My life was not easy, tutt’altro. Continuing obstacles to overcome, sometimes almost insurmountable. But there is a light in front of me that keeps me going, that makes me believe in people, that makes me see that flame that burns in the souls, sending you energy and emotions, hope and inexhaustible desire to savor life in all its aspects. And I look at them with my light, and they thee retransmit. And that's the beautiful thing…
My story begins on a Sunday like many others. After an afternoon of chatting with friends, Coming back home. I was invited to comment on an interview with a woman, Anna…
But not only Anna, The winery owner, plays an important role in this story. There are many souls around her feverish energy, of passions and contrasts. this vineyard, "The protagonist vera", It has a heart that beats, and despite the constant adversity, He takes up this love for the land and encourages all to move forward.
Do you think I exaggerate… nooo! Anna I was with them for a walk among the rows of this screw ... sprang them energy, I felt almost a magical atmosphere. I was wrapped in attendance who continue to live in spite of the disasters noticed. Are perceptions that you have to try. We know how we are skeptical when we experience. You may wonder the sense of my statement, difficult to explain, sensations, It sensations felt in listening to Anna in his stories.
Walking in the vineyard he felt the presence of Sabrina, companion of the owner of the vineyards, disappeared after an incurable disease, and Giuliano, friend and great help in the vineyards and cellars, tragically he died after being rushed from his helicopter one day, shortly after flying over those rows. And what about Gianni owner of the vineyard ... With its understated elegance and its fervor told me stories of his homeland and typical Valdostane. And the sweet Nelly’, friend, promoter and photographer of the vineyard.
And to look at all of them, I was the, in the hills of Champagnole, small hamlet of Villeneuve in Aosta, delightedly, by so many beautiful souls. And the hoopoe, with their eye-catching plumage and their song that brought me beautiful memories of childhood, in the countryside by his uncles in Treviso.
But let's start my story ...
After reading the interview with Anna, He was born in me the uncontrollable desire to know. The passion that I felt I belonged in that woman attracted me. then I obtained his phone number, and after some preliminary contacts via e-mail, I called.
His voice belied my impressions. She was the woman I had idealized. After exchanging some mutual confidences on our lives, I told her that I would have liked to meet her. She did not hesitate, indeed he said he felt a hidden bond with my voice. he said sensations, and he insisted that I stop when I come directly from her sleep. He gave me a strong emotion… The fact that a person as well known in an instant, He could tendermi hand, It was for me a source of happiness that I expressed so. I am sensitive incurable romantic, but I like myself so, and I try not to change.
We agreed on the date, and finally the moment came. This law 200 km, and drive like, with my stops, photographing here and. Sometimes stopping in risky places. If you see a blonde head with a purple camera, it's me!
Finalmente has reached Champagnole. I saw the street sign, and I headed for a dirt country road between two vineyards. I found myself in a gravel courtyard surrounded by typical buildings. There were no signs related to the vineyard, then after parking the car, a bit 'timid, I began to look around. You should know that I'm very curious, of course, in the positive sense of the term. I like to enjoy with the eyes of every remote corner. Looking here and, finally I saw a writing brush of grapes on a white wall.
I knew I was finally reached its destination. I looked around as exploring. I was immersed in a wild garden seeds under an old lime tree. Not far away, I saw a wooden pergola beside a white brick oven, and a fountain from which gurgled a gush of water pouring into a clear log of wood painted with skill and theme recalls. You adopted me immediately with the enthusiastic camera what I saw, shooting quickly every picturesque corner. A gentle breeze seemed to accompany me, giving me the feeling to wrap nicely in a hug welcome.
In fact I felt observed, I with my red jacket, I felt surrounded by curious eyes. All this until the arrival of a car parked next to my, and that allowed me to get out of dreamy atmosphere in which I was immersed. The car went down two middle-aged people, who looked at me absently.
I felt in me to introduce duty although it was not required me, I told them I was a friend of Anna, and that I was waiting. The blonde lady looked at me curious, He was accompanied by a man who spoke to me, He stood for a moment your eyes without giving me a lot of importance. Having not yet seen anyone from the moment I arrived, I allowed myself to ask them for information, but it was quickly answered that we knew not help me in any way. I decided to call her on the phone. I replied promptly, tone vispo, giving me precise directions to it in a nearby restaurant where he was having lunch with some friends. I arrived at their destination within minutes.
To welcome me on the roadside she…
After a hug and the preliminary greetings I explained my arrival, and I knew then that the vineyard had crossed her parents. He led me to the table where I was immediately greeted by smiling faces that I warmly shook hands anxious to know what I had until then conducted. The atmosphere warmed immediately, and between smiles and jokes, I was inundated with questions. Gianni especially put me continual questions, finding ready answers. I noticed that I was listening carefully, curious to see what force had pushed me so much, to reach their. The answer I knew well: “See the passion in people now so rare, that passion which for me is the engine of life…”
As time passed quickly, I was aware of being them among strangers that slowly they were no longer. And I talked and talked, with my usual stream of chatter. One, They are irreducible chatterbox, I like to tell, thoroughly convinced that genuinely opening up to people from life experience and they receive equal. It 's like a virtual trip, and I like, I love to hear what lives can be adventurous and sometimes tragic.
To make us understand that it was late was the waiter who told us a little embarrassed that they were coming to close. We looked almost surprised and we became time account. so we decided to get going to the vineyard to immerse ourselves in the atmosphere which had strongly attracted me there.
As soon as you arrive at the vineyard, Anna introduced me to his parents. The couple looked at me with different eyes, apologizing for the cold reception to my previous arrival. Then, after the various presentations of ritual, We decided to take a walk among the vineyards, I and she.
He explained how he came from the first time there when one day in the spring of 2008 he joined his parents in a small plot of land in the vineyard rented and used as a vegetable garden. She saw a man, Gianni, that pruning rows with a big forbicione. Observing it in that movements of ritual, gradually he made him realize his interest, his curiosity, and decided to imitate him. Without realizing it, he fell in love with the vineyard, of that atmosphere, and that peace which gave her the contact with the earth.
At that time Anna hour thirty-nine, He had had problems at work, He struggled with his line manager, big injustice and accusations against him then proved unfounded. The consequences were drastic and had to reluctantly leave. After having won a suit remained only the satisfaction of having demonstrated his good faith. He had to start, restart, and he wondered how ... But fate often leads us on the right path, It is only up to us to see it ... And so it was ... The meeting with Gianni and his proposal to manage the vineyard gave a decisive new direction to his life.
But back to his story ...
While we walked, he told me proud of the four plots of its vineyards, located at four different fractions. A total of three hectares of heroic viticulture, to the rugged slopes of the land that is not always made it easy to her care. Anna told me that he gave each a name, but his favorite was "Tess", the oldest. Here in particular the atmosphere we breathed was full of magical sensations, I was there, and I could perceive with her.
I can not define exactly what I felt. We were there to talk, so, as friends forever, but in fact it is known recently, and everything was very spiritual. Empirical perceptions I felt elevavano me to an almost unreal stage, and I had to wake up from a hypnotic stupor. The passion with which Anna told me the story of the anime I enchanted vineyard. Listening to her I had the impression that those lands were pervaded by opposing forces, negative and positive clashing, but insistently she predominated love and passion, winning against everything, allowing you to keep alive a dream that I now felt strongly even belong to me. The vineyard was the continuity of life. I was kidnapped from the land. His energy had won me over and now I could no longer feel bound by the commitment that slowly without realizing I was going to take.
But back to the real star of my story ...
Anna told me of the Chardonnay vineyard in the village of Verne, A Villeneuve. It stood at 750 meters above sea level and had a very hilly with consequent difficulties in its management. The second plot was located near Villeneuve Tessey, a 650 meters above sea level. This vineyard, the oldest dating back to 1930, that he nasceva Petit Rouge. The third in San Pierre, was all terraced with stone walls Dry. And finally the fourth, Pinot Noir and Muller Thurgau was in Champagnole. Here there was also the cellar, the reign of the vineyard.
He told me how difficult it was to follow the four plots, with large and small everyday problems, but the rewards were such that everything easily passed into the background. The joy that made her look after the vineyard, She repaid her fatigue. Then with the help of Gianni and wonderful friends and constant over time, the days passed happily.
He told me how pleasantly spent his time to tie the rows, being careful not to break them. During the period of pruning almost feeling the "tak" in the cut and in the heart, He born about the need to apologize to Mrs Vine ... so she called. Then, the thrill of seeing blossom buds, flowers, the vine leaves that cling tenaciously ... sensations that gives us the nature.
And how nice to talk to her ... you, talk to the vineyard ... because he said to me, "she gives you life lessons". And I listened to Anna talk, almost in a dream state and how much I understood her. I was reliving my childhood, a sad little girl rescued from the earth. As a young girl in Treviso had felt the same feelings in the grandparents' vineyards, and how much they had saved me, and how much I wanted to relive them ...
The pleasure of spending time outdoors, the sun's rays on your face, walk barefoot on the ground, were priceless sensations. The vineyard was teaching life, see it change over the seasons, the brave rows clinging to the wires, like us to life, He gave her inner peace and serenity. His dream was to give it to the world, producing wine of Peace. Utopia called, maybe yes, maybe not. He told how the company did hoopoes with their song, those beautiful birds with bright colors, nesting them in camps.
And he told me that his dream would be to put classical music in the vineyards. But we think, pure ecstasy for those who can understand it. And all these treatments led to a long wait harvest. I will attend the next, and I honestly can not wait. For me is the celebration of life, with music and many friends, a return to the fine traditions of the past, the love and passion for simple things, for the real things. A return to my childhood in the countryside, the best memories of my life.
And with all of us there will be Sabrina, Gianni companion for so many years in the life and passions. She had given the first impulse of life to the vineyard. The streets of fate though another woman had led them, Anna, also thirty-nine. Here Sabrina roses in the garden each year continued to blossom, and that reminded everyone how life goes on ... And there will also Giuliano, common friend of John and Anna, special person from the soul, and great collaborator of the vineyards.
And back to the past with the pressing made dancing barefoot in vats ... and celebrate life ...
