On Monday past, although it was rainy, cloudy and dreary, we drove to Montalcino with friends. Fortunately, the clouds broke just long enough to get some photos, views that if you know Tuscany, will bring a “been there” happy memory to your mind and a smile to your face.
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©blogginginitaly.com
By chance, Len and I became familiar with Pietranera Brunello (Tenuta Friggiali) back in 2001, and this would be our third visit to the winery.
After a tour and some history,
©blogginginitaly.com
Samanta had prepared a great tasting for us.
©blogginginitaly.com
We sampled 5 different wines, and as we were discussing them, Samanta said we had a visitor.
We turned to look and in walked one of the owners, Marissa, the wonderful and gracious lady we had met on our very first visit. Len and I were speechless! Marissa lives in Napoli and she had taken a nearly four-hour train ride to Tuscany that morning to surprise us. Imagine, just imagine.
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We hadn’t spoken to Marissa since 2011, but our conversation picked up as if it were last week. She even brought the last Christmas card we sent her just to show us she had kept it.
Since I have written about our wonderful encounter in previous posts, I’ll list them below instead of rewriting. However, if you only read one, read about our accidental meeting of Marissa…
https://blogginginitaly.com/2011/08/04/the-owner-4/
Back then, we were strangers, and now, forever friends. Who knows when and if we’ll meet again, yet we have memories for a lifetime from a chance encounter as well as another peak moment to add to those we are accumulating.
Ciao,
Judy
Additional posts include:
Montalcino
https://blogginginitaly.com/2011/07/01/montalcino/
The Tour.1:
https://blogginginitaly.com/2011/07/26/the-tour-1/
The Tasting.2:
https://blogginginitaly.com/2011/07/29/the-tasting-2/
The Tasting Addendum:
https://blogginginitaly.com/2011/07/30/the-tasting-addendum/
The Villa.3:
https://blogginginitaly.com/2011/08/01/the-villa-3/
The Owner.4:
https://blogginginitaly.com/2011/08/04/the-owner-4/
The Dinner on the Hill.5:
https://blogginginitaly.com/2011/08/13/dinner-on-the-hill-5/
The Morning After.6:
https://blogginginitaly.com/2011/08/15/the-morning-after-6/
Blogging In Italy 
How wonderful!!!
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And we were very close to one of your favorites!
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Aloha Judy & Leonard, seeing you both smiling brings joy to my heart. Your beautiful stories are what retirement should be all about. Free spirits of the world.
What an immaculate winery. Did you wear the coats for the cold or sanitation/ contamination?
All the Best,
Charles on Oahu in the Pacific Ocean 2,500 miles from land in any direction. 🙂
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Thanks, Charles, we feel so very fortunate. And yes, the coats were for sanitation. Hugs!
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Yay! My favorite activity – wine tasting. And I am definitely going to catch up on your earlier adventures there.
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Probably a year from now when you have come up for air!
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What an amazing adventure
I read the whole thing at
Intervals
The saga was truly enjoyable
Who else but you and Len
Could have captured the
Occasion?
Thank you
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Royce, I’m glad you read them all as the whole experience was so amazing for us. And the joy just keeps coming!
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