just witnessed |
Encounters With Cretan Wines.
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The Way To The Wine And To Its Last Drops
Act I - Platanias Stage: 'Herbs & Spices' store in the corner of the street leading up to Old Platanias. Two pilgrims from a faraway northern country (where snow and icy winds menace it's inhabitants for months on end during the year) approach again the warm and sunny sanctuary of wine and good taste after many, many months. They immediately receive a knowing, friendly twinkle from the eyes of the Georgakakis Daughter - as if time is not a measure in the mind. And the twinkle leads her eyes to the wine shelves where our beloved Nea Chi is once again awaiting us. There's a bit of telepathy in the air. And handshakes, smiles and hugs. Mother Georgakakis enters from the backstage radiating a knowing smile to the pilgrims. There is an encounter of three who have never met before, but who sense a feeling of meeting old aquintances. Hugs, embraces... Giorgos, the Son, comes in, fresh from shower. Firm and friendly handshakes start a dialogue of renewing their aquaintance, of news, and of the prospects for the future. The encounter is brief but warm. Giorgos has an athletic training with friends awaiting (we are in the home of the athletes, aren't we). And ofcourse the northeners scratch Max, the wise Georgakakis Dog who both guards the store, and entertains the clients. The twinkling eyes have again led the pilgrims to the right shelves with their favourite wine from previous encounters. One Nea Chi red (there are now also white and rosé available) is a must, ofcourse. But another choice is also made. Without thinking anything more than the interesting combination of grapes - Syrah and Kotsifali - printed on a bottle standing two shelves above the Nea Chi. Mother Georgakakis comes again more into the center stage. Being the epitome of huggably maternal friendliness, she gives the pilgrims fresh zucchinis from the family's garden, and some of their very own olive oil. The pilgrims exit after several more hugs, and words of wishing a happy reunion. Max gets the last extra scrathes. Act II - Plaka - Village Square Stage: Center of the small Plaka village with one or two tavernas and cafés on both sides of the street. A man walks onto the stage from left with posters in his hands. He attaches one on the trunk of an old tree in front of an open-air café where the two pilgrims are resting after their journey to Platanias. The man walks to a lamp post further up, and attaches another poster. The posters show a middle-aged man in a clean white shirt, with hands in the pockets of his trousers, and a reassuring though rather non-commited look on his face. The eyes are calmly looking at the viewer. He seems to have a message to deliver, but the pilgrims who view the poster can't tell what it is. Some commotion starts at the left end of the street. Several carloads of people arrive simultaneously. People pour out of the cars, and start strolling up the street. In the front comes a man handing out leaflets. Then comes a man with a television camera on the shoulder. The party of people is being captured by the camera as it passes the tree with the poster, and onwards to the lamp post. To the pilgrims' amazement the party turns immediately back after reaching the lamp post, and returns to the cars which drive them away as mysteriously as delivering them to the heart of Plaka. The pilgrims view the leaflet they were handed. The frontpage shows the same reassuring man, and the inner leaves reveal photos of most of the people who walked up and down the street, and disappeared. Some dialogue between the two pilgrims follow. It is to the effect of witnessing a political or official spectacle that must look great, and concerned about Plaka, in the late news. The pilgrims also confess that they have no knowledge of the aim of the spectacle being for the good, or for the bad. But solemn promises are given to find out later. All that being said, the pilgrims gather their bags with wines, zucchinis, and olive oil to head towards their abode higher up in the Plaka village. Act III - Plaka - The Pilgrims' Abode Stage: Darkening night with heavy clouds drawing near. A balcony overlooking the Souda Bay, Akrotiri peninsula and the villages of Plaka, Almirida and Kalyves. The zucchinis have been adorned with wheat flour, salt and pepper before frying in Mother Georgakakis' olive oil. The tomato-cucumber-onion salad is topped with feta. The baquette is fresh. And all is laid on the table on the balcony. Only two things are missing: the wine and the music. The "accidentally" bought Syrah-Kotsifali is popped open, sniffed, and brought in - for a surprise. In the last rays of light the pilgrims learn that it's from the same winery, Olympias, as their favourite Cretan, Nea Chi. The zucchinis, the salad, the bread are accompanied by their new find, IDION KLIMA, with gusto. The promise of the homely olive oil tasting better than anything in the stores is a fact! And the wine, it's fruity, round taste, and velvety smoothness, keeps the pilgrims good company all the way to the final celestial act to be played to them. The pitch-black sky is covering the faraway dark clouds until a thunder starts illuminating their brims with flashing yellow-red lights. No sound is heard. The storm is somewhere out in Cyprus, but visible up on pilgrims' hill. Later on the harsh voice of Sonia Bellou is echoed from the radio, and the storm moves eastward. The pilgrims exchange silent glances: This may have been a bliss lasting but a day, but other days will follow. They may be different, but quite as true.
-Hannu
P.S. We've now become certain that the celestial act was in fact a sportive combat, one to one, between two masters of lightning. |
11 Piano Paraludes
by Jani Malmi
Music
of the Week:
11 Piano Paraludes 
<-CLICK wisely to
HEAR
Turn your volume knob to the south-east!
Eli botikat kaakkoon!
©Jani Malmi - more enjoyment on his homepage.
If your heart is warm with
happiness, you'll need a glass -
if sorrow chills your heart, have two!
"Avidly testing reasonably
priced wine with a view and a vision in mind."
(c) Lassi
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WINE OF THE
WEEK
http://www.lehmusvuori.net/nv/weeklywine
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Texts, photos & visuals
© Hannu
Lehmusvuori
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