More Wine Bars than ChurchesAfter a leisurely meal, I finished off the remains of the carafe of wine. Sipping a cup of espresso, I considered the rest of my day. I was too near Montalcino to pass up a quick visit. There were wine shops and enoteche that served the Trantini wines and it wouldn't hurt to pay a visit. Then there was the magnificent fort, the fortezza, I had spied from the roadway.
As I strode to the Maserati I mused over the difference between Italians and Americans when it came to dining, and particularly to drinking wine then driving. Italians were passionate about many things, but wine and automobiles ranked among the highest on the list. Consuming a meal without wine was considered somewhat sacrilegious, and denying a man an afternoon driving in a fine automobile would b
