Sallyann e-mails me and asks for some Italian wine recommendations. She mentions there are no wine shops where she lives. I do some research, offer a geography lesson and give suggestions.

So where do you live? Are there wine shops there? I got to thinking about where people live after I got an e-mail from Sallyann. Sallyann wanted some Italian wine recommendations. She was in charge of getting Italian wine for the next meeting of her wine tasting group. She lives in a small town in VA and they don’t have a store there with much of a wine selection.

I gave her some recommendations in a return e-mail and I mentioned to be sure that she had some salami and Prosciutto along with bread to nibble on, while tasting. She replied saying, “There is no such thing as an Italian Deli here & people do not even know what Prosciutto is…” It sounds to me like we need a plan B.

I have been to VA a couple of times and I was even in Charlottesville back in 1967. This was probably before Sallyann was born but that does not matter. I figured it was about 100 miles from Sallyann’s town to Charlottesville according to Mapquest. To drive 100 miles from Cheyenne to anywhere takes about 1 and a half hours. To drive 100 miles from Houston to anywhere will take about 2 hours “if” there is no traffic. To drive 100 miles from Sallyann’s town to Charlottesville is probably about 2 and a half hour drive – I’m guessing it is about that amount of time.

I grew up in Rhode Island and from Providence to Boston is about 40 miles give or take. It used to be an all day trip just going to Boston. That was before I-95 – driving on the Boston Post Road. I know I’m dating myself a little.

So even though Sallyann is about 100 miles from Charlottesville, it might be an all day trip, back and forth, just to get some Italian wine, some salami and Prosciutto for her group wine tasting.

Could she make an adventure out of it? She and three of her friends could take one car and split the gas cost. 200 miles round trip to Charlottesville, 15 miles to the gallon, about 13 gallons of gas for the trip, times $4 a gallon = $52 divided by 4 = $13 for gas. Not bad.

I did a Google search for - wine shops in Charlottesville VA. I picked Charlottesville because it is a college town with a law school and lawyers like to drink wine. At least the ones I know do. So there has to be a wine shop in Charlottesville.

Google lists seven wine shops in the first listing and there were two delis. One of the wine shops was called Wine Warehouse and one of the delis was Foods of All Nations: Deli Take Out. Surely they would have salami and Prosciutto there. I went to the web site for the Wine Warehouse and they have a wine club. They also offer discounts (like I always say to ask for) of 6 bottles of mixed wines – 5%, 12 mixed bottles of wine – 10%, 12 bottles of wine all the same – 15%. Not bad

Get this – they even have a Wine by Phone toll free number – 866-261-4656.

The Marketstreet wine shop, another of the seven wine shops on the Google list, had this wine listed on their web page:

Andeluna Torrontes Mendoza 2006 Baby Got Torrontes

Malbec is Argentina’s red wine star, but now Argentina is showcasing a white grape — Torrontes. (It sounds cooler if you roll the Rs.) This fresh, balanced white entices with aromas of peach, citrus, white flowers, and tropical fruits. Its lively palate echoes the aromas with a medium body and dry fruit flavors. Andeluna’s grapes come from the gorgeous Andean vineyards owned and cultivated by the Italian-Argentine Rutini family of Mendoza.

On Sale $6.96. Can you say wine that is value priced?

Sallyann – get your friends and get going. Call me when you get there!!

Until next time, let me know what is on your mind, and how you are doing, O.K.? You can drop me a comment any time.

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Jim Fortune - Bella Online Wine Guy