Giovanni Morelli writes that Diogenes, who spent his days living in a barrel, reminds him of a novel scheme where customers can buy barrels of their own wine
‘What I like to drink most is wine that belongs to others’
— Diogenes.
In these times of despair and depression, perhaps Diogenes (who lived around 400 BC) should be our ‘Patron’. As you may remember from your school days, Diogenes lived in a barrel. Yes, he was expelled from Sinope (in modern Turkey) and moved to Athens.
He was a strange fellow but apparently eschewed all mortal pleasures (well not exactly all, but that’s another story). However, he did not believe in worldly comforts or in writing things down.
He is said to have walked through the streets carrying a lamp in the daytime, claiming to be looking for an honest man. He eventually settled in Corinth, where he continued to pursue the ‘cynic’ ideal of self-sufficiency: a life which was natural and not dependent upon the luxuries of civilisation. Believing that virtue was better revealed in action and not theory, his life was a relentless campaign to debunk the social values and institutions of what he saw as a corrupt society. We need someone like that now!
The story that most of you will remember is that while Diogenes was relaxing in the sunlight one morning, Alexander the Great asked if there was any favour he might do for him. Diogenes replied, ‘Yes: stand out of my sunlight,’
Alexander still declared, ’If I were not Alexander, then I should wish to be Diogenes.’ In another account, Alexander found the philosopher looking attentively at a pile of human bones. Diogenes explained, ‘I am searching for the bones of your father [Philip of Macedonia] but cannot distinguish them from those of a slave.’
Talking about barrels, I came across a novel idea lately in an article by Eric Asimov in the International Herald Tribune. The last thing you expect when you look through the window of a wine shop is oak barrels.
Michael Dorf has opened a wine shop in Manhattan offering urban wine makers the chance to make their own wine. He hired Rhône valley oenologist, David Lacomte, to oversee production.
You can buy a barrel from $7,000 to $12,000 and make just fewer than 250 bottles! City Winery, as it is called, caters for people who are absentee owners and want only a finished product — not those who want to be deeply involved in wine-making and taste the maturing wine weekly.
Dorf founded the Knitting Factory, which was a great music spot in the 80s and 90s. The current vineyard also serves as a music venue, restaurant and a place for wine-tasting so he is hedging his bets! I’m not sure how many takers he will get in this Depression, but you must admire his sense of adventure!
I have discovered a new grape from Portugal that I had never heard of before — Prova Régia 2007, a lovely white made from the Arinto grape from the area around Lisbon.
According to the label, wines from this grape are mentioned in Shakespeare’s Henry VI.
At €10, it is superb value and is available from the Fresh chain of supermarkets, The Corkscrew, Chatham Street; Redmond’s, Ranelagh; O’Brien’s, Jus de Vin, Portmarnock; McCabe’s Blackrock; and Fallon & Byrne, Exchequer Street.
Another and slightly more expensive white from Portugal is Herdade dos 2008 Grouse. Made from Arinto, Roupiero, and Anão Vaz and retailing at €16-€17, it is available from Donnybrook Fair.
Another fantastic white from the north of Italy is made from the Garganega grape (the grape variety used in Soave). It is called Monte del Fra, Bianco di Custoza, 2007 and is available from Berry Brothers and Rudd – who are sadly departing from Dublin’s Harry street at the end of July 2009 — at around €11 per bottle.
Originating from the Veronese hills on the southern shore of Lake Garda, this wine is a beautiful aperitif or great with fish. To me, it is the wine discovery of the year so far.
Happy drinking.
Ciao,
— Giovanni.
About Gary Culliton
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