I have been back in the US for two weeks. Fortunately for those within hearing distance, I have stopped speaking Italenglese. Now it is time to thank people who made my sixth trip to Italy so memorable. Gaetano Petrillo, owner of The Wine Bus, once again organized an action-packed program (Gaetano is at right in photo at top).  He  set up numerous appointments throughout Basilicata and Campania with the wine and food producers I have written about in earlier posts. A highlight of this trip was our third visit for dinner with Gaetano’s family.  His parents, Pietro and Angela, are perfect hosts who treat us royally. If any of my readers are planning trips to Southern Italy, which I hope you are because one of the goals of this blog is to encourage Americans to visit the South, I suggest that you contact Gaetano at www.thewinebus@it. He is knowledgeable, considerate and aims to please.

A thank you to Simona de Pisapia, owner of Si-Wine located in Vietri sul Mare.  Simona, who sells wines only from Southern Italy, gave me suggestions of wineries to visit. Her passion for Southern Italy wines and food is greater than mine. Unbeknownst to me she started blogging about Italian Wines from the South earlier this year and is the author of www.viniitalianidelsud.it.

Through our friendship with Nick Mucci, a Boston-based importer of Italian wines from producers that adhere to sustainable viticulture (mucciimports.com), we were warmly received by several of his clients and the innovative wine consultants Fortunato Sebastiano and Gennaro Reale of Vignaviva Aziende (www.vignaviva.com). Fortunato and Gennaro are leaders in sustainable viticulture in Campania and Basilicata.

A special thank you to the people at each of the 21 wineries visited.  Thank you to those who provided tours of their vineyards; who offered tastings often with healthy samplings of cured meats,  cheeses, and other appetizers to pair with the wine; who spent time chatting over a glass of wine or cup of coffee.  We appreciate such hospitality at a time when many wineries were harvesting,  preparing for harvest or in the midst of fermentation.  And another special thank you to those that demonstrated how their products were made; cheese, olive oil, bread and cured meats.

Finally, thank you to the people at restaurants and hotels/B&B and to our friends in Corleto Perticara; Peppino (is at center of photo at top), Father Vincenzo, and the Potenza family at the Il Repole agriturismo.

To my American readers – Go South and experience the hospitality!

To my Italian friends – Ci vediamo prossimo anno!