I wrote this damn post two years ago.  (Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.)

Today, we slept in, and meandered over to the Montepulciano region.  While Montalcino (with its fancy Brunellos) is more well-known in the United States, I generally prefer the wines from Montepulciano.  We had scheduled a tasting at Avignonesi.

To get to Avignonesi, we drove cypress-lined roads.  The vineyard grounds were beautiful. Flower gardens and olive groves were interwoven with the Sangiovese vines.  The tour was short, but well done.  We learned about the nuances of organic winemaking, and the challenges of the DOCG rules.   (Italian wine laws set highly specific standards for cultivating grapes and making wine.  In Montepulciano, they cannot use any man-made irrigation, for example.)

Overall, Bambino did very well.  He loved chasing lizards in the gardens.  He liked the vineyards, filled with barely-budding vines and bees.

Then, we arrived at the tasting. Initially, his spirits were high.  Bambino sniffed several wines, and noshed on chocolate.

Halfway through the tasting, we were learning about a wine called Desiderio.  When Avignonesi created Desiderio, Italian Merlot was nonexistent.  The then-owners created the first Tuscan Merlot, and named it after their beloved bull, Desiderio.  It was a surprisingly delicious bottle.

While I was enjoying a beautiful merlot, Bambino became bored.  He started singing. And flirting with the other guests.  We gave him a tablet, since we were almost finished.  While exuberantly playing with his tablet, Bambino shattered a glass into pieces.

The other guests and our guide were wonderful.  They thought he was behaving very well.  His parents were mortified.

Here’s the honest truth.  We were being selfish.  We love Italian vineyards.  Two years ago, Bambino happily sat in his stroller and dozed through most of Ricasoli.  He is no longer 1.5 years old.  We brought a bull to a china wine shop.

Bambino was a good-natured, exuberant boy who tolerated a (for him) boring afternoon.  He would have preferred chasing lizards all day.

We wrapped up the day by exploring the city of Montepulciano, before heading home for a home-cooked dinner.

A massive Duplo train has been built in our living room. (I love that our apartment came with toys!)

Tomorrow, we will have a day of fun.  Bambino needs one.