Tale of a Tongue, Robert M. Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide 1987-1988

Dead Whale Found With Car-Size Tongue

Agostino Brugo (GATTINARA)* *

1975 Gattinara ($9.00) 76
1976 Gattinara ($9.00) 82
1979 Gattinara ($9.00) 85
1975 Spanna ($6.00) 83
1976 Spanna ($6.00) 78

"Brugo's wines are generally robust, soundly made, and flavorful. They are usually rustic in style and, though lacking in finesse and elegance, are nevertheless good, rich, savory wines. Brugo produces wine under the Gattinara, Ghemme, and Spanna labels. Among the Spannas, the 1976 is ready to drink, spicy, tarry, medium-bodied, and robust. The 1975 has more richness and fruit, a pungent, earthy, tarry bouquet. It can age for 1-3 more years. Of the Gattinaras, the best is the 1979, which has a medium ruby color, a richly scented bouquet of cherry fruit and fresh leather, medium body, and good length. It should keep well for 2-3 years. The 1975 is lean and somewhat dry and tannic, whereas the 1976 is plump, simple, but quite satisfying in a robust, savory way" (Parker 404).

O Alquimista, pages 40--42:

"All around him was the market, with people coming and going, shouting and buying, and the aroma of strange foods...but nowhere could he find his new companion.

The boy wanted to believe that his friend had simply become separated from him by accident. He decided to stay right there and await his return. As he waited, a priest climbed to the top of a nearby tower and began his chant; everyone in the market fell to their knees, touched their foreheads to the ground, and took up the chant. Then, like a colony of worker ants, they dismantled their stalls and left.

The sun began its departure, as well. The boy watched it through its trajectory for some time, until it was hidden behind the white houses surrounding the plaza. He recalled that when the sun had risen that morning, he was on another continent, still a shepherd with sixty sheep, and looking forward to meeting with a girl. That morning he had known everything that was going to happen to him as he walked through the familiar fields. But now, as the sun began to set, he was in a different country, a stranger in a strange land, where he couldn't even speak the language. He was no longer a shepherd, and he had nothing, not even the money to return and start everything over.

All this happened between sunrise and sunset, the boy thought. He was feeling sorry for himself, and lamenting the fact that his life could have changed so suddenly and so drastically.

He was so ashamed that he wanted to cry. He had never even wept in front of his own sheep. But the marketplace was empty, and he was far from home, so he wept. He wept because God was unfair, and because this was the way God repaid those who believed in their dreams.

When I had my sheep, I was happy, and I made those around me happy. People saw me coming and welcoming me. he thought. But now I'm sad and alone. I'm going to become bitter and distrustful of people because one person betrayed me. I'm going to hate those who have found their treasure because I never found mine. And I'm going to hold on to what little I have, because I'm too insignificant to conquer the world.

He opened his pouch to see what was left of his possessions; maybe there was a bit left of the sandwich he had eaten on the ship. But all he found was the heavy book, his jacket, and the two stones the old man had given him.

As he looked at the stones, he felt relieved for some reason. He had exchanged six sheep for two precious stones that had been taken from a gold breastplate. He could sell the stones and buy a return ticket. But this time I'll be smarter, the boy thought, removing them from the pouch so he could put them in his pocket. This was a port town, and the only truthful thing his friend had told him was that the port towns are full of thieves."




The lover’s religion and nationality is the Beloved (God).
The lover’s cause is separate from all other causes
Love is the astrolabe of God’s mysteries.