WINE and TIME
IBC is an Intermediate Bulk Container which is formed by melting plastic out of granulate. It is a technical industrial packaging type for fluid bulk stuffs. Sometimes also food stuffs as fluid vegetable oil or milk are transported using these IBCs.
The Germans are very good in making Industrial packaging. In Italy the Germans hold some factories for this. Which is interesting. Because…
WINE and TIME
Italians love food. Local food with carefully selected ingredients. There are many specialities. Every area has its own unique pasta. Which you cannot order 30 kilometers in either direction!
It is unique of that area. All unique pasta. With all unique cheese.
I am lunching with the Italian owner of an IBC factory in Italy, owned by Germans.
I see for lunch filled pasta and hear his proud in his voice. ‘This is a local pasta. With grated cheese.”
There is also wine here for business lunch.
The owner of the factory is a connoisseur, it seems. He tastes a bit of wine with care. A confirming nod from him to the waiter is needed to fill all our glasses. We are with a small group of Italians, all well dressed in a small local restaurant in Northern Italy. And the atmosphere seems to be relaxed and stories easy to be shared.
‘Canadian customers…says the owner…have a project in our factory with wine. It is a lot of money….so we cooperate. Yet it is horrible.
Wine is filled in...in IBCs produced in our factory. WINE!
Without proper resting time. There are pieces of wood added into the IBC, beech wood. And then they are transported over the Atlantic to the other side of the world. Well, almost. Canada.
And their tests are done on taste whether the beech wood has done its work extracting its flavours onto the wine.’
The Italian owner talks like he is guilty of high treason. ‘It saves an enormous amount of time. It is efficient. Cheap.’ He is silent. Takes another sip of his wine.
‘This would never happen in Italy. Not by Italians. We have respect. For our ingredients. For our wine.’
He seems to move up a bit from his chair. He is passionate.
‘Attention needs wine. And wine needs attention.’ And he takes another sip.
I understand what he is saying, time and attention are something else here in Italy. ‘Time’ means something different. Time is something that is worth it, there is value. And a mutual investment.
And then hours or so passed for lunch.....I hurry to do my checklist in the factory and then I must go to the airport immediately. I rush passed the wines. Wait…. I look at the prices. 290 euros for a bottle of wine!
Then is that worth it?
You receive a certificate with it, of origin. It has never been filled in a plastic container with pieces of wood and transported, refilled from far. This is Italian proud, tradition. Italians understand:
Time and attention are not for the masses.
