Free Casa Parisi by Janet Albert Page A

want to be making inferior wines. When you taste the ones I've made so far I want you to be brutally honest."
    "I'll tell you what I really think," Juliet said. "Lucia told me what you both want and I want to assure you that your hopes and dreams are in good hands with me."
    Luke's face lit up. "We're going to do all right, you and me."
    "I know that, Luke. Now, why don't you show me your most popular wines, the ones that sell the most and after you do that I want to know which ones are your favorites and which ones are Lucia's favorites. When we finish with that, I'd like you to take me to the cellars and show me what you've got aging and what's being stored. That way I can take over as soon as possible."
    "That's going to take some time."
    "We'll keep at it until we get it all done," Juliet said. "Oh, and I want you to let me know if any wines are ready to be bottled so I can get that done as soon as I can. I'm sure you'll need more wines for the summer and fall tourist rush."
    "The more the better," Luke said. "You're a take charge person. I like that." He dug into his pocket and pulled out a keychain and a set of keys. The keychain was a miniature pewter corkscrew with the winery's logo on it. "These keys are for you." As he separated each one, he explained what it was for.
    "Thanks." Juliet took the keys from him and put them in her pocket. "Lucia said you would like me to be involved in the vineyards."
    "That's true," Luke said. "I want your input every step of the way."
    "Then you'll have it. Whenever you can, take me out and show me what grapes you have growing so we can talk about the wines we're going to make from them."
    Luke nodded. "We ought to get down to business, then. It'll take us weeks to cover everything."
    "We'll get through it in no time. I catch on quickly."
    "Let's start with the wines." Luke picked up a tasting list and went on to tell Juliet the story behind the making of each wine. Once he had covered the entire list, he took her into the sales room and showed her the wines on the display racks. They talked without interruption until lunch time.
    Around one o'clock, Luke announced that he was hungry. When Juliet told him that she hadn't brought any lunch, he said, "We like to eat around here and I won't have you going hungry. I've got cheese and crackers in the back room and some fresh fruit I cut up this morning. Would you like to try one of our wines with lunch?"
    "I would. Could we sit outside while we eat?" Around the lakes, winters were long, stinging-cold and bitter. The spring, when it reluctantly showed up, was full of damp and chilly days. That meant when warm weather finally burst on the scene everyone wanted to be outdoors to soak up each precious ray of sunshine.
    "We'll do that. Wait here." Luke returned in a few minutes with the food. He poured two full glasses of chilled white wine and handed them to Juliet. "This is that chardonnay I told you about. You carry these and follow me. We'll sit out on the deck."
    Once they were situated, Juliet took a sip of the wine. "This is good, very good. I can see I'll have to make some very superior wines to live up to your standards." The look on Luke's face clearly implied that her compliment had meant a lot to him.
    The warm day was tempered by a cool breeze. Juliet tucked a renegade band of hairs behind her ear to keep it from tickling her face. The sky, resplendent with massive cloud formations, had taken center stage in another show of splendor produced and directed by Mother Nature. The color of the lake matched the color of the sky as though the sky had tipped over and spilled its bright blue tint into the water.
    "Look how the surface of the water sparkles," Juliet said between a slice of apple and a wedge of cheddar. "It always makes me imagine that tiny silver rafts are floating on the surface. Or maybe sequins."
    "I swear this is God's work. There's no other way to explain such beauty." Luke finished the rest of his wine. "Since the day