My official baptism into the world of professional tastings with Vinodabere begins while the city is still wrapped in sleep. Friday, December 19, 5:30 a.m.: the alarm goes off and adrenaline replaces fatigue. I leave home in the darkness of early morning, as the cold air nips at my cheeks and the streets are still deserted. I board the first Prato–Florence regional train at 6:30, filled with nervous excitement and that urge to have fun that makes it impossible to sit still. (more…)