Goodbye, Greece

“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” … “You know, they’ve got these chocolate assortments, and you like some but you don’t like others? And you eat all the ones you don’t like as much?” (via wiktionary)

I have eaten plenty of Greek chocolates over the last ten years. Most were perfectly sweet and made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Occasionally, one would leave a dry and bitter taste in my mouth. Not one was boring and I always looked forward to nipping on the next one. Not knowing the slightest thing about Greek chocolates before I moved there in 2003, tasting so many different nuances have shaped and enriched my life.

I am of course not really writing about Greek chocolates here. For me a new personal chapter has just begun – life has presented my family and me with a new box of chocolates.  I publish this article from my new home in Munich, Germany, where I just arrived. Four months ago, my wife Alexandra relocated over here because she was presented with a great job opportunity. After the children and I spent a superb summer in Greece, the time has come to reunite the family. I will now have to split my time between Germany and Greece as my work with and for Greek wines will continue just the same, however it might be enriched with some new opportunities. There will also likely be more Riesling at my table :)

Greece is so much more than ‘only’ home for me, the larger part of my soul feels Greek; the past five years have been my happiest. So there was nothing easy about making this decision.

The one thing I am already looking forward to is to find out how the Greek wines in my wine cellar will have developed upon our final return. Until that time comes, I have already set up my Greek base in a very nice flat in Athens.

It’s seems to me that our chocolate box holds a whole variety of new flavours for us to taste. I can’t wait to take a bite of the next one!