It’s a strange thing with some Italian delivery drivers. Give them clear skies and warm sunshine and they’ll find endless excuses for ignoring you. But the first flake of snow inspires a kind of mass Pony Express mentality that sees them battling through the elements to bring you a package that’s been sitting in the back of their van for a week.

(For more – and scenic snowy shots – click on the main headline title above…)

A little background. In February 2008 I began a series of weekly wine blogs called David’s Everyday Italian Wine, featuring wines costing under €10 a bottle.

A year and some 50 bottles of everyday Italian wine later, this series had pretty much run its natural course and morphed into the monthly David’s Special Italian Wine, raising the price bar to wines costing over €10 a bottle.

(Time to review the year’s best wines. Check out these delicious bottles by clocking on the main headline title above…)

At the moment, four big dark brown heaps are sitting in the sun. Walk past and you get a rich and fruity scent – rather like a good Christmas pudding.

(Heaps of leaves in case you were wondering…Find out more by clicking on the main headline title above !)