The Piasa (/ˈpaɪ. əsɔː/ PY-ə-saw) or Piasa Bird is a Native American mythical creature depicted in a mural painted by Native Americans on bluffs along the Mississippi River.
There is plenty of good reading online. There are still sightings of the monster! I guess we could speculate that a handy stock of wine might enhance the likelihood of a sighting, eh?
It’s a fitting mascot for an Illinois winery and entertainment establishment, although aside from the logo, there’s little atmospheric homage to the legend.
Apparently, the establishment is currently closed, after a couple of closure/reopenings over the last few years. I got no answer when phoning the place. The Piasa Winery & Pub specialized in the popular wines in the region, offered wine tastings and stocked a lot of local craft beers. There were live music events, and also a gift shop and local artists’ exhibits. It got really, really great reviews. I’m sure it’s missed.
I don’t know how they developed their own wines, or what happened to any remaining stock, but here’s the cork. It’s a faithful depiction of the original Native rendition of the mighty avian thunderbird of the Midwest!
About the region (thank you, Wikipedia)… La Morra is part of the Langhe area extending to the south of the Piedmont region. The Langhe area is famous for its hilltop castles and fortresses. This region is known for producing some of Italy’s best wines. https://www.morravini.it/en/history
From the Morra site: “The story of the Morra family has been closely interwoven with the land for almost a century. In the 1920s, the head of the family, Stefano, added vine growing to the traditional activities of fruit cultivation (Castellinaldo was famed for its excellent peaches) and livestock farming. After the Second World War, his son Antonio stepped up grape production, and the small winery in the centre of the village began turning out demijohns of wine (Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo and an unusual dry Brachetto). In the middle of the 1980s, Antonio’s son, Stefanino, began bottling some of the wine.
The first Arneis was labelled in 1990, and the following year the whole enterprise was moved to a new building just outside the village. Stefanino, with the help of his wife Edda and brother-in-law Gianni Olivero, extended the area under vine and the range of wines, with a focus on the highest quality. In 2006 the inauguration of the brand-new tasting room marked the opening of the winery’s doors to a growing number of connoisseurs. Now the next generation, represented by young Luca and Erica, is becoming more involved, guaranteeing continuity for the family’s long story.”
I skimmed the 'net, and found their wares to be well-received, typically rated 4-5 on sccales of 5, especially the Arneis.
And now, to the cork!
Its a beauty, sold to me by a wonderful Etsy dealer (CaliforniaCrownJewel - Etsy). Like many Etsy folks, she typically sells batches of corks for craft projects, but I have taken to scanning the offerings for bird corks and then trying to purchase ones I don’t have. This was one such success.
What kinds of birds are those? Couldn’t get a clue from their site. I am NOT a decent backyard birder… hmmm… a towhee and a finch of some kind? Escaped canary? I’m hopeless. Maybe one of you birdwatchers can lend your thoughts.
They are a lovely pair, though. I’m not sure if they’re just chatting, or about to fight… but I think they’re delightful!
I’m not one to complain (well, actually, I AM!) but anywayyy…
It’s been a while since I’ve added to my collection.
Just to make sure you haven’t forgotten about me… Has anybody run across any nifty bird-related wine corks this holiday season? Ingratiating, humble grin Hmmmmmm? Yesssssss? No? YESSSSS???
I was just gifted a bottle of this (but 2018) by Tom of Ansonia Wines, the US importer. I have no idea if the bird is on the cork, but I will be sure to check, and if it is I will plan to send it to you if you do not already have it. I plan to drink it sometime in the next couple of months.
Thank you for the thought, though, thank you very, very much.
We were moving this month, or I would have noted and appreciated your good will sooner. We are mostly settled in now. I shall be more vigilant for kind offers like yours.
Well… the bird-cork bizness is slow, sooooooooooooo…
I decided to delve into my notes and see what might merit some follow-up. I wrote Hahn’s to see what they might have to say.
I sent them a friendly letter about this site, my thread, and my current Hahn acquisitions!
Their site is breath-taking, and I have alway thought their logos are gorgeous. https://www.hahnwines.com/
*Hahn’s might write back, MAYBEEE even offering some new corks.
*A Berserker might decide to offer me a Hahn variety that I don’t yet have.
*I might get motivated to search the Hahn wine offerings for new beauties…
Thanks to Brian, I have a lovely little cork from Grace Wines… “A Tribute to Grace”.
I really admire it.
I wrote them:
“Greetings!
I am a member of the online wine-fanciers’ site Wine Berserkers. Bird-related Wine Corks! - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers
I collect bird-related wine corks, and the good folks there indulge me with camaraderie… and sometimes corks. I have some 250 unique specimens. I love to chronicle my little adventures right there on the website.
I obtained one of your corks from one of the members. That was a few years ago, I enjoyed your website. It is beautiful. I was moved by the story of your grandmother and the cork design’s origin.
I wonder… have you added designs? I would LOVE to pursue one, if so.
Sincerely,
Gila”
SUCCESS!!!
Angela Osborne wrote back, offering me a specimen of a new cork design! She sounds gracious, delightful, spiritual and… GENEROUS!
I am expecting my cork, and I will share everything with you good people.
I just revisited their site. It’s even better than when I toured it back when. It’s even more intimate, more spiritual, more engaging. https://gracewinecompany.com/
And their efforts have not gone unappreciated.
Check out these raves.
The best results imaginable… a gracious gift of two beautiful corks, with a wonderful story included.
I really want to share it with you.
As the last four posts have described, I have enjoyed this delightful little cork for a while. I decided to follow up and see if there were any new designs. Their website (and Facebook) are absolutely cinematic in their beauty, and the “Grace” story is unforgettable. Well, ADD to this tale… the story of “Luke”. Angela’s father battled cancer recently. She tells you about it better than I ever could. Luke - Grace Wine Company “Luke” was his inside-joke appellation for friends and family; he routinely made dinner reservations for “Luke”! What better name for a new wine, accompanied on the cork by a regal soaring bird?
Well, here we are. A great parcel… and a “Grace Wins” pink pen!
Angela, thank you for the lovely and sentimental adventure. I’ll never forget it.
Well, THANK YOU! An audience MAKES the performance!
I love reading and learning about the world through wines, and every now and then a beautiful story finds a place in my heart. Just wonderful. I was so honored to share it.
Thanks again, JB… or should I say, LUKE!
My angel, my benefactor, my champion!
You are rescuing me from a bit of a dry spell!!
I await your shipment breathlessly. Great to hear from you again.
I can’t seem to reach Kellie to ensure that she has the correct/current address.
Does anybody know Kellie, or know a way to reach her?
I’d hate for the bird corks to go spiraling into postal infinity!
