That was entirely painless.

The Livio Felluga estate is beautiful, set inside a newly constructed building of the artsy/organic dark-stripy-wood-and-brushed-cement variety. Walked in the reception area, which is a long room with a long cement table, silvery-swivel chairs and blocks of wood making spaces designed for tasting wines. The walls have little holes carved out that are filled with upended wine bottles, shimmery snippets of glass. The receptionist called Andrea Felluga, the son and "heir", as it says on the website. He was very nice and lacoste-shirted, and led me to what I thought was a solid, padded red wall. But no! It was a trick wall like in movies! And when he pushed on it it turned into another room, which we entered. I was impressed.

He basically said that he had received my resume' and cover letter and was interested in hearing what it was I was interested in doing. I told him I was looking for a position in marketing, that I wished to write and vend the wines, but that I also had experience in the vineyards, etc etc. There was no open position currently in the marketing department, he said, but what about the cantina?

Ah, enology. I told the truth: though I had studied a little enology, and had worked in a lab at the University, enology was not my field. I had little experience and, though I would be willing and more than capable of learning, there was not much I could offer on the subject.

He offered an immediate position in the vineyards for the vendemmia (starting tomorrow), but I would need to have work papers. And there is the catch: without work papers I cannot legally work the vendemmia (FL and I had already tried at another winery). As it would take at least a month for papers to go through, there is no chance of me vendemmia-ing this season.

Therefore, at this juncture, there is nothing for me. If something opens up in the future, and if he hears of anything from another vineyards in terms of marketing and the need for an English speaker, he will surely let me know.

And that was that. I spoke wonderfully, I was calm and cute. For a second I was panicing afterward, thinking, oh my god, was it dumb for me to have told him I didn't have enological experience?? Should I have faked it?

No, I don't think so. That would not have held water for very long.

I really respect this vineyard, they make an incredible product, and if there is ever something that I can do for them, and do well, I would be honored. In the meantime, I will just drink their Chardonnay and remember the cool trick door and be proud that

A) within the first month I was here I was even given the time of day by Signore Felluga

and

B) I totally just went and had a job interview IN ITALIAN.

And I didn't even throw up.