I wish I could say that I wrote this song for my bromance Giovanni to celebrate a milestone birthday.

But the truth is that he and I actually wrote it together, even though he doesn’t know that yet.

The last time we were together in Italy earlier this year, I heard him utter a memorable line that immediately rang to my ears like a song. I even said so at the time and he agreed that it was one of his best lines of all time.

Since I’ve been back stateside, I was inspired to write the music and melody for this track, which I really love and which I hope Giovanni will like, too

I wrote all the other lyrics, and I played all the instruments, I recorded and produced it all myself, and even sang on it.

But I owe the lyric for the chorus to Giovanni.

I think it came out pretty good and when I register the song with my publisher and BMI, Giovanni will get a credit as a songwriter — his first!

I first met Giovanni back in 2008 and by 2010 we had started hanging out regularly in Brescia where he grew up and makes wine.

Over the course of nearly 17 years, we’ve shared in epic conversations, evenings of DJ-ing for one another, unforgettable meals, and wander-spirit road trips. I’ve learned so much about wine and tasting wine through my hangs with Giovanni. He’s been such a generous friend to me and my family. He once let our family use his condo in Franciacorta wine country so that the girls could see the bunnies that lived on the golf course there. Honestly, when it comes to the last 17 years, I don’t know how I would have done it without him.

Buon compleanno amico mio, brillante e generoso…

Manchi tanto e mi spacca il cuore a pensare che non ci sarò in questi giorni per i festeggiamenti.

Aiutami a farti ritrovare, fratello mio. Ti voglio bene. I love you.