Dick Bonder
Grape Fermenter
Posts:484
 | | 12/25/2003 7:54 PM |
| Christmas dinner.......a nice roast, the whole family......I am divorcing in 3 weeks.......provide the wine.
I selected Hell's Canyon '99 reserve merlot - 2 bottles. Previous experience with this wine found it quite good but very tannic requiring at least 6 hours decant and a good time of sloshing from decanter to decanter. So, I bring the bottles up and start my preparations - 2 decanters. Opened the bottles and started to pour into the decanters. Spent 20 minutes pouring back and forth, and then allowed them to settle in the 2 decanters for several hours. I set the bottles aside. A short while ago, my soon to be ex-wife asked me what we were drinking. I proudly held up the bottles and said, "The Hell's Canyon we had that was so tannic, but turned out to be a nice wine." She then asked me why the bottles were different. Uh. I had accidentally brought up the '98 with the '99 and had spent the day sloshing them together. Big boo boo. I just tasted it......still tannic but not bad......just embarrassing. Don't expect a rating. Just call me an idiot.
Dick | | | |
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Dick Bonder
Grape Fermenter
Posts:484
| | 12/25/2003 10:13 PM |
| Idiot or not, the blend was good.....no rating.
Dick | | | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15756
| | 12/25/2003 10:56 PM |
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Does the name "Hell's Canyon" have anything to do with the immediate future? | | | |
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Dick Bonder
Grape Fermenter
Posts:484
| | 12/25/2003 11:01 PM |
| I hope not, David. This is a favorite secret little vineyard of mine that has produced wines of mixed results for me. Sometimes a great vintage, sometimes an overrated overoaked dud. But whether the Idaho name portends the future for any of us is speculative at best. Perhaps Heaven's Mount would remove the negative connotation in this time of fear and insecurity.
Dick | | | |
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Paul Alan
Grape Sorter
Posts:337
| | 12/26/2003 2:37 AM |
| Nobody's gonna call you an idiot...... A man who admits his mistakes is certainly no idiot!! But if you insist. OK, you're an idiot. jusss kiddin'
Merry Christmas
paulie5 | | | |
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stemor
Collierville, TN
Wine Thief
Posts:2818
| | 12/26/2003 7:27 AM |
| Dick,
I hear that 1998.5 was a very good year! 
Having (finally!) completed my divorce less than three weeks ago (and finding myself willingly taking care of what was once my home and pets while my exwife is back home in Maine for Christmas), I can somewhat empathize with what you're going through and how well you seem to be handling it.
Let's call it a sign of your (or "our", if I may be so presumptuous) character, and agree that we deserve and can expect a fine 2004. Cheers.
Steve | |
Cheers, y'all | |
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Dick Bonder
Grape Fermenter
Posts:484
| | 12/26/2003 12:24 PM |
| Hahahahahah! Thank you all for your good wishes and most generous forgiveness for the wine blunder. It actually made my day. I even ironed a few shirts last night! Best wishes.
Dick | | | |
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love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts:12499
| | 12/26/2003 1:21 PM |
| | Yeah, sorry to hear about the ex-wife thing. Those things are never easy (no matter the outcome). I know people that had friendly divorces & not so friendly. But, all say that it is a big pain & a costly one. All the best. | | | |
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Jeremy Matthew
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2067
| | 01/26/2004 11:09 PM |
| Fingers crossed that those mistakes of the future are as "bad" as the one with the wines being blended from two differing vintages. Sounds like a good trick to me.
As for the divorce stuff. Best wishes and my thoughts are with you, and you to Stemor- during a very difficult time. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Master of Wine
Posts:11169
| | 01/26/2004 11:20 PM |
| | I was away on vacation when this was posted. Best wishes for an easy transition, Dick. Your ex-wife's loss will be some lucky woman's gain. Chin up, bud. | | | |
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RawReds
Grape Fermenter
Posts:646
| | 02/06/2004 12:43 PM |
| After this little confession, I officially nominate Dick for the honor of tasting the VC dump bucket at his next VC event!!!
CONGRADULATIONS!!!!!
It's quite an honor, with a list that is long but distinguished. | | | |
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Dick Bonder
Grape Fermenter
Posts:484
| | 02/07/2004 12:39 PM |
| Guilty as charged, but I will pass the bucket and SHARE with my wine drinking friends.
Dick  | | | |
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