...even at an off-line; it's about the people.

Okay, okay, that's a trite comment. I recognize that I'm not the first to state it, nor will I be the last. But darned if it isn't true, and this was once again amply demonstrated over the past few days for me. It was quite a ride! I'm writing this mainly as memoir for myself; it's likely to be extremely long, personal, and possibly not of interest to anyone else, so read further at your own risk.

We had planned to visit family in Northern California for a few days, and being able to incorporate some wine time into our trip made the decision to drive down very easy. We brought more than a case of wine down with us, and returned with more than a case of different wine, providing the universe with its needed equilibrium.

We spent the first night in Ashland, OR, a pretty college town we've visited numerous times in the past. Here, we stocked up on Pinot Noirs and a few Italian reds, mostly gifts for our family, but a few special bottles to take to the North American Mecca of Wine later. We had a really nice dinner at Amuse, with a bottle of excellent 1999 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Canary Hill.

This was followed by a few days visiting family in Merced, CA. We went on a little jaunt to nearby Madera, where we went on a little visit to Quady Winery, home of Essencia, Elysium, and Starboard Port, all dessert wines I've enjoyed in the past, though had not tried any for a while now. We also visited Ficklin Vineyards, home of some pretty good California Port-style wines, as well a few table wines. Really nice people run this place, and we were given a tour and tasting without the required appointment. That and a few nice shared bottles at dinner completed the wine segment of our holiday until we went north to Napa.

Without any effort on our part, a beautiful house had been rented in Napa through the concerted efforts of Lafon Rochet and Pinot Envy. Pinot, Pinto, their lovely daughter Mikaela, Sylvia and I shared a house overlooking a vineyard, a creek, trees, and hills-- what a view to wake up to in the morning! And it really was a beautiful house, with a killer stereo system throughout, a huge deck, and a hot tub under a stone statue of Our Lady of Perpetual Drunkenness that we never actually got to, there being too many other amusements. Lafon and Miss Amy took the smaller but just as nice house across the driveway from ours when they arrived a day later.

Arriving a bit before the others, we bought some bread and cheeses at grocery store with a terrific deli section (Vargala? something like that) not far from our house on Monticello Road. Within minutes of their arrival, wine was opened, and non-stop conversation had begun. We started with cheeses (Manchego, Round Hill Blue, a great fresh, ripe artisanal chevre made nearby in Sonoma) and...
- 2000 Albert Mann Tokay Pinot Gris Grand Cru Furstentum
- 2002 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Thea's Selection

That held us until dinner at Rutherford Grill, which had mixed results. We were told there was a 40-minute wait, phone calls to other restaurants proved futile, so we waited an hour to be seated. Service was problematic, tip was assigned by the waitress (I'll be posting separately about THAT one), but otherwise a great evening, as expected. With appetizers, salads, a ton of conversation, and a bunch of different main courses we had...
- NV Krug Champagne Grande Cuvée (new bottle and label, but same remarkable wine)
- 1997 Peter Lehmann The Mentor
- 1997 Domaine Ponsot Bourgogne Close de la Roche Cuvée Vieilles Vignes

Back at the ranch, we found that we weren't quite done talking and drinking yet, so we shared a 375 ml bottle of...
- 2000 Chateau Pajzos Tokaji Harslevelü Late Harvest

Next day, Sylvia and I went to our appointed meeting at Audelssa Estate Winery to visit their Mountain Terraces Vineyard pretty high up in Sonoma's Mayacamas Mountains, braving about 3 miles of very narrow (too narrow for 2 vehicles to pass each other, which made us pray that we would not meet anyone coming down every time we turned a blind corner, because I just wasn't prepared to back up into nowhere on the side of a cliff) zig-zagging mountain road to meet up with Dan Schaeffer and Angela Lynch. We had a great morning, touring a remarkable mountainside site (overlooking the Monte Rosso Vineyard, among others) and realizing the complexity of locating a vineyard on these slopes. I will post separately a more detailed note on our visit, for anyone who might be interested. Following a tour of the vineyards and cellar, Dan had us taste...
- 2001, 2002, and 2003 (barrel samples of the latter vintage) Audelssa Cabernet Sauvignon and also the same vintages of Syrah, Mountain Terraces Vineyard.

We spent about an hour tasting, but not because we drank much (I had only a small sip of each, fearing the drive back down the mountain). Besides his obvious passion for wine, Dan is an extremely interesting individual; we talked at length about a variety of topics, especially information technology and its present and potential impact on education. We could easily have spent a few hours up there with him, but were afraid we were monopolizing his time that needed to be spent elsewhere, so we reluctantly took our wines and bid him farewell. We look forward to future meetings with him. Did I mention that it's not about the wine; it's about the people?

Back at the ranch, we found that Lafon Rochet, Miss Amy, and red4life had arrived, and it was time to drink some wine. Over a lot of conversation, we had...
- 2000 Albert Mann Gewurtztraminer Grand Cru Furstentum
- 2001 Audelssa Syrah Sonoma Mountain Terraces Vineyards
- 1988 Leroy Richebourg
- 1999 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Clos de Vougeot

And that brought us to dinner time. Pinot Envy had gone out and bought a 16-pound prime rib, as directed by Lafon Rochet who believes meat should be purchased under strict Texan philosophy that WAY too much is probably just enough, and that brought up the problem of how to cook this near-side of beef. A call to the house up the hill to inquire about getting a propane tank for the patio heaters and the barbeques proved serendipitous-- Carol and Tim, the owners of the 3-house vineyard property we were on, also own fishing lodges in Alaska, and Keith, one of their outstanding chefs, was presently at their home, apparently with nothing to do for the rest of the day. HE was willing to prepare the entire meal, including appetizers, side dishes, and THREE made-from-scratch excellent fruit pies. When fate intervenes to control your dinner plans, what person can say "no"? Of course, we agreed to allow a professional chef to prepare our dinner, though I believe Pinot Envy did play hard-to-get for a moment, and forced Carol and Tim to beg her for a while. Ever the consummate gambler, she knew just when to fold and let them have their way. The 8 of us trekked or drove up the hill to Carol and Tim's magnificent home that evening, carrying glasses and just a few bottles of wine, where we met our hosts, their son Tim Junior, and Chef Keith, a short while later to be joined by ttepper. The 13 of us sat down outside before a blazing fire in an outdoor pizza fireplace/oven to feast on 4 different kinds of smoked salmon (the Indian candy was perfectly sweet and chewy), great slabs of rare prime rib with bones removed by the chef, baked potatoes, grilled mushrooms, grilled artichoke halves, and later on fresh apple, blueberry, and apricot pies. We drank...
- 2000 Domaine Hudelot-Noellat Vougeot 1er Cru Les Petits Vougeot
- 1997 Frederic Magniem Gevrey Chambertin Les Souvrées Reserve
- 2002 Lachini Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
- 2000 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select
- 2001 Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard Select
- 1997 Denis Mugneret Nuits-St. Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots
- 1998 Mugneret Nuits-St. Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots
- 2003 Antiqv2s Syrah Hudson Vineyard
- 1981 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve, in magnum
- 2002 Sarco Creek Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (our hosts' vineyard)

And because you just can't have enough wine, and because he has an outstanding cellar, and because he found out it was Mikaela's birth year, and because he's a generous guy, our host also threw in...
- 1981 Rutherford Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, in magnum (which was interesting to compare to the Beringer magnum, above)

We sat around listening to the mighty ribbets of tiny frogs (how does that much noise come from such small creatures?) and enjoying a crisply cold but clear Napa night; some went in for a house tour and a look at a James Bond movie in the impressive media room. The old-timers headed home around 10 for a last glass or two of Burgundy before retiring, while the next generation partied around the pool until 2:30 or so.

Opening your home and graciously welcoming and entertaining a group of nine strangers... did I mention that it's not about the wine; it's about the people?

A bleary-eyed group sat around having coffee and assorted breakfasts the next morning. Pinot Envy was enjoying the remains of the Walla Walla Cab and possibly a Burgundy or two (the woman has no shame at all!) and it seemed that no one would join her in a morning swirl. This called for extraordinary measures. We needed breakfast juice, so we had a 375 ml of...
- 1998 Balthasar Ress Riesling Hattenheimer Engelmannsberg Eiswein

It turned out be an exceptionally versatile and delicious wine, matching perfectly with raspberry-ginger cereal, bagels with smoked salmon and cream cheese, buttered cinnamon-raisin bagels, or even prosciutto. Heck, that morning it would have paired perfectly with a mouthful of dirt.

Lunch later that day meant some of us heading out to Don Giovanni, where we met up with red4life and Bob and Stacey Bressler. More conversation, more food, and course...
- 1996 Bachelet-Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Caillerets
- 1999 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco
- 1996 Rocca Albino Barbaresco Brich Ronchi

After lunch, we were graciously invited back to the Bressler's beautiful home for a look at their vineyard (adjacent to Hayne Vineyard, known for its Turley Zin and Petite Syrah); it was impossible not to envy the owners being able to wake up in the morning and look out upon their vineyard literally a few feet away and mountains in the distance-- a winelover's dream existence. Though he has a remarkable and varied cellar, when asked what we would like to drink (and before I could suggest the '82 Mouton, or '81 Grange, or any of a few dozen wines that would be prizes in anybody's cellar), it was agreed that our host's own wine would be the most appropriate beverage, so we had...
- 2000 Bressler Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

I last had this wine almost exactly a year ago, and it was showing much better now. No surprise, a year makes a difference. The Bresslers had generously put time aside for us, prepared to entertain us until dinner (and possibly beyond, if necessary), but we needed to go home to change. Again, doors had opened for total strangers. Did I mention that it's not about the wine; it's about the people?

Dinner meant a short twilight run up the Silverado Trail to Meadowood for Lafon-Rochet's Burgfest, where the Bresslers had arranged dinner for 17 people, some of whom they actually knew, and whom Lafon-Rochet had assembled with little notice. I knew we were on to something special as we entered when I held the door for a tall striking blonde who was weighed down with a metal milk-bottle carrier that contained 5 bottles of wine, one displaying some red script that looked suspiciously as though it read "Grand Cru" below some French mumbo-jumbo. I offered to relieve her of this burden, but she seemed a bit uncertain (Uncertain? Heck, I think she was convinced that if she let me touch those bottles I would be opening them out back beside the dumpster in less than a minute!) that I would be one of her dinner companions that evening. How ironic that I would eventually be seated beside her.

In attendance were Amy, Andrew, Angela, Bill, Bob, Brenda, George, Hal, Herb, Jennifer, Kennedy, Mary, Mikaela, Piper, Stacey, Sylvia, and me, the self-appointed scribe, a position I would later wish I could have renounced as the bottles passed by me with lightning speed, giving me barely time to write down the often-lengthy names of some the wines. And let me tell you, folks, ANY delay at all on my part provoked an immediate response from Jennifer, a fully-trained black belt taster who would suffer no delays whatsoever when wine was involved. Once properly chastised, I understood the need to scribble quickly and get the bottles heading to her posthaste, that being top priority in this crowd.

We had about half an hour to sip some bubbly, mingle, introduce ourselves to each other, and chat briefly, and what a great crowd this was! Diverse, articulate, intelligent individuals, different walks of life represented, but with a commonality of purpose for this evening. I was almost a bit sad when we were told to convene at the table, knowing from experience that our group interaction would necessarily diminish, but anticipating some good food and wine as compensation.

We enjoyed a dinner consisting of some kind of fish and slaw amuse bouche; sweet pea & mint ravioli, green garlic, pea tendrils; salad of endive, pink lady apple, celery root & smoked trout; seared Foie Gras, citrus salad, brioche croustade, baby beets, beet reduction; pan roasted yellowtail jack, salad of watercress & crispy shallots, ginger vinaigrette; Napa Free Range Beef cheeks braised with baby spring vegetables, mushrooms and a little shaved black truffle, which the chef came personally to shave over our dishes once we had helped ourselves to the beef cheeks; papardelle pasta, morel mushrooms, asparagus tips, porcini foam, chervil; pear & frangipane tart, caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream; and finally a really nice selection of cheeses and candied walnuts to accompany dessert wines and Port. And of course, some pretty good wines had been brought to accompany the meal, including...
- NV Denizot Bourgogne Cremant Brut
- 1996 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Elizabeth Salmon
- 1997 Chateau Guiraud Sauternes
- 1983 Chateau Riussec Sauternes
- 2001 Domaine Bru-Baché Jurancon Moilleux La Quintessence
- 2003 AP Vin Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Gary's Vineyard
- 1996 Fiddlehead Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, in magnum
- 1999 Meo-Camuzet Nuits-St. Georges 1er Cru Aux Boudots
- 1993 Faiveley Clos de Vougeot
- 2003 George Vintage 1 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Hirsch Vineyards Block 4A
- 2003 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Naylor Dry Hole Vineyard
- 2001 DuMol Pinot Noir Russian River Valley finn
- 1989 Comtes Georges de Vogue Musigny, in magnum
- 1997 Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Combes du Dessus
- 1997 Georges Mugneret Nuits-St. Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots
- 1997 Denis Mugneret Richebourg
- 1983 Mongeard-Mugneret Clos de Vougeot, in magnum
- 1996 Comte Armand Pommard Clos des Epenaux
- 2002 Domaine Des Lambrays Grand Cru Clos des Lambrays
- 1977 Gould-Campbell Port, in magnum
- a bottle of Marc de Bourgogne, the label of which I did not see, but was heady stuff

I think I missed one or two, including the only corked bottle (a Pommard, I believe), but that's pretty close.

However, a list of food and wine doesn't really capture the camaraderie and warmth that pervaded our private room that evening. The discussions went far beyond fruit, color and tannin. The wit ("George, your Pinot smells really nice" is acceptable as wit among any slightly-tipsy group), humor, charm, and harmony (Ritchie Valens could not have provided a better rendition of "Oh, Donna" once we found out our sommelier's name) displayed by this group made the evening unforgettable, far more than just a successful party. Even the fumes from Herb's cigar, wafting in through the open window, added pleasure to the ambiance of the evening.

Somehow we all managed to get back home; for a few of us, that meant having Pinot Envy read choice selections aloud from her recently-purchased craprag that made National Inquirer seem tame ("Boy Raised by Cockroaches" was one unforgettable headline story) until we could take no more.

And then came morning-- laughter, tears, coffee, hugs, more laughter, a couple of quick reminiscences, more hugs, loading the truck, and BOOM. It was all over (except for the drive up accident-laden I-5 in rain squalls).

But you know the only thing that I miss in all of this, don't you?

That's right: the people. I think I might have mentioned something to that effect earlier.

(If you got this far, thanks for reading. Tasting notes will be coming eventually.)