Family fun (read humility)

Florida Jim

Florida Jim

Florida Jim
My granddaughter celebrated her 4th birthday yesterday in the presence of her entire family (four generations). Only my wife and I are wine lovers in this group. We were out in the back yard and the temps. were in the 90's.
I took a bottle of my 2007 syrah.
Everyone liked it with ice cubes in it.
Me, too.
Best, Jim
 
I remember a dinner for a new friend who owned one of the top ten privately owned insurance agencies in the USA who had mentioned that he loved white French wine. I poured a Montrachet with the first course and noticed my new found friend putting ice cubes in his Montrachet.
We became pretty good friends eventually and I told him he had "Shanty Irish" habits with wine. When I told him what the wine cost he just laughed out loud. Saying something to the affect that nobody in their right mind would pay that much for wine.
 
originally posted by Lou Kessler:
It could be worseI remember a dinner for a new friend who owned one of the top ten privately owned insurance agencies in the USA who had mentioned that he loved white French wine. I poured a Montrachet with the first course and noticed my new found friend putting ice cubes in his Montrachet.
We became pretty good friends eventually and I told him he had "Shanty Irish" habits with wine. When I told him what the wine cost he just laughed out loud. Saying something to the affect that nobody in their right mind would pay that much for wine.
Click to expand...
What is it with the Irish and insurance?
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
Family fun (read humility)My granddaughter celebrated her 4th birthday yesterday in the presence of her entire family (four generations). Only my wife and I are wine lovers in this group. We were out in the back yard and the temps. were in the 90's.
I took a bottle of my 2007 syrah.
Everyone liked it with ice cubes in it.
Me, too.
Best, Jim
Click to expand...

Paper cups, right?

Best,

Brad
 
originally posted by MarkS:
Everyone liked it with ice cubes in it.
Click to expand...

Perhaps you need to focus on making ros?
Click to expand...
Reminds me of going to the great Ridge Day at the Vineyard parties that they used to have over the 4th of July weekend (IIRC). It was usually too hot up at Monte Bello to enjoy cabernets and zinfandels, so Ellenbogen and I used to bring a cooler with a bunch of cold-climate northern European whites on ice. Uniformly well received.

We didn't try putting ice in the Geyserville. Not all winemakers are as easy going as Florida Jim.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
We didn't try putting ice in the Geyserville. Not all winemakers are as easy going as Florida Jim.
Click to expand...

Joe,
Friends, who have long since moved away, used to come for dinner every weekend. I would put out what I thought were great wines and George would sample each.
Then he would create his own blend by adding a bit of this and a bit of that.
Initial reaction? Well, pretty much what you'd expect.
But then, after a calming moment, courtesy of my wife, I remembered that I gave these wines as a gift, not with strings or expectations, but for others to enjoy. If that is how George chose to enjoy them, what was wrong with that?
Sometimes I get a little too caught up in the "wine thing" and momentarily forget what's important.
That lesson translated very nicely on hot afternoon in my granddaughter's backyard.
Best, Jim
 
Would you give someone a kitten if you knew they were going to mutilate it, if that's what gives them pleasure? Or dab some fingernail polish on a watercolor?

I can't see the reason to swallow that, especially if they were what you consider, as you say, "great" wines.
 
Sharon,
Its not the same and you should know it.

Life carries certain responsibilities intrinsicly, whether in a gift situation or not. If I knew what would happen, I would not give away the kitten. And if I gave the kitten without knowledge of the donee's intent and then he did that, I'd kick his ass from here to Tuesday.
The painting metaphor doesn't even have to do with a gift.

Wine is fermented grape juice, whether its "great" or expensive or rare. It is not something to get all het up about, especially among friends.

Best, Jim
 
Conca-1.jpg
 
Great story, Jim!

I went to the first Ridge Day in the Vineyards in the early 80s. It wasn't called that, it was just a party for ATP subscribers. It must've been in Sept or Oct because my friend and I actually helped pick grapes for crush. 2 wines were provided at lunch. The first was a bone-dry white Zin that wasn't sold commercially. It definitely served the same purpose as the Euro whites that Joe and Ellenbogen would bring. The other wine was '68 Montebello Cab. From magnums. As long as we wanted to drink more of it, they'd keep opening bottles. I'm surprised my friend and I made it down the hill in one piece.
 
Actually, one should always be unreasonably dictatorial about the drinking processes of non-wine geek guests. It adds to what Oscar Wilde once called one's profile. We pay shamefully less attention to profile than we should.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top