Brad Widelock
Brad Widelock
"I was driving home
Early Sunday morning
Through Bakersfield..."
The Rolling Stones -- Girl with Faraway Eyes
Vacation brings out the risk taker in me. On our way to Santa Monica we stopped to see my brother who lives in Bakersfield (turns out you not only dont get to choose your family, you also dont get to choose where they live). Saturday morning, we checked out Imbibe, a fairly new shop. The place is ultra modern. I had never been in a wine shop that had grocery store style electric sliding doors. This place had two of them, one for the cigar humidor and the other for the wine room. I cant say I went with an open mind, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised. Not exactly an oasis, but certainly a place where I could find something nice to drink. Among the big California cabs and Sin Qua Non dessert wines were some selections from Beaune Imports and some older bottles from the owners collection, including some Bordeaux from the 1970s.
As my brother waited patiently, and I mumbled to myself while perusing the selection, I came upon a 1990 Domaine Du Meix-Foulot Mercurey imported by Rosenthal for $30.00 and a 1987 Monticello Cellars Napa Semillon for $10.00. The Burgundy was dead but the Semillon was still alive. The wine had a dark copper color. The sides of the bottle were stained with sediment, the nose was slightly oxidized, and it tasted sweet without being cloying. I enjoyed the experience of finding the bottle more than the wine itself. If you find yourself going that way, check it out.
Early Sunday morning
Through Bakersfield..."
The Rolling Stones -- Girl with Faraway Eyes
Vacation brings out the risk taker in me. On our way to Santa Monica we stopped to see my brother who lives in Bakersfield (turns out you not only dont get to choose your family, you also dont get to choose where they live). Saturday morning, we checked out Imbibe, a fairly new shop. The place is ultra modern. I had never been in a wine shop that had grocery store style electric sliding doors. This place had two of them, one for the cigar humidor and the other for the wine room. I cant say I went with an open mind, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised. Not exactly an oasis, but certainly a place where I could find something nice to drink. Among the big California cabs and Sin Qua Non dessert wines were some selections from Beaune Imports and some older bottles from the owners collection, including some Bordeaux from the 1970s.
As my brother waited patiently, and I mumbled to myself while perusing the selection, I came upon a 1990 Domaine Du Meix-Foulot Mercurey imported by Rosenthal for $30.00 and a 1987 Monticello Cellars Napa Semillon for $10.00. The Burgundy was dead but the Semillon was still alive. The wine had a dark copper color. The sides of the bottle were stained with sediment, the nose was slightly oxidized, and it tasted sweet without being cloying. I enjoyed the experience of finding the bottle more than the wine itself. If you find yourself going that way, check it out.
