It sure was a fun unwinding road that just got more exciting as we walked along together getting to know one another better. It was all so largely unplanned, unscripted. It took me by surprise several times and I am pleased to relate that it really was a pleasure finally meeting both wine makers Carol Wilson and Christophe Paubert.
We had scheduled a Wednesday night tasting on April 30th here with both wine makers. Christophe showed up first, prompt and early and immediately introduced himself. Listening to him I caught his accent and immediately asked him if he was French. He was. He comes from Bordeaux's famous Sauternes area and even worked at Chateau D'Qyuem. We got to talking as I showed him where he would be tasting wines with Carol around our round table at Cleveland Park Wines and Spirits. I told him I had to finish a couple of things and so he looked around the store to get his bearings.
People started to come and so both Christophe and I got things rolling, Christophe opening bottles of his wine while I opened those of Carol's. Christophe just had two wines, 2004 Merlot and 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, both at $24.99. I was later to find out that they were both higher in alcohol than the two from Carol. That really surprised and caught me off guard. Carol had two whites : a 2006 Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc and a 2005 Russian River Valley Chardonnay, both at $14.49. She also had two Cabernets: a 2005 Sonoma bottling, $17.49 and an Estate Reserve 2004 at $32.99. I noticed as I was pouring Carol's wines that the Sonoma Cabernet was only 13.9 % alcohol by volume and that I really appreciated that there was no alcoholic taste at all : it reminded me the first time of an nice Italian red. It was spicy, earthy, forward and balanced and that's what I want - balance. The 2004 Estate Reserve has more stuffing, denser, thicker and lovely on first both bouquet and then taste. It however needs more time to really open and show all it's charms : no need to rush it.
People were really coming and our local rep Eric was on the phone trying to figure out where Carol was. I finally asked if she was coming as I poured the crisp, refreshing 2006 Sauvignon Blanc and the 2005 Chardonnay that was just slightly-oaked and yet for me that oak flavor carried through from start to finish. I can't get past that but most of our customers like it and don't mind. That's what keeps it all so interesting : our responses are all so varied and fun.
Christophe's wines were really elegant and refined and more French / European in style and they were very well received, especially the more chewy, hearty Cabernet. I preferred the subtlety and finesse of the Merlot and think that it will be nicer as the warm weather comes crashing down on our collective heads any time now.
Carol finally arrived here , a bit puzzled and happy that she discovered our store's location by chance. She had to take the metro to get here. It was her first Washington D.C. metro ride and I think it pleased her overall. She was a touch frazzled, however from a very busy schedule and I think it took her an hour or so to really relax and get into the swing of things here. It was busy, people gathered all around as id their custom thirsting for knowledge, wine and contact with our wine makers / owners here. They are really used to and comfortable with meeting person to person these people responsible either or both at paying for and creating these wines we enjoy.
I did not speak much to either Carol or Christophe. We were too busy. That is usually the way it goes here. I stop people and invite them to taste and direct them to the owner or wine maker. Not rocket science but it works. People then try and get to talk and know a bit about these - our rock stars as I like to refer to them as - wine makers and owners. They are our humble, silent, hard-working celebrities. So I just get snatches and bits here and there of conversations and info about the wines/wineries and philosophies. This sometimes really bothers me, I'd like to selfishly hog them all for myself but that's just not right. So I do the best I can.
It's usually towards the end of the tastings that I can catch up and get my breath and talk with the wine makers / owners. This was this evening's scenario. I asked them to sign the bottles, to sign my poster and book and I continually snapped away as the tasting went on getting one picture after the other. These photos will soon appear on this blog page. They will illuminate even further the fun and dynamic aspect of these tastings . We have fun, we teach and make it fun, we make it a more personal relationship between wine maker / owner and buyer. What more can anyone really want or need ? They are after all drinking the wines in the bottles, no the scores and points and verbiage about the wines.
Carol was speaking and she said a couple of things which I cannot remember now but which completely caught me off guard and showed me her more creative, playful side. When it was time sign the bottles opened for our tasting to put in our store-front window she signed them : To Tony The Tiger! Wow! That got me going back to the days as a child that I loved frosted flakes and ate bowl after bowl, handful after handful! She then a few seconds later sang " They're great! ". Fun. She removed the price stickers and put them on my left shoulder telling me that she was pricing me and not to forget this. I did. I was much too caught up in the Tony the tiger and all the fun now and then, combining, making me smile and just feel good.
Christophe got swept up into this tasting as well. Both Carol and Christophe got to see how fluid our tastings are, no hassle, no attitude, just relaxed fun and a bit of experience and knowledge thrown in, too. We had one of our customers here : Karen. She helped us close down the tasting and we took more pictures, told more stories, smiled more and I brought out gifts of my wine label drawings and recent poems. Fun. Inspiring.
It was not until I was driving home that I remembered the pricing on my left shoulder. I smiled. How much was I selling for ? Who would buy me? Would they pay $32.99 for just like for the bottle of Carol's Estate Reserve 2004 Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon ? Would I deliver as much ? Fun musings and I smiled in the darkness of Rock Creek Parkway broadly! Cheers, and thanks to you Christophe and Carol. Oh, I did discover that Christophe went to Columbia Valley in 2005 and that he is still unmarried. TONY
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