abetta of VIETTI Vineyards in Piemonte. They all came over to learn English and learn the business here in our nation's capitol back in the 1980's and I am glad and thrilled that I was around to be a part of all of this! Wow, what a chance of a lifetime, really special. I will never forget any of it either.
In the photo above I raise my glass in memory and fondness and true appreciation of this period in all of our lives that we lived and shared and worked together. Bravo!
That's the Maylower Wines & Spirits by the way at the corner of M. Streets and New Hampshire Avenue N.W. in the old Arnold & Porter Law Office's building location.
Here's to you Sidney as it is many years later and I know that you are really sick and fighting cancer and I am there right with you fighting, too. I have already let a number of people know of your fight and I am hoping, being an eternal optimist the way that I am that things will work out well and that you will beat the cancer. I simply have to believe this and anyway I want to share some stories here about the glory days of the Mayflower Wines & Spirits and working with you and Michael. What a couple of characters the two of you were and when you add your parents in and all the help and the young Italians that came to the store to learn English and the business and the Hoboken Italian-style Panelles ( small, medium and large ), the Fior Di Maggio pitchers, the Pittigliano white magnums, the Vietti wines as well as those of Franco Furlan : the extra virgin olive oils, the wicker baskets, all the FOSSI Chiantis going back to 1958, people like Iris at the register that would say in utter amazement to a customer : " What! Only a half pint?!? I spill that much! ", Allen Krazner ( incredible displays ), Robert " Bob " Parker, Junior ( the beginnings of the very young Wine Advocate , Spencer Graham, Barry & Kathleen Diamond of D & M Imports, Leo Fox of World Shippers, Dan Kravitz of Hand-Picked Selections, Burton Anderson the writer of the book VINO, Michael the photographer that died in a motorcycle accident was it that took the amazing photos hanging back in tasting room, our wine classes with David Vaughn, the young everyone's like Bobby Kacher, Alfredo Bartholomaus, Arris Zizzis,Terry Theis, the monthly store newsletter with the sample of six wines to taste, the recipes, the being the first with the Robert Chadderdon wines in Washington D.C. and selling Bilcart-Salmon rose ( when Bob Parker gave it a higher score than Dom Perignon ), the first Prosecco with the Nino Franc ( who knew Prosecco back then?!? ) ... well, we were " the thing " , the " destination ", the " place to go ", the " people in the know " ... we were the talk of the town and it was fabulous to work there and to be a part of all of this action and activity and excitement. There were the wine classes, too that people would come to and gather around in the back room packed with those eager to learn and drink wines.
There were the dinners, too like of the Robert Arnoux wines that Leslie and my mother and my wife came to at The Four Ways restaurant. What a dinner that was! There was so much going on back then and it will take me time to collect and write about it all here. That Poggio Lamentano unfiltered extra virgin Tuscan olive oil was something else! We had so many fun people calling on us then : Kristen-now Emily Maische, Deborah ( Dee ) Hutton. People like John Shafer came to pitch his " new " California wines to us and we bought some only to have him write me a hand-written letter later saying that he could not fulfill his promise to me anymore. You owe us a case of your wine John if you read this. That was highly irregular and suspect and you should make it right now. Send us some wine quick! I will take it over to Sidney's and share it with her and Dan and Harry and her daughter Jesse , too.
I learned so much from this experience and from working in such a lively and energized atmosphere. Thank you one and all and stay-tuned for I will write more really soon here. Cheers, TONY
4/8/2011 : Friday morning .... We used to sell lots of Morellino di Scansano, too. Just like the white Tuscan Pittigliano ( then our everyday magnum and 5th of today's Pinot Grigio - my how things and times have changed ) we would sell almost equal amounts of the Tuscan red called Morellino di Scansano. Today Morellino is rather expensive and no longer the " deal " that it once was before being really discovered like Chianti.
Chris Collins would come around to sell for Forman Brothers. I think he came after Emily Maische did. He could speak Indian and French and other languages even?
You never messed with Sidney when it was crunch time and she was under the gun to finish the store monthly newsletter that was printed up on white paper and folded and mailed to those on the mailing list. It was quite the thing back then. No email then, no computer really to speak of then. Times were different and it was a valuable source of information about all those things that we treasure in our daily lives. I t was fun reading and it always made you want to come to the store in search of one thing or another or even more.
But you did not disturb Sidney when she was writing it. She would in her fashion make it quite clear that she was not available during those times that she was actually at her desk typing away on her typewriter. Remember those? She might come to me or to Mike or to one of our many sales people with a question or two but it was always that way and not the other way. That was okay, everyone knew this or learned it quickly and the balance was rarely upset. It was the way of the universe at the Mayflower Wines & Spirits back then and it worked.
Time to be off to work now Sidney, I will continue this later as so many memories keep coming to me. I wonder how Larry Jennings is these days? I often think of him : " Lawrence Jennin's me boy! " I would say and Larry would respond : " Quinn me lad! " and we would both smile and laugh/snortle and continue along working side-by-side or go onto our own paths there in the store.
By the way just a moth or two ago Sidney ordered a case of the current vintage of FOSSI Chianti to be delivered to her apartment for her and Dan to enjoy as well as her neighbors and friends that often call me as I am recommended often by you Sidney. Thanks for that. I am glad to still be in contact with you after all these years and selling you wine. too.
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