it is just grapejuice

A server came up to me and said that table 204 was talking the talk and I should go and try to sell him some wine. It started out awkwardly when he quipped “Based on these prices, I guess my wine cellar is worth a lot of money!” Price can be a sensitive subject for some people and I new that I was about to get grilled. I had a hard time trying to pin him down. It was like we were sparring wines. I knew based on his swagger that he was “old world” style all the way; but he wanted to hear the differences in style of about Roesller, Martinelli and Kosta-Brown. Finished, with Rome burning around me, I finally was able to suggest the 2002 Alain Micholet Morey St Denis 1er Cru “Les Charriers”. He thought, although young, that this was a good suggestion. Position 2 looked up at me and said, “What if we do not like it?” I told him to trust me and that if the wine did not live up to his expectations that I would gladly take it back. As I raced to the wine room the thought crossed my mind that the wine was going to under-deliver until the entrées arrive. To refer to this well constructed 1er Cru as a “food wine” is an understatement.

I returned to 204 and opened up the wine. I nosed the wine as it poured into the glass and knew the wine was going to be there but it would need some time to open up. The host declined my offer to decant the wine and I poured a small amount in each glass and went about my night. It felt like I had just walked away from the table when the server let me know that 204 wanted to “talk”. Upon returning to the table, position 2 said in a very low tone, “I do not think this wine is going to open up, what do you suggest?” I was dumfounded. It was a body blow. I left the table without saying a word. I went behind the bar and grabbed a bottle of 2003 Sharecropper’s Pinot Noir. I returned back to table 204 with fresh glasses and knew I had to hold my old world ground. I told the table to enjoy the Sharecropper’s with my compliments and that I would hear no more about the Burgundy until he had it with his entrée which I know is the Colorado Rack of Lamb.

The lamb finally arrived and I watched him eat his first few bites. The smile across his face was all I needed to approach the table. I asked him if he was enjoying his dinner and he said “indeed, this wine has finally opened up.” I left them to enjoy the rest of their meals and evening.

It all started out on what seamed to be like any other a really busy Saturday night. I wore my best suit and had my favorite wine key- I was ready to roll. There were more VIP’s in the place then Deaubeuf has Beaujolais. Table 11l had one of my favorite couples who happened to be Oregon Pinotphiles. Tonight, for some reason I still do not understand, I decided to talk them into a full frontal Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir instead the more elegant and food friendly Willamette Valley style wines. I said, as pulled the cork on the highly allocated 2003 Roessler ‘Peay Vineyard- La Brisa’ Pinot Noir, “All we have is our relationship, so if you do not love it, I will bring you out our finest Oregon Pinots.” I got the call back to 111 while decanting a bottle of 2002 DRC. I immediately knew what was going to happen as I nosed the up generous Roessler. I gathered fresh glasses and brought over the 2002 Domaine Serene ‘Guadalupe Vineyard’ from our the wine room. It was thankfully poured and airing out before their entrees arrived. I headed back to table DRC. They were mid-dinner when they offered me a taste. The 2002 Domaine Romanee Conti Vosne-Romanèe 1er Cru ‘Cuvée Duvault-Blochet was indescribable- as only the mystery of great Burgundy can be. As I went back to the wine room I had an idea. I brought rest of the Roesller back to the DRC table to provide a contrast to the restraint of the Burgundy. It is hard to believe that all 3 of these wines were crafted from the same grape.

One again we celebrae the diversity of out thin skinned friend