Wine Notes From the Past

Last Christmas, I got to see my best wine friend, the sommelier. With her, it’s always all about wine. I told her it was funny that living in California I still hadn’t found anybody to drink wine with how we used to drink wine together.

While we were eating, she pulled out her little journal, in which we would record tasting notes and reactions to bottles. For every entry there were at least two or three bottles that were consumed in restaurants, at someone else’s place, or when we were just too tipsy or disinterested to put pen to paper.

Here are some of my favorites:

Of the ‘98 Forefathers Cabernet Sauvignon
“A little toasty, very smooth, long finish, nice tannins…herbaceous… we thought maybe some currants but weren’t exactly sure b/c we’ve never had them”

’02 Bishop’s Peak Pinot Noir
“nice to drink for the value…cranberry and toasted oak…. Ms.Farley wants food—too much barnyard for her”

’01 Kracher Eiswein
“drank after a night of heavy drinking such a shame, I say now– it was quite expensive with some nasty peach shortcakes the only time Paula Deen has ever let me down…after watching Jancis we emptied the bottle…peach, honey, fig, very rich, viscous, full bodied”

’00 Joseph Phelps Insignia
“I had planned to drink this after my graduation from grad school, but there was no one worthy”–me

’03 Martella Fiddletown Zinfandel
“nose—Whew! Pure alcohol, lots of black pepper, blackberry…palate—almost cab-like in flavor:chocolate, tar, tobacco…little tannin, nice and smooth”

And now I know Michael Martella–have helped him with writing projects, had conversations and meals with him, poured wine next to him.

It really is a small world.