My grand aunt and uncle were there with their family,
welcoming this young, gawky Americano in jeans, carrying a back pack. I must
have been a sight.
They spoke very little English, the younger ones more
conversant than the elders. I spoke a smattering of Italian. But we were family!
We can do this!
In fact, learning Italian by immersion works. I’m not saying it worked on me then, but I was thrust into a culture and a language and I had to find oxygen. I had to speak Italian.
Wine lovers on wine and the vinous life.
What wines do you have standing up right now?
Most of the samples that I have received. During the summer, wines with deposit are really not interesting.
What’s the last great wine you drank?
What do you mean by great? Expensive? There are not many really great wines around, but a lot of expensive ones!
Are there any classic wines that you only recently had for the first time?
Again, what do you mean by “classic?” I can imagine what you mean, but perhaps there are not so many “classic” wines around. Classic to me, may not be “classic” to someone else.
Wine lovers on wine and the vinous life.
I first met Eric in Napa Valley, California. Since then,
we’ve traveled, supped and opened a bottle or two in New York City, Austin, Texas
and Sicily. Eric has the distinction of being one of the most influential wine critics
today, a position he doesn’t take lightly (nor would he probably admit to it).
Nonetheless, it is what it is. He’s riding that tiger. Let’s jump on board with
him and take a spin, shall we?
What wines do you have standing up right now?
Most of the time, what I’m planning to drink is a
function of what I’m planning to write about. I will keep that private other
than to say I’ve just enjoyed some excellent bottles for my Wine School unit on
dark rosés.
What’s the last great wine you drank?
I prefer to think of “greatness” in terms of context,
expectations and fulfillment rather than on some universal scale in which the
great wines are profound examples of historic terroirs or estates. With that in
mind I would say a Château de Béru Chablis Montserre 2018 was a great wine. I
love Chablis, though I’m not a particularly a fan of the 2018 vintage.
Nonetheless, this wine was beautiful, intense in the way of the vintage yet
full of characteristic Chablis minerality rather than fruitiness, pure and
unmediated. I loved it.
Are there any classic wines that you only recently had for the first time?
I can’t think of any sorts of wine, though I can think of plenty of legendary bottles that I’ve never had, and probably never will. Cheval Blanc 1947, for one.
Once I landed, I decided to walk to Rome. Not thinking it that far away, and trying to conserve my money, in addition to the fact that I didn’t have many lire on me, I headed outside.
Wine lovers on wine and the vinous life.
What wines do you have standing up right now?
One of the few benefits of lock-down in Oz has been a lot more time at home. That has meant I have had the opportunity to drink wines that have been cellared for 10-15 years and are now ready to be drunk. Over the last few weeks I have had a good look at 2006 Barolo with the highlights being Borgogno Barolo Classico 2006 and Piero Benevelli Ravera di Monforte Barolo 2006. These 2006 are in a great spot right now.
Wine lovers on wine and the vinous life.
What wines do you have standing up right now?
There are so many wines to open right now. I just started a new role as a national sales manager (in the West) for Kermit Lynch, so I have been happily working my way through the portfolio trying to get a feel for all the producers. Leaning about and tasting all the new wines has the be the most fun part about a new job in this industry.
