MY WINE HALL OF FAME
Morlet Bouquet Garni, Olivier Leflaive Rully 1st Cru, Cháteau Mouton Rothschild, Giuseppe Quintarelli Secco, Graham's Vintage Porto, Tablas Creek Esprit Blanc, and Bota Box chardonnay
Well, not so quick. I’ve yet to try the Morlet Family Vineyards Bouquet Garni Bennett Valley Syrah 2013. It’s in my cellar just waiting its moment to shine. A gift from a friend some years ago, I think of him when I think of it. He owned a beverage distribution business of some note, was my across-the-street neighbor, and had it in his heart that I — and surely not only I — should share in the enjoyment of the products he could enjoy every single day, should he choose. Sometimes he’d call me and ask, “What are you drinking these days?” Well, such a question from a distributor of goods I’m fond of! After chatting, he’d drop off a number of bottles of a selection of that wine variety at my front door. In response, I chose to return the favor with bars of my favorite dark chocolate with orange or cherry bits in them. It was hardly an even exchange. We both knew that, but he may well have liked my gifts as much as I liked his.
In 1990, my wife, our nine-year-old son, and I had dinner in Paris at Jamin restaurant, my very first 3-Star Michelin experience. The Olivier Leflaive Rabource Rully 1er Cru Chardonnay 1988 was our choice of an inexpensive wine at an expensive restaurant. On a subsequent trip some friends joined my wife and I and visited the delightful Leflaive winery. A number of bottles of Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1986 were part of a first-growth futures splurge purchase of various wines I made in the late 1980’s. But I didn’t sample them until years later. On a trip to Aspen, Colorado, on a side visit to Little Nell Hotel, I tried the Giuseppe Quintarelli Secco Ca’del Merlo Veneto Garganega Blend 2004 for first time. Since then, I’ve had the 2008 and 2018 while the 2019 awaits in our wine cooler. The Grahams Vintage Porto 1985 was part of a purchase at a local wine store. I’d had some port before. This 1985 Grahams was highly touted. Then at an annual celebration dinner in 2015 with dear friends at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee, the sommelier recommended a new wine. I remain grateful to him to this day. At the time, I mostly drank chardonnay. He suggested a white blend of Rhone grapes grown in California. Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc Paso Robles Roussanne Blend 2011 came onto my radar that dinner and has remained one of my favorite wines of all time. I’m well aware that all these wines are surely those for a special occasion.
Trouble is, of course, special occasions may only come along every once in a great while. So, it should be said, I believe that more regular occasions are worthy of a favorite, too, such as Bota Box chardonnay, which is for me. Happy sipping!