You DO realize that unless CJ gets back to feed me, this banter will continue and if we don't inject something "serious" into the mix the "overseers" (JJ? You out there?? ) may deem my thread to be "for fun only"
I am not very good at the science of it (that is what I have a father for: you should see his cellar!) but in Europe it is not the grapes but the region of origin that matters. Same grapes in different soils give a different character to wine. That is what they called origin denomination.
I am mostly into reds, though I found the other day a fun white with no pretensions called René Barbier in World Market. My partner is the one that does the wine thing in a scientific manner. I am only a dilettante
When H and I had just separated, one of my sisters came over to spend a week with me. The last weekend I had had a terrible row with H (I gave him a heartfelt letter of how everything he was doing was affecting our R and he gave it back to me without finishing it saying:'I'm tired of being insulted'!!!!). Anyway, I was furious and went totally absolutely dark: did not answer pages, did not answer the cell phone and went to stay in a hotel with my sister and my daughter. That Saturday we had dinner with friends and then my sister and I hit the town! It was such fun... That is when I discovered a really cool place in Fort Worth called Wine Scapes. They have 'flights' of wine: sampling of 4 different wines with a common denominator (e.g. California wines, Australian wines...). I loved it. There were also cheeses and patés to accompany the wine. It was real fun And we were in a perfect mood both of us!!! I had not had that much fun in a long. long time!
The following day, my H broke up with OW and left her house storming... as I learned later from her.
"You don't throw a whole life away just 'cause it's banged up a little"
Tom Smith in "Seabiscuit"
David is the one here that is really into it, I just sample what they give us and decide if I like it or not! BUT David isn't here and I HAVE ALL OF THE WINE!!!!!!!
Terroir, I have no idea how to spell that but Shiny will probably correct me. Our wine instructor says even just across the road the wines can taste totally different. Hence a Grand Cru and an everday drinking wine practically growing side by side!
I have told David we are discussing wines and I am collecting a list for him to pick up so that we can try them.
Yeah, they don't like to hear what they are doing wrong. It is insulting them. No matter what they are doing to us!
OK, I have friends in TX if I ever get there to visit I want to check this place out!!!
Pam
"We must be willing to let go of the life we had planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us"
Well THERE'S some positive connections with the vine!
One of my colleagues arranges his Sabbaticals around wine growing regions of the world: so far France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Australial mate!
Every fall he and his W host a Wine tasting event where for a minimal fee ($10 a head) faculty and students alike can go to their place and sample from a selection he himself has made.
He types up the names, tasting notes, prices, all done in order (whites first, reds last) with plain bread chunks for cleansing the palate. HE's got a cellar to envy!!!
It's always a LOT of fun...
Interestingly, wow, just remembered this. When I was a grad student, this same Prof was my mentor and I was his Teaching Assistant. About the time I relapsed with my Ulcerative Colitis, a former fellow student of mine, M, confessed to me that she was having an A with this prof of ours.
Now, she was finished the program and off doing her PhD, but it was a fairly long A. I felt uncomfortable with her confiding in me as I already knew and liked his W. This "friend" of mine, it turns out, was just using me to have SOMEONE to tell. I'm not sure to this day that my mentor has any idea that I "Know".
Although he was ready to cast all aside for this fling (she was married too), SHE broke it off, stayed with her H and had three kids.
My mentor and his W seem the same as always...I wonder how he feels about it all and if she ever found out.
Last year we had wine parties in our picnic shelter. Actually it was at one of those that OW, overdid and spent the rest of the evening upchucking in the flower bed.
Then the night in our bed with David there with her!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have you seen Optimist's note to David???????? I LOVE IT!
Pam
"We must be willing to let go of the life we had planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us"
Pam dear, You don't care for Chilean wine? Did I hear you right?? Didn't some of the great vines in France originate in Chile?
Wait a minute... Come to think of it, I haven't found any "raving" Chilean wine here in this country. At least not in a price range that I can justify.
Hey, do I sound snobbish enough?
Actually, I'm humbled by everybody elses knowledge.
The vines may have came from Chile but the terrior isn't the SAME! I need to look up how to spell that because Shiny hasn't came back and corrected me yet!
Pam
"We must be willing to let go of the life we had planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us"
) may deem my thread to be "for fun only" 
And we were in a perfect mood both of us!!! I had not had that much fun in a long. long time!
Our wine instructor says even just across the road the wines can taste totally different. Hence a Grand Cru and an everday drinking wine practically growing side by side! 
No matter what they are doing to us! 
