Mount Eden Cabernet - blab, snooze, lose

[Dan_Kravitz]

Not sure if this belongs here or in Asylum… no tasting , so no tasting note.

I have my new car in for service, 45 minutes, bring a book.

Phone buzzes, it’s from Sunil, who bought my import business.

I step as far away as I can get in the waiting room, take the call, talk as quietly as possible. I sit back down and a woman comes over and says “Can I ask you a question about wine?” I apologize for being so loud, she apologizes for being an eavesdropper. OK, what’s the question?

She likes wine, knows a little about it, but right now she is over her head. She dined at the home of her best friend from college, a woman from an old family with some money and a wine cellar. They opened two bottles of the best Cabernet she ever had. Can I suggest a Cabernet that she can send in return?

“What was the Cabernet??”

“1999 Harlan Estate.”

“Umm, that probably is ~$1500 a bottle.”

“Not in my budget.”

“Can you spend $100?”

“Sure, or even $200.”

So I go on Wine-Searcher on my phone looking for… what else? Mount Eden.

Somm Cellars in NY has the 1994 for $160.

I tell her that’s what she wants.

I go home and find an e-mail from Wes Barton, who is planning a wine dinner for when I’m in California next week. I’d asked about the theme. He answered “old Santa Cruz Mountain wines”.

I basically don’t have anything. I go on line to buy the 1994 from Somm Cellars.

Gone-zo. Good for her! [bad for me]

My contribution will be some good vintage Champagne.

[Patrick_Taylor]

Along those lines, there have been plenty of times where I kinda regretted opening something for a group of non-wine folks. Most recently it was a 2012 Marco di Bartoli Bukkuram Passito. The group would have been happy with a 10yr tawny port.

[Howard_Cooper]

@Dan_Kravitz

Not sure if this belongs here or in Asylum… no tasting , so no tasting note.

I have my new car in for service, 45 minutes, bring a book.

Phone buzzes, it’s from Sunil, who bought my import business.

I step as far away as I can get in the waiting room, take the call, talk as quietly as possible. I sit back down and a woman comes over and says “Can I ask you a question about wine?” I apologize for being so loud, she apologizes for being an eavesdropper. OK, what’s the question?

She likes wine, knows a little about it, but right now she is over her head. She dined at the home of her best friend from college, a woman from an old family with some money and a wine cellar. They opened two bottles of the best Cabernet she ever had. Can I suggest a Cabernet that she can send in return?

“What was the Cabernet??”

“1999 Harlan Estate.”

“Umm, that probably is ~$1500 a bottle.”

“Not in my budget.”

“Can you spend $100?”

“Sure, or even $200.”

So I go on Wine-Searcher on my phone looking for… what else? Mount Eden.

Somm Cellars in NY has the 1994 for $160.

I tell her that’s what she wants.

I go home and find an e-mail from Wes Barton, who is planning a wine dinner for when I’m in California next week. I’d asked about the theme. He answered “old Santa Cruz Mountain wines”.

I basically don’t have anything. I go on line to buy the 1994 from Somm Cellars.

Gone-zo. Good for her! [bad for me]

My contribution will be some good vintage Champagne.

My fault I bought them a couple of days ago. But, you really have to blame yourself. Your posts over the years have had me craving older Mt Eden than I have. So, thanks.