Remembering Kelly Walker

WINE TALK
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Good afternoon,

Kelly Walker, my wine travel buddy, passed away peacefully last Saturday in the arms of his lovely wife, also named Kelly.

I first met him over twenty years ago through our membership in the Grand Jury Européen. Some of you fondly remember the days of Della Notte and Bern’s Steakhouse. We shared so many great bottles. Kelly and I traveled together at least once a year, exploring wine regions in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Singapore, Hong Kong, and even the Republic of Georgia. We were like The Odd Couple, one of us driving, the other navigating. Our shared punctuality meant we were always on time for our visits. We drank a lot of great wines and shared a lot of memorable meals. Kelly was very positive, always having a big smile.

As you all know, Kelly had an exceptional palate—open-minded and appreciative of all styles of wine. However, his true passions lie in Piedmont and Burgundy. He was full of energy, always the last to go to bed, usually after enjoying a cigar, another of his many passions.

I found out about his cancer diagnosis April of last year. We traveled to the Republic of Georgia in November to participate in a Grand Jury du Vin session, followed by visits to Champagne, Burgundy, and Paris. In Paris, we shared a memorable dinner with François Mauss, the founder of the Grand Jury Européen.

I visited Kelly in early June, and he was still very much Mr. Kelly Walker—enjoying great wines, great food, and most importantly, great friends. Throughout it all, the other Kelly was always by his side.

A son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Kelly proudly served as an officer aboard a nuclear submarine. He loved his country deeply. He always spoke with great pride and love for his son and daughter. And he loved his wife Kelly dearly, calling her every day when we traveled abroad.

Kelly was a close friend that I could always rely on. In our last phone conversation, while he was in the hospital, we were planning our next trip to Champagne and Burgundy. I miss him a lot, until next time, my friend.

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Kevin

54 Likes
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Kevin,

So sorry to read this. Always enjoyed your shared posts of your travels - both here and on ebob.

RIP

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Kevin, I am so sorry for your loss. The entire wine loving community feels the loss as well.

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Oh man. Learned a lot from Kelly’s posts. Condolences to all who knew him.

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Thanks for sharing this - may his memory be a blessing.

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Sorry to hear that, Kevin. Condolences to his family and his friends. I always looked forward to his posts.

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Far too young, it appears. Glad you guys were able to get out there and enjoy so many trips over the years and a swansong last year. Carpe diem.

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I will raise one up for Kelly this evening. May his memory be a blessing.

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So sad to hear this. Condolences.

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A name I’ve known for years, and a person I’m sorry I never met. I’m sure you cherish all your memories.

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So sad. We had some great times at Berns. Condolences to his family.

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A tremendous loss, and so very sorry to read this, Kevin, while appreciating the incredible tribute you’ve written to your good friend. I had always hoped to meet Kelly someday and have lived vicariously through his notes and your adventures together. He will be missed, but also well-remembered.

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Oh crap, that sucks. I had no idea.

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(Forlorn Exhale)

Just not enough time, Kelly. I am sorry. I will miss you.

Thank you for the beautiful post, Kevin :heart:.

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RIP, very sad news.

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Kevin … I am so heartbroken to read this. We shared several good times together. He will be missed by his family and everyone who knew him.

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This is such sad news.

One anecdote:

I never met Kelly, and he would have had no idea who I am. Yet, I’ve seen his name for a very long time associated with wonderful events and wines. He always seemed like a great guy who loved life. And for me, Kelly unknowingly played a small role in launching me down the fine wine rabbit hole.

I got into fine wine through fine dining. When I was in my early 20s, I participated in Steve Plotnicki’s OAD discussion board. I still remember vividly reading a post–maybe from Kelly but definitely involving Kelly–about a group that went to Troisgros and drank spectacular wines and had what appeared to me an incomparably joyous time and the Platonic ideal of a dinner.

At the time of that post, my wife and I were planning our French honeymoon. Based solely on that post, I added Troisgros to our itinerary. At that dinner, we drank a 93 Rousseau Chambertin (for a pittance) that I always cite as my epiphany Burg that launched me into this hobby. It also was, and still is, the best and most memorable dining experience I’ve ever had. The empty Rousseau is sitting behind me in my office right now.

So, even though I never met Kelly, I thank him for playing a small and unwitting part in introducing me to this hobby, this wine board, and the many dear friends I have made along the way.

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Kevin, I am sorry for your loss. You did your friend well with that post. It was touching, and I could feel your friendship love in your words.

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Lovely post. I’m very sorry for your loss. I’ve so enjoyed your excellent adventures over the years.

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Very sad, and very sorry for your loss. I had the opportunity to meet Kelly at a couple big offlines, great guy,

1 Like