At the tender age of 18 I was air dropped into Franconia as a soldier in the First Armored Division. I adapted and lived off the land. The combination of nubile frauleins who wanted to practice their English and the crisp and refreshing Frankenwein singed my brain forever. Must have MINERALS…
It was the experience in general of working in a wine store that got me interested, I had no idea what I was getting into as I thought it would be like any other part time job. After six months or so of getting a grasp on how to differentiate among the basics without actually being able to taste much of anything (I was still underage), it was that second Christmas at work when I finally wanted to start tasting “the good stuff” and I was capable of understanding the differences when things opened up for me.
The three wines that really did it were 1982 Ducru Beaucaillou, 1986 Laurel Glen Cab, and 1982 Dom Perignon. A year later came my Burgundy epiphany, a 1985 Drouhin Musigny.
1994 columbia crest merlot
Acid?
Quintarelli Rosso del Bepi took me to new levels.
Prior to that - whee, irony! - Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages.
97 Serafin Charmes Chambertin- Some time in early 2000 (I was actually 20)
It was a 1998 Domain Drouhin Pinot Noir at the restaurant at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. What a shocker to me. Looking back, it probably wasn’t that great of a wine objectively, but the circumstance, the company, the waiter, the food, all made it very memorable.
Since then, I’ve been in various stages of a wine geek. I remember someone posted the 11 stages of winegeekdom.
Mitch, when you’ve got a bit plate of sausages, spatzel in cream sauce and grilled root veg drowned in farm fresh butter in front of you, those wines are PERFECTLY balanced acidity wise…
Infanticide on a 1989 Hermitage La Chapelle.
Enjoyed wine prior, but had this and it changed the game for me…
actually, my wife and I might have some free time on Sun. I am staying at the Cavillo (I think that is what its called)Resort in Sausalito, Thurs - Sun Saturday is spoken for in Saus. Friday is business in S.F. Right now, no plan for Sunday other than taking a red eye back to Florida. How far from Sausalito are you? What is the closest airport ? I haven’t finalized my tickets. Where is the foothills? LOL !!
I promise not to bring Buccella , lol.
1995 Insignia.
To me a better wine than 98 and 99 Pavie. I still have a few.
I would tend to agree, although I haven’t had a '95 in a year or two. '95 and '96 Backus weren’t too shabby either.
Early-1980s Phelps Insignia, consumed at a pre-party before one of the 1990 Grateful Dead New Year’s shows. Not surprisingly, I can’t remember the specific vintage.
Backus from the early 00’s. Don’t remember the Vintage.
Yea, well this was in 1999, way too young, but it was at a business dinner…I didn’t know any better at the time and I wasn’t paying either.
It was more the hunt for the 1990 Grange than actually drinking it. I bought 6 x 6 packs at only £35/$53 per bottle. Over the past 16 years I’ve sold 5 of those 6 packs & have yet to drink a single bottle, although I’ve consumed a shed load of other vintages. Tragic really, but it was the chase for that wine that really gripped me! In another ten years time it will be ready for me to wolf down! 
I bet that pre-party was NOT in the parking lot, lol !! been there, done that…
1977 Mondavi Reserve Cabernet at the winery in the early 80’s.
David ![[drinkers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/82916bed5ad74ac8470bc04089d9758b0c80c9fa.gif "drinkers"){kind=small}