New to everything....

[Kcwhippet]

I guess I've resisted long enough, so here's a brief wine bio.

Started about the same as Foodie (maybe 6 or 7) when my parents started giving us a bit of wine cut with water. This was in the late 40's when there wasn't much good stuff available here. My sister never really got the bug and isn't much on wine even today. At one point, my dad got a bit po'd at DeGaulle and he switched to Algerian wine in protest. The stuff isn't all that good - haven't had any since way back then.

When I (finally) became old enough to buy my own wine, I was almost exclusively a Francophile.Started buying French wines back about64, and I remember the first case purchase being a 61 Lafitte. Didn't cost that much then and it was pretty good. I recall that I later tended to go for St. Julian and St. Estephe.

Tried some CA wines, like early Inglenook and liked it, so switched to mostly CA with some French and German for a change of pace. Then moved out to CA and found that having nine wineries close to home was a good thing. I recall one SW in particular that we really liked. It was the Caymus Libety School Three Vally Select White at about $4. Bought a lot of cases as a summer sipper. Then eventually it just disappeared from their portfolio and the Conundrum production jumped dramatically and so did the price. Hmmm. Worked at a number of wineries for crush (part time of course) just to get into the groove and also to get some free wine.

About 1990, moved to MA (to be close to Judy) and started working part time in a few wine shops (mostly for the employee discount). Retired from the corprate drudge about 3 years ago and started as a manager at one of the shops I was working in. I like the interaction with the customers, since I'm also a bit conversant with Single malt Scotch, Tequila, Bourbon and beer, besides wine. I like the opportunity of getting to try about 40 to 60 wines every week and having a say on what gets brought into the shop. Having a great time, but I'm thinking it's about time to start having a little more fun in my "golden years". Probably going to go part time soon and do some more traveling with Judy. Gotta have some fun before it's too late.

All in all, it's been fun and I sure do love wine.