Twice Thwarted

Posted 01/13/2008 at 12:32 PM by Carolyn

A wine bottle

So, I have this new gig writing for this wine site, which is a really excellent excuse for me to drink more. And, of course I’ll be learning more, too, which is lovely. But, everyone knows that to learn about wine, you’ve got to taste wine, which is what I intend to do. Oh yes, I’m full of good intentions.
 
Tonight, I intended to go to a French wine tasting at Left Bank. I never used to drink French wine at all, simply because it’s impossible to understand a French wine label unless you know everything about French wine. Certainly, I don’t know half of everything about French wine, but recently I learned enough to know that I really like Burgundy wines. (Quick aside: I believe each wine-producing region in France is allowed by law to grow only two or three types of grapes; Burgundy is permitted only to grow chardonnay and pinot noir, so if you pick up a white Burgundy you know it’s chard, and if you pick up a red Burgundy you know it’s pinot! French chardonnays are more crisp and less oak-y than California wines, and their pinots are more complex and earthy…in short, they’re pretty much super delicious! And now you know everything I know about French wine!) So, I was excited to go to the French wine tasting.
 
Then, of course, the work day caught up with me. Pastry cook is not an athletic occupation, but it does require a certain degree of exertion to stand in a kitchen all day. My mistake, as usual, was to come home, shower, and sit on the sofa…and then lay down on the sofa…and then pull a blanket over myself…and by then it was really too late. I never made it to that wine tasting. I had my own personal wine experience at home, with a nice crisp California Viognier that I stole from my parents’ house on Easter. Very nice indeed, but not what I had hoped for tonight. I was thwarted.
 
Two days ago, when I was given this wine blog gig, I was given a solid first assignment: go around the corner to the gourmet market and entice the young wine merchant there to teach me something about wine. Okay, “entice” wasn’t the word that was used by my boss, but it’s what I decided my strategy would be. I was wearing some new pants, and I’d been getting inappropriate looks and comments all day (they’re just some corduroy Capri pants; I don’t know what everybody was getting so worked up about). So, I thought it’d be easy enough to get the attention of a wine geek who I’d already been told would be very pleased to help me. Things did not go as planned.
 
When I arrived at the market, I immediately saw who I was seeking out. A boyish face in a sea of grey hair, he was talking very intensely on the phone about a shipment of pinot noir. I figured I would just look around until he was done on the phone, at which time he would surely rush over to assist me. I was approached by another salesman rather quickly, but I shrugged him off as per my assignment. Meandering through the different sections of the store, I imagined what questions I would ask when the Wine Wonder Boy finally got off the phone. Sangeovese: “Can you suggest an affordable but tasty wine to have with Indian food?” Sparkling wines: “I heard about a champagne from New Mexico that’s supposed to be really good; do you have it?” Dessert wines: “I’d like to try an Oloroso sherry, something with a lot of flavor but not too expensive.” And, I’d gotten a hot tip that he favors Burgundy wines--what a happy coincidence!
 
Finally, he put down the phone. I gave a little flip of my hair and sauntered past him, straight to the Burgundy section. I didn’t know what I would say when he approached me, but because of my genuine interest I figured something would come to me. Several minutes passed. He was fiddling around with some paperwork, standing so close to me! Why wouldn’t he just offer to help me? What was I supposed to be getting out of this guy again? I couldn’t even remember anymore, but by then I’d been there so long that I didn’t want to just give up. I guess Capri pants just really aren’t his thing. After hearing so many glowing reports, the Wine Wonder Boy had let me down. With my little pastry cook feet protesting any more standing, and with a non-work related wine purchase not in my budget for the day, I was forced to abandon my mission. I was thwarted again.

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