Postscript to Montiano vertical

Yup, I remember Joe distinctly. On the drive back to Manhattan he gave me an absolutely unique perspective on the music (and personality) of John Adams. Jean managed to endure the conversation (just barely) without registering violent boredom...

Great story, Dale. Maybe the issue is that you *do* meet famous winemakers but just don't recognize them? Would you know Michel Lafarge if you were to enounter him in an airport? ;-)

Mark Lipton

Well, if you play your cards right, you go where they are. While living in Germany several years ago, I used to visit the Moet & Chandon house about every six months--take the tour and buy the limited two bottles of Dom at low cost.

My wife had bought me a sweatshirt with a big Dom Perignon label on the chest. I insisted on wearing it. When we arrived at Moet, they were just closing for lunch. I asked where a good place in Ay was for lunch and the consierge directed me to a lovely little Michelin one-star right on the town square. He noticed the sweatshirt.

When we returned after a great meal (we drank Bollinger, not M & C) we took the tour. At the end, we were in the tasting room where they pour White Star. A gentleman came up to my wife and me, asked if we would like to Baron Chandon in the garden...he had heard about the sweatshirt.

We were escorted to the central garden where we were joined by the exceedingly dapper Baron who shared some vintage M & C (not Dom) and spoke with us for about half-an-hour. Quite pleasant!

Ed Rasimus Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret) "When Thunder Rolled" Smithsonian Institution Press ISBN #1-58834-103-8

Actually, that indeed is the issue. I said to Joe "how the hell did you recognize Cotarella?" Conversation was interrupted at that point (I love hosting big parties, but it's like being in Altman's "short Cuts"- fragmented).I'll ask again next time I see him. You think that guy with the German accent who stopped to pet Lucy this AM was Helmut Dönnhoff? :) Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply