I can't remember how my friend, Rick, who owns a wine store in Alexandria
puts this, but it's something like "the history of wine is the history of the
world."  I think that's it.  This was something he happened to mention in
passing several years ago when I was in their (his and his wife, Barbara's,
store).  This intrigued me, and made me want to learn more about the subject.


To be honest, I don't know how to choose wine.  Just before Deri and Lin came
-- and totally blessed me with their presence for a week -- I called Rick and
Barbara and cried "HELP!"  I was going to have a few people over to help
"D&L, Inc." celebrate their silver wedding anniversary.  Rick and Barbara
chose everything for me and all I had to do was pick it all up.  They were
fantastic!  I was so glad because I have been known to buy wine without
advice, only to discover that I had made a poor choice.  I did not want to do
that to my guests, and certainly not D&L.

The other thing that was really nice was that Barbara told me I could bring
back whatever wasn't consumed -- unopened bottles, I mean (duh).  I do have a
lot of alcohol left over, but I've decided to keep it for future guests.
People stop by now and again, and I'd like to offer as many nice choices as
possible.

I have a new next door neighbor, and I might just give her one of the
leftover bottles of champagne.  Now that I think about it, it's nice to have
something handy that I can take when I'm invited to someone's house.

If that ever happens, I sure hope I remember not to pick my nose at the
dinner table.  I hate when that happens!

Just kidding!  Geezu!  I only do that at traffic lights.

Just kidding again!

Most of you know that "help me" goes right about here.

Betty

In a message dated 10/08/2001 5:13:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> Wine, is one of the few "food" or drinks, which has not been fully
>  homogenised into one "formula", each batch from a particular vineyard
>  will taste different (and so must contain different quantities of
>  various ingredients). Of course, "Big Business" would love to sell a
>  consistent product (particularly if it was "cheap" to produce). There
>  was a big scandal in Europe about 10 years ago when Austrian wine
>  producers were caught adding "anti-freeze" (glycol) to "sweeten" the
>  product.
>
>  Most of the top executives in the major breweries have a chemistry
>  background (rather than a trained palate) - makes you wonder.
>
>  Cheers
>
>  Deri
>


Betty
aut viam inveniam aut faciam
"I will either find a way or make one."