Wine: Use it or lose it!
Robert Renzoni, Mike Grgich, Herzog Wine Cellars
In the aftermath of the recent Napa earthquake several wineries reported losses of irreplaceable wines, some dating back nearly a century. It turns out that wine is a whole lot more than a tasty beverage. Wine is filled with stories to tell, and can stir memories of people and events in our lives. A letter I received in the mail from my sister drove home this fact. The note said:
“Thank you for the 2 boxes of wine that we’re slowly making our way through. It’s fun to take the first taste to see if the wine was affected by the heat! Most have been OK! I’m surprised. Just a word of advice: when you get wine in the future, USE IT!”
The backstory
I recently gifted my sister bottles of wine given to me during travels as a journalist or as presents from family and friends. I’d tasted most the vintages and saved the unopened wine gifts for sentimental reasons. Some sat in the garage–for years! Among the collection:
- A bottle of wine Mike Grgich gave me in 1980, pitching his upstart winery in Napa Valley
- A kosher wine from the upstart Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard where we were treated to a history tour and kosher lunch
- A bottle of wine from Robert Renzoni who said at a dinner in the historic Stone House at Temecula Creek Inn that he would one day own a winery to fulfill his dream of carrying on the family name
- A bottle of wine from a visit to the renovated Niebaum-Coppola Chateau where we interviewed Eleanor Coppola
