The Winemaker Speaks

My dad is 84 years old. You’d never know it by his hair, still full and wavy, still salt and pepper. But there are some things that he can’t do these days. He can no longer drive, for instance. He can dance, but his jitterbug is quite a bit slower now. And while he still loves wine and has a glass every day with his supper, he no longer makes his own.

This afternoon I watched my dad’s face light up as he saw that the package I was opening for him came from the Gold Medal wine of the month club and contained not one, but two bottles of wine: a red Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel and a Chardonnay. My father always made a dry, full bodied red wine; needless to say that’s the one he popped open first.

I don’t know much about wine but I’ve watched the whole wine-tasting ritual before. He starts by passing the cork under his nose and ends it with either a few sips or a second glass. This time, he had a third glass!

According to my dad, this Zinfandel was dry and full bodied. He said it was probably too strong for my mom but it was very close to the wine he made with my grandfather years ago. The texture was smooth and the pleasant taste lingered nicely.

Even though he was happy to keep “testing” the red wine, he knew I wanted his opinion on the Chardonnay as well. Again, he began the ritual and when he tasted it, he turned to my mom and said, “You’ll really like this one.” He was right, as always when it comes to wine. My mom really liked the lighter body of the white wine. My dad gave it his nod of approval, too, but turned back the red for another glass.

I looked over the newsletter that comes with each shipment of wine and loved the informative articles. In fact, everything from the packaging and presentation to the quality of wine and the beautiful gift card was top notch. As much as this would have made a wonderful Christmas gift for my dad, I’m really glad he got to enjoy it in a more relaxed setting, without a dozen grandchildren and children hovering over him.

Now tell me, isn’t this just the happiest face you’ve seen for a long time? Salute!