Old World wine refers primarily to wine made in Europe but can also include other regions of the Mediterranean basin with long histories of winemaking such as North Africa and the Near East. The phrase is often used in contrast to New World wine which refers primarily to wines from New World wine regions such as the United States, Australia, South America and South Africa.
The very first time I tasted tawny Port, I was in a wonderful seafood restaurant overlooking Puget Sound. After a delicious and very filling dinner, everyone at the table decided to order dessert - actually a rarity in my family, but that's another story. I read the dessert menu, and as full as I was, everything seemed too rich, and then I saw an entry for a glass of Tawny Port with dark chocolate truffles.
Honestly, ordering that dessert was one of the better decisions I've made in my life. "Life-changing" is a bit overused, but it was certainly an eye-opening moment. And I've enjoyed many glasses of Port, both Ruby and Tawny, ever since.
Al Scheid first saw potential in Monterey County in 1972 when the wine region was in its infancy. What started as a grape growing operation that sold 100% of its production to other wineries evolved into a family business that makes wines under several labels, including Scheid Vineyards, Sunny with a Chance of Flowers, District 7, Ryder Estate, Metz Road, VDR, and Stokes’ Ghost. They also produce many regionally distributed brands for specific clients and distributors.
So, we caught up, and we talked about the last year and the lockdown and our reactions to it. And I talked a bit about how depressed and frustrated JD and I have been. He was immediately concerned, so I reassured him that we were basically OK, it wasn't chronic depression that required drugs and counseling.
And I was reminded of the times in my life when I was stymied by depression.
The Goddess of Wine and JD took a quick trip south to Los Olivos and Solvang. First time since December 2019. It felt good. And odd. JD's been running errands and making the occasional foray down to Ellay, but I haven't been anywhere south of San Luis Obispo.
JD & Larry
We stopped in at Tercero for a too-short visit with the irrepressible Larry Schaffer. He's got some new and interesting wines available. And he's been keeping busy doing Zoom tastings, both public and private. Admirable. You should check them out. Chatted briefly with a young couple who were just learning about wine. Always good to see bright faces light up with those 'aha' moments.
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| A bucolic scene at San Simeon (photo by Rico Mandel) |
Meanwhile, vaccines were being made and distributed! Hope on the horizon! Grownups in the White House! I started feeling a bit better, and after getting my first shot of the Pfizer vaccine, began to feel that I could return to the world. Carefully.
