It’s not just about the wine (gasp!)

Ok, Ok. Coming from someone whose friends call him “the wine guy”, saying that it’s not all about the wine may be a sign of early mental derangement. But let me explain.

It USED to be all about the wine when I was younger. When I was in my mid-20’s, it was all about the big-flavored wines that gave me a “wow” every time I took a sip. Then in my 30s, it was all about the more esoteric wines I got to try when I had my own retail business specializing in fine wines from around the globe. And even in my early 40’s, it was all about the older, mature wines that were a rare treat and offered amazing flavors and aromas from their time resting in the bottle. And of course it was often about the amazing discovery of Malbec in all its various and glorious guises.

But lately, it seems to be about something besides the wine. Like the people I drink with. Like the way the sun’s rays warmly glow against the building as I sit outside and watch the contrails light up the sky as sunset nears. Like the food that takes center stage now and is softly illuminated by the wine rather than the “clear the palate” wine philosophy of my youth.

And, dare I say it, sometimes it’s about the place or the food that the wine has brought me to. On my last trip to Mendoza, and after a long day of wine tasting, I ended up at La Posada del Jamón for a late lunch (delicious btw) which finished with an unusual dessert—a combination of pumpkin-like squashes that had been cooked in a sweet syrup and placed in a bowl with local walnuts, stewed figs, and local medium-hard cheese. Absolutely delicious and so unexpected that it gave me one of those “perfect moments” that writer Spalding Gray spoke of in “Swimming to Cambodia”.

So now that I think about it, I guess it is mostly about the wine.

Get up close and personal with this mouth-watering dessert…  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP-byEHVtrM

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Tags: Argentina, Argentine Wine, Malbec, Mendoza, wine blogger, Wine Importer