The Wine Commonsewer™

2013 Rancho Kazadyl Los Ninos Red Blend

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

Milton, Terry, and I have known each other since humanity emerged from barbarism and began crafting wine in the Fertile Crescent. There's maybe a half-dozen of us guys, who rode murdercycles and committed other assorted atrocities in the days of our vagrant yoot. We're at the other end of the highway now so we make it a point to break bread and drink wine together on occasion. 

In that tradition, last September three of us were comfortably ensconced in a cove on Lake Mohave. The night before before we swapped boat camping for casino camping and a hot shower, Milton shared his hand crafted 2013 Rancho Kazadyl Los Ninos (Coyote Creek Vineyard) red blend with Terry and I.

When Miltie moved out to the edge of Temecula's wine country, he experimented with some different vines to determine what would grow best. He also taught himself how to make a good wine. This Syrah-Cabernet-Zinfandel blend was awesome. I expected a decent, Miltie's no slouch, but I was surprised at the depth and complexity of his wine. It was absolutely as good as any well-made commercial wine. Good stuff.

Three Day's Libations. The BV Was a Spectacular Georges Latour

You may have noticed my wine sippy cup. These were pricey, but the price has come down. You have no idea what a mess a spilled glass of wine can make in the bottom of a boat and the wine sippy cups overcome that trauma nicely. Not that we're riding around in the chop pulling wake boarders and sipping red, mind you. But a little rock and roll of the boat or an errant elbow is all it really takes sometimes to dump a top-heavy wine glass.

Note: By glass, TWC means plastic glass.

As Always,

The Bogle Old Vine Zin Had Turned

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

I hadn't seen her since we moved her into Claremont McKenna dorms in August so I was happy to have lunch with The House Blond at The Host Bar and Grill, which is an Asian/Fusion place located in the old citrus packing house in Claremont. Love the creaky old wooden floors and the faint aroma of Watco.

When my glass of Bogel Old Vine Zinfandel appeared, it was apparent that the bottle had been stored next to the portal to hell for several days. I don't mean warm or even ordinary summer room temperature. It was hot enough that a handful of ice from my water glass immediately melted. I'm easy going and if the ice would have helped I'da been okay with that. But, the wine was definitely going off. Turned. Meaning: turning to vinegar or worse.

The server, Maryanne, returned and the conversation went something like this:

The House Blond turns Eighteen (Where's Her Birthday Hat At?)

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

When KT was born, I worked out how old I'd be on her eighteenth birthday. Don't ask. Let's just say old. Some people my age have grandkids her age.

At the time, it seemed way off in the murky distance somewhere, like when we were kids and made a game of figuring out how old we'd be in the year 2000. And I can't exactly recall how eighteen years have slipped away since The House Blond slipped into this world. Long days. Short years. From Polly Pockets to a graphing calculator in.....I'm tempted to say......the blink of a young girl's eye. But I won't say that, mostly because I've said that before.

She's already well into her first year at Claremont McKenna, one of the top liberal arts schools in the US. She could have gone to UCLA~~or several other UC's~~ on a free ride, but chose CMC for its top drawer faculty, mostly smaller class sizes, and quality of life. It's a good fit for her. Thankfully for mom and dad, CMC has been pretty generous, something she earned with her hard work and determination in HS.

Hard science is her thing. Chemistry and biology. She sees her interests leading to a career in genetics, neuroscience, or possibly medicine. She hasn't yet chosen a major, but her minor is likely to be economics. Her days are filled with chemistry and biology classes and labs, economics, literature, and cross country.

She's my Renaissance Girl, she can do about anything. Except the dishes.

That's us on move-in day in front of the dorms at Claremont McKenna College.

 

What Public Schools Taught About 9/11

 Good Morning Gentle Readers,

Mrs TWC wrote this in response to the way in which public education reacted to the criminal terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The essay appeared September 15, 2001 on Mrs TWC's blog and was reprinted elsewhere a number of times. In re-reading it yesterday I realized that it is as salient as the day it was written......

I have a three year old and a five year old and I want them to feel safe. Having said that, the media coverage of the impact of the terrorist attacks on America's children is sickeningly trite and leaves one with the impression that our school children are extremely coddled. I have been following Education Week's coverage of the terrorist attack "Terror Touches Schools," which has collected newspaper stories about terrorism and children from around the nation.