Drama

One of the reasons we ended up in the California wine country last week was that Marc had a work/educational meeting that he needed to attend. It was three days long, before and after which we took some time for ourselves. Only one of the meals we ate was a work-type dinner and this took place in the barrel room of a winery.

While Marc chatted away with colleagues, I spent time taking evening photographs around the grounds which were set high on a hill and allowed for a circumference of beautiful views. (And of course...there I was crouched low with my camera for the best shots in my dress clothes......) After a few tastes of champagne, we were ushered downstairs to a room illuminated with candles, overhead lanterns and colored stage lights. Dinner and our dinner companions were wonderful......but the best surprise was that we were treated to a few numbers from The Phantom Of The Opera on the small stage that was set up. It was lovely, haunting and eerily beautiful in this darkened room that smelled of wine and wood.

I'm not afraid to admit I enjoy a little drama now and then.

Wishing you a wonderful week!

Warmly, Margaret

Sparkling

Have you ever wondered about sparkling wine?  How it's made? About it's history? Technically you can only call it champagne if it's made in France.... but even a few of the restaurants we recently visited in the Napa Valley referred to it as champagne.

Sparkling wine isn't something I normally order, except for some reason on our anniversary, but when a waiter suggested it one evening......I didn't think it was a bad idea. After all, our recent trip was partially about trying out new flavors, we were eating French food and had decided on a plate of fruit and cheeses before dinner. During our conversation he mentioned he was studying to become a master sommolier, so I asked him to choose the wine for me. When he let me know what he would be bringing, I noticed the man at a nearby table smile at his dinner companion. I must have given him a quizzical look, because he motioned toward her and said, "She made that. It's her sparkling wine." Turns out I was seated next to the president and founding winemaker of the winery that my sparkling glass of bubbly came from. By the way it was delicious. And very special to be able to tell her so.

Although we intended to tour her winery at some point during the week, we somehow didn't make it. We did, however, manage, to tour another place in the area, Shramsberg, well known for its sparkling wines.  We walked through dimly lit caves that smelled earthy and sweet, and listened to a guide show and tell us what, in their opinion, makes their wines special. We watched the rapid rise of bubbles in cold flutes and tasted by candlelight. We saw photographs of presidents, princesses and first ladies raising glasses of it and learned that one variety (Blanc de Blanc) was the wine President Nixon served on his historic 1972 trip to China.

It was somewhat of a challenge to photograph in low light and with no flash or tripod, but I made an attempt. The images I captured allowed me to bring an unforgettable experience home with me....to prolong it a bit further. Those and the few bottles we ordered......

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.......again....Cheers!

Warmly, Margaret

Ash Wednesday

St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Healdsburg, CA

It's fitting that after a very enjoyable week of tasting food and wine, we head home today. I will say that we didn't overdo any of it. Not too much food or too much wine......unless of course I am forced to count the sparkling wine I tried yesterday that I accidentally had too much of. Of which I had no idea until it was pointed out that I was giggling my way through lunch. And humming. And maybe talking a bit too loudly. To our credit we did fit in some exercise during the week.

I love the rhythm that the seasons of the year give our lives. That I have reminders to pay attention to what I otherwise might not. If you're interested, T S Elliot wrote a poem entitled Ash Wednesday that I like. I couldn't find a good link to it on line, but you may be able to.

Cheers!

Warmly, Margaret