QOTD: My epiphany. though not wine-related, came a few years ago with a patient of mine when I was a third year medical student. I was in charge of a three year old patient recovering from some breathing issues. After a week of caring for the patient, she was ready to be discharged. As a third year med student, I could not give out any medical advice that was not first cleared by the attending physician. I mostly regurgitated the textbook at them. The most I could do was interact with the patient and spend some time explaining the situation with the parents. Apparently it was something the other doctors had forgotten to do. When the patient was ready to leave, the mother came up to me and said I had done more to comfort her and the daughter, than any other doctor they had seen there in the past couple of weeks. She wanted my cell phone number so that she could contact me in case she needed her daughter to be seen by a doctor. Basically, she wanted me to be her pediatrician. She had a hard time understanding that I was not licensed, nor even prepared to take care of her daughter, and that I absolutely could not be counted on as her doctor. Nonetheless, that became the moment when I realized that my career as a student (19 years at that point) was over and my career as a caregiver had begun.

I’ve always liked wine but the moment I realized I loved it is burned into my memory. A number of years ago I was having brunch with my wife and friends at a cliffside restaurant called “Napenthe” on the Pacific Coast Highway just south of Big Sur. We were sitting outside on a crisp spring day, one of those where the sky and ocean are clear all the way to the horizon. The wine was a Pinot Noir from Tantara Winery in Santa Barbara made from grapes grown by Gary Franscioni in the Santa Lucia Highlands. The meal was a smoked salmon and dill salad.

The combination of setting, friends, wine, and food formed a memory that, although it may be equaled, will never be surpassed.

Thus began my descent (ascent?) into wine. I’ve recently quit my job as a retail executive to work for a winery and go back to school to learn/experience everything I can about wine. I’ve found that life only has meaning when you’re pursuing your passion.

I’ve always liked wine but the moment I realized I loved it is burned into my memory. A number of years ago I was having brunch with my wife and friends at a cliffside restaurant called “Napenthe” on the Pacific Coast Highway just south of Big Sur. We were sitting outside on a crisp spring day, one of those where the sky and ocean are clear all the way to the horizon. The wine was a Pinot Noir from Tantara Winery in Santa Barbara made from grapes grown by Gary Franscioni in the Santa Lucia Highlands. The meal was a smoked salmon and dill salad.

The combination of setting, friends, wine, and food formed a memory that, although it may be equaled, will never be surpassed.

Thus began my descent (ascent?) into wine. I’ve recently quit my job as a retail executive to work for a winery and go back to school to learn/experience everything I can about wine. I’ve found that life only has meaning when you’re pursuing your passion.

QOTD: 2003 Chateau Guiraud Sauternes. That was it.

QOTD: 2003 Chateau Guiraud Sauternes. That was it.