To my Friends,
I finally came home this week from my business adventures and does it ever feel good. I know that Eve, as well as many of my readers, want to strangle me due to the lack of articles over the past month, but I thought that I would share some of the high points while on travel.
First, I had a very interesting time with many of my GOTN friends on the east coast. One night I was asked to go to Cafe Margaux by two of my friends, Richard and Susan Barwell. Cafe Margaux is an upscale restaurant in old Cocoa Village that has fantastic French food and a wine list that is to die for. This may sound strange from a wine snob, but I tried escargot for the first time and loved it. Since Susan and Richard ordered fish dishes I ordered a veal dish and a Chateau de Gevrey-Chambertin Burgundy was selected. Thanks to Guy Lelarge of Valencia Wine Company for getting me hooked on this wine. I had a normal Caesar salad, Susan had the house and Richard ordered a Caesar salad that had a curry dressing which he said was not spicy and was terrific.
A couple of days later, Mary McNeal, who owned Wine-Ohs, invited me to Juice and Java where Tony Castro, her boyfriend, was playing. He plays keyboards and sings our favorites as well as his own compositions including a song about the recent oil spill and the effect on humanity. Mary, now a wine sales representative, informed me that they carry some of her wines so I started looking through their wine list. To my surprise they had 2005 Chimney Rock Elvage and after seeing my mind was made up. I shared this with the group and they found it to be fantastic. Watching Tony play in front of his east coast following reminded me of Vic and his west coast following of Vic Rocks. I would love to see Vic and Tony play together sometime.
I am happy to have such fantastic friends in Florida. These people, like my west coast friends, are great and they go out of their way to keep me involved in the one thing that I enjoy most, “GOOD WINE”. In addition to great friends and good wine I was also able to play four rounds of golf over two weekends. This will get me ready to challenge Guy from Valencia Wine Company, so look out Guy, because that’s more rounds of golf than I have played in a year at home.
Hope to see all of you before I have to go back. I really miss the GOTN and various wine events that I attend with you.
Cheers,
Rusty
