Greg Lambrecht wrote a blog post for us where he told us about eight of his favorite wines, and the memories and stories behind each of them. Now through Wednesday October 22nd, share your favorite wine and the story behind it for a chance to win a free Coravin System.
Since we’re asking you to share your favorite wine stories, I thought that we would share the stories behind some of our favorite wines as well.
Sue Brown, Operations Coordinator – Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse
In early 1999 I was at Alan Albert’s Steakhouse in Las Vegas on my first business trip at my new job. At 28 I knew nothing about wine, so I was hesitant to order anything at a business dinner with my new team. The Director of Marketing said, “trust me, try this wine and you will be hooked,” and ordered a Pouilly-Fuisse. It was a crisp, earthy, almost tart taste – and she was right, it was delicious. That was 15 years ago, and it is still my go-to. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve brought a bottle to dinner and said “trust me, try this wine and you will be hooked.”
Charles Curtis, Master of Wine – 1982 Chateau Figeac
Over the years many wines have moved me, but there’s one story that’s about falling in love twice. The year was 1990 and I was living in Paris to study cooking at the Cordon Bleu. The students of our wine course formed a wine club that would meet once per week. It was at school that I met my girlfriend, now my wife of 22 years. Little did we know that it all started with the wine course. There was one evening where we drank a wine that has still stuck in my mind, and not only for sentimental reasons. That particular bottle has been a leitmotif – we drank it the night we got engaged, and we have had it many other times since. It is one of those reliable bottles that serve as a touchstone for gastronomic pleasure.
Adam Leech, Senior Lead Mechanical Engineer – Domaine Chante-Perdrix Chateauneuf-du-Pape
My wife and I stumbled upon this estate while on a celebratory trip to France last year. After a long morning searching for an open vineyard, we finally spent a memorable afternoon sampling this wine with Phillippe, the estate owner. I’m not sure if it was the stress of that day or whether it was the best wine I ever had, but it was amazing to drink it with him in his cellar. We brought a few bottles back with us, and drinking it now takes us back to the trials and eventual rewards of that day.
Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, Master of Wine – 1996 Domaine Drouhin Grands-Echezeaux
Despite our Italian ancestry, my family does not drink wine (aside from the occasional bottle of Riunite), so I bought this $200 Grand Cru red Burgundy to share with them one Easter. This bottle was going to blow them away and introduce them to the “world of wine.” I opened it, tasted it, breathed in its gorgeous perfume, and poured a glass for everyone. I left the room for one minute and when I came back, they had all poured their wine into a pitcher and added 7Up! We now had a $200 spritzer. The horror!
Steve Gasman, Brand Manager – Trifecta Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
When I returned to my hotel after a long day of working the Nantucket Wine festival I got to meet the owners Pablo & Lynanne of Trifecta Wines – a small passion project winery that donates all profits to charity. They only make 350 cases a year of their wine. I tasted the 2010 Cab with them, which struck me immediately. I had thought that the reason this wine resonated with me was the overall experience of being in Nantucket and tasting with the winery owners. However, recently at the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival I ran into Pablo & Lynanne again, and as I tasted their wine it immediately brought me back to that day on Nantucket – a memorable experience overall.
Bryan Ware, Inside Sales – 1998 Château d’ Yquem
I tasted this wine for the first time right after proposing to my fiancée earlier this year. We have never encountered a wine with such delightful balance of sweetness and acidity that lingered minutes after the last sip. A wonderfully sweet Sauternes for a wonderfully sweet moment that I will never forget.
Mihaela Contu, International Customer Service (Coravin B.V.) – 2009 Atibaia
I tasted this surprising red wine during a wine tasting trip with friends in the mountains close to Beirut, Lebanon. Atibaia is a very small estate, the result of the dream and personal challenge of Jean, the owner, to create a great wine for his and his friends and family’s enjoyment. They produce only one bottle, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot, created with utmost love and care for every small detail – and one could tell only by listening to how Jean was speaking of his wine during our visit. Very hard to find in the normal retail channels, but absolutely worth it.
Danielle Davini, Sales Coordinator – 2010 Bodega Norton Reserva Malbec
Right after graduating college, I only drank white wine and cocktails – that changed in 2011 when my boyfriend and I dined at Tango Restaurant in Arlington. It was the middle of winter and we both had a bad case of cabin fever. I was feeling a little adventurous when he suggested ordering a bottle of wine. I agreed to find a red wine (my boyfriend, after all, only drank white wine because of me). I scoured the menu, reading all the different descriptors. With the help of our waiter, I finally picked out a wine, Norton 2010, Malbec Reserve, Mendoza. I had the first taste, and that wine changed my opinion and future beverage choices.
Debbie Caamano, Online Marketing Manager – Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc
My boyfriend and I traveled to New Zealand in 2000 on a self-driven tour covering both the North and South islands. We only had two days to spend in Blenheim in the Marlborough region, with over 100 wineries in the area, there was no way we could see them all. On a whim, we stopped by the Cloudy Bay Vineyard and quickly fell in love with their Sauvignon Blanc. Each sip was infused with passion fruit, citrus and finished with hints of lime zest. Years later, my (now) husband and I have sampled over 200 different New Zealand wines and hope to make a second trip back soon.
Alex Jacaruso, Inside Sales Manager – 2006 Le Salette La Marega Amarone
When I first started at Coravin about a year ago, I knew very little about wine. While I still have much to learn, one of the things that really sparked my interest was a series of wine tastings that we did after work. Last December, we did a blind tasting with Italian Red Wines. My favorite of the six was the 2006 Le Salette La Marega Amarone. It has a good fruit flavor without being sweet, and I think the reason I enjoy it so much is that it seemed very low in acid (acid can make my teeth sensitive). I had it again this week and my opinion didn’t change, I still loved it!
Flori Kennedy, Coravin Ambassador – Domaine Comte Georges De Vogue Musigny
Once upon a time when I was very young, about 17 years old and spending summer in Spain, I visited Cote D’ Azur. I stopped into a cute restaurant for dinner, where the handsome sommelier flirted by bringing me a glass of wine with an incredible aroma. At that time I could not understand French, let alone read a wine label, but I always remembered the aroma of that wine. I knew right there that I always wanted to smell and enjoy great wine that activated my emotions at that level. But how would I do that? Either I had to finish university (I really didn’t like to study) or I had to marry a rich winemaker or a sommelier. With time I started working in restaurants, always following the wine… from cocktail waitress, waitress, restaurant cellar worker to wine director. I also married a sommelier! Almost 20 years later, I was tasted on the same wine by a salesperson, and I finally discovered that it was Domaine Comte Georges De Vogue Musigny.
Rob Fritz, Area Sales Manager (Eastern Region) – 1983 Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape
This was my first experience with Chateau Rayas, nearly 100% old vine Grenache from the Southern Rhone. I had this at dinner with friends alongside 1982 Cheval Blanc and 1993 Anne Gros Richebourg and it was the star of the show. Clearly from sandy soil, there was bright red fruit, kirsch, herbs, lavender, leather and spice. The finish lasted for minutes. For hours after the glass was empty I kept smelling it, just to remind myself how good it was!
Terry Fountain, Customer Service Manager – Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon & Chardonnay
Our passion for wine began very early in our marriage – we began by sampling Robert Parker recommendations and highly scored wines from Wine Spectator. These recommendations led us to explore Jordan wines – a touch of old world from the new world. And they were wonderful! Jordan wines became part of our celebration repertoire, and it was served at our daughter’s wedding. Many years later as we made our first visit to Napa, of course visiting Jordan was a must. It was then that we discovered that the Jordan winery began at exactly the same time that we began as a couple. We felt there was true karma – the Fountains and Jordan wines was a relationship that was meant to be!
Paige Peterson, Western Regional Sales Manager – Craggy Range Te Muna Road Vineyard
I am not sure the exact vintage it was (perhaps 2002 or 2003). It was made by Doug Wisor who was a winemaker from the US, but made wines for a few vintages at Craggy Range until he passed away in a tragic kite surfing accident. I had a bottle of this wine with someone who had worked with Doug, and it was one of those special moments to share something so personal with a friend. It was the first bottle of Pinot Noir from New Zealand that I had ever had, and I was blown away by the quality—it changed my perception of wines from that country for sure.
