Wine and Whine, and thank goodness for new and old friends

December 27, 2010

Hunter Valley—the wine country

I am awful at small talk. We go to a party and I am in the corner watching everyone or standing at the side of a conversation circle listening. Never have been able to do it. Never will. Today I met Richard, the world champion of small talk. I know he can go 10 hours straight because I witnessed it, unfortunately Susan did too.

Richard picked us up at the hotel at 7:45 for the two hour drive down to the Hunter Valley where the vineyards and tasting rooms are located.  Susan picked him because he was the only wine country tour guide who was a degreed Oenologist. He has been in the wine business over 25 years and is very knowledgeable about the agriculture, production, distribution, marketing and the business side of the industry. He attempted to tell us everything he has learned in the past 25 years in one session. Wore us out!

Our idea was drive through some pretty country, drink wine, eat some cheese and crackers and come back to Sydney. What we got was a ten hour course in almost everything. To be clear, when I say everything, I do not mean just about wine… I mean everything.  And the highlight for Susan, she saw her first Kangaroos up close and personal.

A partial listing of subjects covered: liquid propane gas automobiles, the natural gas industry in Australia, comparative tax policy of the US and Australia, types of turbochargers on Volkswagens, drivers education in Australia, investment banking in Thailand, solid waste disposal and using it to generate energy, green water devices for residential usage, cattle ranching in the outback, ranch management using helicopters and satellites, bottle manufacturers in Italy, using native foliage as traffic barriers on divided highways, public university admissions policy, General Motors malfeasance and weather pattern in the Pacific.
We did do the wine too. It was a highly structured class on wine appreciation and wine drinking best practices. Richard had a lesson plan and he delivered it…all… in sequence… unvaried… by rote.

Susan slept in the back seat for the two hour ride home while Richard held forth with me in the passenger seat. She owes me big time. When we arrived at the hotel, I leapt out of the car and hugged Richard like a brother I would never see again and darted into the lobby without looking back.

Soon we were in the Concierge Club having drinks with our new friends Patrick and Phil from LA and Lindsay Susan's childhood friend and recounting our day. Our new best friend at the Westin, Fiona the Conceirge asked if I wanted a glass of wine. I ordered two vodkas on the rocks.

I am still considering if I want to give up drinking wine completely.