The Days of Wine and Doses

Dear WOD Friends, a lot has happened since my October post, basically all of it good. I will get to that in another post. Right now I want to comment on Poetry, not poetry in the lyrical sense but in the sense of romancing something wonderful out of something wonderful in its own right. Bob Berch is a great person I met through my new position at Hardy Wilson Memorial Hospital, Ann Berch, his wife, is the CFO. Again, more about that in another blog entry. I am sure Bob has many hobbies but the one he seems most proud of is winemaking. The name of his "Winerie(sp?) is "Enchanted." We're not talking "local hootch," or a moonshine still, or loads of fruit rotting away in fancy jars. This is the genuine article made from a variety of fruits such as pear, blackberry, and even Scupernongs...I'll leave that for you Yankees to figure out! This weekend we decanted a bottle or Bob's Pear Wine. The four of us on the tasting panel expected what anyone would expect...something akin to a Pear Liquor. We chilled the wine sufficiently and then let it breathe for about an hour. Directly upon opening there is a rush of alcohol that pinches your nose and burns the eyes but it is a very clean aroma, nothing chemical or organic. The wine itself was beautiful to look at, clear as the difinition of clear can be and on the glass picked up a beautiful shining spectrum of light. There was no trace of oils or any debris to be found. Upon drinking, the original alcohol "mist" was long gone. Holding the wine in your mouth and letting the air pass through left what can only be described as the "essence" of pear on your tongue. The wine had a very deep pear "tone" that remained...not to the point of being totally identifiable, again as in a liquour or a Schnapps like drink. Probably more what one might find in the peel of the pear vs the body. Success...all glasses and and the bottle were empty. Those on board who had promised never to touch a "specialty" or Fruit/ dessert wine were very impressed and are looking forward to Christmas eve when we will open a bottle of Bob's Blueberry wine. Great stuff from a great guy. Peace y'all! and Merry Christmas!