Richard E.: Adventures in Wine
Q1: Where did you grow up?
A1: Northfield, IL, just north of Chicago.
Q2: What was the first time you remember drinking wine?
A2: I remember drinking wine for the first time at a Seder. You're supposed to get through 4 glasses of wine on that holiday, but I just got a sip. It was red wine.
Q3: When did you start to like wine?
A3: I started to like wine when I went to Spain for a family vacation as a junior in high school. Every wine we tried seemed amazing, no matter how cheap. I fell in love with sangria too.
Q4: Where do you drink wine mostly?
A4: At dinner, usually with family.
Q5: What are your favorite types of wine? Varietals? Regions?
A5: My two favorite wines are Poggio Antico Brunnello di Montalcino Riserva and the Roda II Rioja Reserva. Both are powerful, earhty reds. I love tempranillo, sangiovese, merlot, cabs, and if I go white, chardonnay. I'm not picky about regions yet.
Q6: What are your favorite kinds of food?
A6: Sushi, Thai, seafood, steak, and Indian.
Q7: What are your favorite restaurants?
A7: Cottonwood Grill in Steamboat Springs--their black cod is to die for.
Bentara in New Haven, CT. They do Indonesian cuisine in enormous portions. Love their salmon.
Q8: What is your favorite wine and food pairing?
A8: Chardonnay and rotisserie chicken
Q9: Do you cook? If so, what kind of food and for whom?
A9: I grill lots of burgers, chicken sausages, and other meats for myself, usually once a week. I like to put veggies on the gril too. Olive oil, salt, pepper, and sometimes some oregano are all I need to make something taste great.
Q10: If you were stranded on a desert island, what one type of food/wine would choose to have?
A10: Caterpillar sushi rolls from Sea Ranch in Wilmette, IL. I'd pair that with the Roda II Rioja. I don't know if they'd go together, but I could survive on that for sure.
Q11: What are your favorite wine memories?
A11: Opening a wine bottle with my shoe. Trying Brunello for the first time at Poggio Antico.
Q12: Do you have any wine-related disasters?
A12: Would drinking Carlo Rossi straight from the jug count as a disaster?
Q13: Which are your favorite Bottlenotes wines?
A13: Cannonball Cabernet, Perfecta Chardonnay, St. Francis Chardonnay, Barrua Isola dei Nuraghi, Craggy Range Te Kahu Merlot
