It Must Have Been the Company...

I am fortunate to have been visiting Plum Island with Brian for a couple of years: I cannot believe I'd never heard of it or Newburyport, and feel so thankful that it's now one of my favorite places.

We like to get into town early for lunch or happy hour before heading to the beach, and found that we were frequenting the same places every weekend. Not a bad thing, but we agreed a couple of months ago to try a new place on each trip.

When last we were there, over B's spring break, we had lunch at The Grog (our fave!) then went to a new place, Loretta, for a glass of wine. We had the best time - it was very quiet (it was a little past lunch time and too early for dinner), the restaurant is very small and cute - almost like a bistro, and the bartender was great. I cannot wait to go back and have dinner!

At the bartender's recommendation, we - and the other customers - opted for their "house" Pinot Noir.

I love it.  Brian loves it. Everyone - with the exception of the weird Italian guy behind us who claimed to be a wine  "connoisseur" and was trying to impress the girl he was with - loves it. Delish.

Soooooo........I go on the HUNT once home. All the standard package stores: no one has it or has heard of it. Better (aka "more expensive") shops: no one has it or has heard of it. I sing its praises to all, insisting it will fly off the shelves.

In a last ditch effort, I stop at Table & Vine in West Springfield. I find the French wine. I find the French Pinot. Nothing. I walk up and down the aisle. Twice. Nothing.

On my way out, I stop one of the men who work there, and tell him I'm looking for a French Pinot Noir and that I've searched that section but would feel foolish leaving without asking if I've missed it...

"What are you looking for," he askes?

"2008 Patch Block Pinot Noir from Lanquedoc, France," says I, reading from the note I took in BlackBerry. (That's how serious I was.)

"Oh!" he exclaims. "It's over here in our bargain wines."  (Bargain?  It wasn't a bargain in Newburyport...)  "Do you remember Georges Duboeuf wine - it had a white label with bright red and blue flowers?  Well, this is their new label - same wine, new branding."

And he hands me a 1.5 liter bottle (aka 2 regular size 750 ml bottles).

With a price tag of $10.99.

I buy 2. And wonder the whole way out if I should buy 2 more...

Moral of the story:  Only when you're in an outstanding setting, having a great afternoon with someone you truly love, will you pay $8 for a glass of wine from a bottle that only cost $10.99 - retail ;-) ...and be delighted to do so.

Sláinte!