Make New Friends and Keep the Old, One is Silver and the Other Gold.

I had a Fresno friend in town today. Her name is Sara Fowler. She is the assistant winemaker at Franciscan Winery in Napa. Sara and I go way back, she and I went to school together in Fresno. She lived with the guy was dating, figure that one out. I highly recommend the Magnificat wine, it is a Meritage blend. Sara gave us a Magnificat to take home, which we will never forget and be loyal Franciscan customers from here until forever. She was promoting her wine, and was at a wine tasting this evening, it was a nice Valentine's outing. Also pouring wine was my friend Susanne from Simi Winery in Sonoma. She is a wine judge with me, and I barely know her, but she is sweet, and very knowledgeable. We had a bottle of Simi Alexander Valley Cab at our dinner party Friday night, and tonight the Merlot tasted very good, and I don't usually like Merlot. (here is where you stick in the part from Sideways about Merlot, "I'm not drinking any fucking Merlot, if she orders Merlot, I'm leaving.")

John and I had a bottle of 2000 Shramsberg Blanc de Noirs with dinner. It was definently a great wine evening.

For all John's friends out there, he wanted me to tell you he is thinking about growing hops at the farm this summer. He is WAY into this beer thing. Have you ever seen how hops grow? They are like ten feet tall, and they need a trellis.