The Best Of What's Around

Now this is not only the title of one of my favorite Dave Matthews songs, (see I have a theory here, if I keep mentioning his name he will be like Google alerted and realize that we were meant to be….if only for one night, Yes I am aware of my addiction and if I could inject him directly into my veins I would) but it is also a kind of lifestyle choice for me. I’ve been so lucky, when I think of where I came from, some of the wretched things I have seen, done and had imposed on me…well, I just feel like any and everything I have, get to do, people and places I get to see...well, they deserve my full attention and appreciation, screw that, “Oh why can’t I have that” bullshit taking up too much of my time. Oh sure I succumb to pangs of pity and poor me, who doesn’t but I think of my Dave Matthews, (would that be 2 Google alerts?) and I hear this, “Whatever tears at us, whatever pulls us down, if nothing can be done we’ll make the best of what’s around”…brilliant.

Been thinking about and listening to that song a lot as of late and it always kind of grabs me and gives me a little, “pull your head out of your ass Sam” shake. Okay, so I can’t see my friend every week, but she is healthy and this momentary distance will likely make us even closer and better at communicating with one another, so it’s a trade off….one not so good and two very goods. I’ll take it.



I flew home Wednesday night, and after like double checking my ticket, at 20 minutes before boarding….I saw that I was on flight A something, not gate A something, so I got a little work out there in the Dallas Fort Worth airport and made my flight. One not so good but I got two goods. That and I was unmercifully flirted with by my seatmate, something that I would normally cringe about but being all sad for like 7 days straight…felt nice to be, "appreciated" or wanted, even for, "that" see yet another good. Take that too.



Got home to my hubby, my house, my Merzie and my neighbors and I was already feeling better, finding comfort in what was still here, right where I left it. I crashed Wednesday night and woke up yesterday feeling like I could sleep for a week but I needed to haul my ass back to work…just walking in the shop was such a comfort to me. I unlocked the door, hit the alarm code and took deep, chest-filling breaths of The Wine Country smell. Best of what’s around.

I walked around my department, tried to get a feel for how my little wines had sold in my absence and that was when I remembered what our tasting is this Saturday….Oyster Fest, well shit howdy did that put a smile on this girls face! We have a chef from 555 East coming in with his team of shuckers, lemons, cocktail and mignonette sauces and piles and piles of oysters, now that alone would be enough to slap a happy face on this ugly mug o’mine but it gets even better…I get to pour some of my absolute favorite wines to go along with those briny little mollusks…now that, that is making the best of what’s around.



Now this has always been a staff favorite as far as tastings goes, we all love oysters and adore the crisp, racy acidity of the wines that tend to go best with them, now we are a pretty chipper crew here at The Wine Country but on Oyster Fest, down-right giddy. The event came too late for Amy to partake but in her honor I will be pouring, NV Agrapart 7 Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne and Bailly Sancerre, for the rest of the lineup…..



Sauvion de Cleray Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie




Regis Minet Pouilly Fume



Gilbert Chon Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie



Vieux Pruniers Sancerre



Bailly Sancerre Rose





Graville-Lacoste Graves

Azo Chablis



Pascal Janvier Jasnieres

And just for fun,



Domaine de Monteils Sauternes, (this was Randy’s idea so I am interested to see if the pairing works, I’m skeptical but at the very least people will have some dessert)

Definitely one of the best tastings of the year, $20.00 for the wines and the oysters are 6 for $10.00…dude, “Whatever tears at us, whatever holds us down and if nothing can be done we’ll make the best of what’s around”