Facebook!

Twitter

Tumblr


20070829

300th post: Looking back at the birth of a wino

lindsay and marc october 31 1998 getting sloshed on cheap plonk


I can't believe it !!
- my dad                      

The world is waiting . . .
- anonymous friend                       


Pictured here is yours truly and a friend of my good friend Cathy Champagne -- her name is Lindsay.

A wineblogger can only consider himself lucky to have a friend named after expensive French sparkling wine, but back when this photo was taken at Hallowe'en in 1998, I was still a long way from ever tasting the stuff and I think mutual friend Lindsay was too. (I know the extreme dapperness we exude in this photo might lead you to think just the opposite.)

This was the first time I had ever met Lindsay, let alone drink with her. Our costumes were so complementary -- we had independently shopped at Value Village for our duds -- we decided to go as a couple. That was the only thing I thought the two of us had in common at the time, but these days I happen to know that Lindsay has spent the summer curating her next rosé, and on really special occasions she loves savouring a good Nebbiolo.

THE WINO IN ITS INFANCY

But look at us then: coloured plastic wine glasses and crap Baby Duck-like wine from a crap line of table wine made by an unmentionable Ontario producer. Okay, I will mention these wines by name because I can see that the LCBO has mercifully discontinued their sale outright across the entire province. They were Oakridge, a forgettable range of wine branded by Andrès Wines Ltd. (I don't think that it was even CELLARED in Canada, if you know what I mean.)

I can still taste those bottom-of-the-barrel Cabernets. But hey, we all can't start with Champagne, right? So take a look at the background of the photo and how the empty bottles are lined up on my windowsill. These wines we were drinking were actually being rated. I was ranking them into an order. This was the beginning of my wine habit -- those earliest moments when my development into a full-fledged wino was becoming irreversible.

11 comments:

Edward said...

Marcus,

Congratulations on reaching 300! You don't appear to have aged since 1998. . .

lrenwick said...

Barolo 4 life bitch!

Marcus said...

Thanks Edward.

Wannabe Wino reached the same mark this summer but after only 8 months on the blog -- it took me more like a year and 8 months (seems even longer than that!) but I think that because my word count is huge. After 400 I might hire an editor.

Lindsay, you're so zen making every day a special occasion. Thanks for writing.

Anonymous said...

hey dok - congrats on 300. why compare with Sona or anyone else? your style is your own, and its quantity over quality anyway, right? keep it coming...

Joe said...

Aren't you a handsome lad (sans goatee)! So why is the picture so blurry? Are you trying to hide those labels from us? Just crossed 200 this month, but let it slide - everyone has done 200. But three hundred? We really need to celebrate. I have a SW France thing in mind...BTW - this month's Cellier? All SW France!

Marcus said...

Quantity v Quality -- that's the essence of my wine budgeting. A good dichotomy to keep in mind for the blog too. Thanks Bguy.

Joe, you're hilarious. I think I celebrated 200 too. We can do something belated for you -- just say the word. (By the way those days of my wine drinking were very blurry and you don't want to check out Oakridge anyway... they are the type of wine that has given you pause when it comes to Ontario wines.)

Joe said...

I really want to plow through some SW wines with you, but my schedule is kinda f-ed. I will get back to you...

Millie said...

Ah the memories...

This Halloween pictured followed shortly after my first visit to Europe, where I gained an appreciation for Champagne and Chianti at their respective sources. Too bad I had to drink it all there.

300 posts eh...I can't say I've ready all of them, but I am appreciative that you have never again shown up at my house with a gift of Panama Jacks coconut booze.

Marcus said...

Thanks Millie. Check the latest upload.

Sonadora said...

Congrats Marcus! I attribute my early reaching of that mark to the fact that I used to have a lot more time on my hands. Things have slowed down considerably over my way! I'd be surprised if I reach another milestone by November when the blog turns 1.

Anonymous said...

félicitations! there ought to be some kinda saq award for this.