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by Susan_Hirasuna

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Imagine paying $1200 for a single bottle of wine. Now, granted this is no ordinary wine. This is a 2003 Chateau Margaux. Wine critic Robert Parker gave the vintage a 99 out of a 100, declaring it a wine of "extraordinary complexity".. with a "velvety texture with notes of spring flowers interwoven with camphor, melted licorice, creme de cassis and pain grille." (huh?)

At any rate, I was lucky enough to taste this near perfect wine. A tiny taste offered up by the winemaker himself Paul Pontallier at the Beverly Hills Wine Merchant. And, it was... absolutely... transcendently... rapturously... GOOD. Okay, REALLY GOOD. I wish I could have another sip good.. No, I want a whole bottle good.

But then reality bites. Oh,what I could do with an extra $1200. Don't my window sills need to be sanded and repainted. Why does it cost so much to trim a palm tree? Is that clunking sound my vintage washing machine?

And, even if I could afford a bottle of 2003 Margaux, here's the irony. YOU COULDN'T DRINK IT! It's too valuable. What's $1200 today will be worth far more next year and the year after. So...Here's to the wine collectors in the world.. wish I could be more like you. But I think I'll go down to the store and take advantage of the buy one bottle get the second for five cents :-)

For practical reasons.. I must be a wine drinker, not a collector. I can be happy with a good bottle of red.. even if its not perfection.

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Member Comments Total Comments: 16
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Esau_Isaacson
Mar 28, 2008 | 11:59 AM

that is funny-- one would not drink the wine if they owned the bottle! please blog frequently. you are the finest of fine women. how is the hybrid car? i have noticed Toyota makes several models with a hybrid engine. are your sons doing anything interesting this spring. susan, you are lovely! muaaahh!

sebar read my blog view my photos
Mar 28, 2008 | 3:32 PM

Susan, Here's a Tuna...You know something. These morons try to make something into what it really isn't, so they can fleece the bucks outta people as fast and soon as possible. I am sure I could get a can of gold spray paint and spray stones all day long and sell. Like George Carlin once said, "If you nail two things together that have never been nailed together before, some poor schmuck will buy it."

Look, if you want a decent wine get a bottle of the Robert Mondavi or his Woodbridge brands at a local Ralph's supermarket. They are high quality, low cost, you save lotsa bucks and you will get so drunk, you won't miss the ten dollars you dropped for the entire bottle...drink up!!!

American Author, Poet, Songwriter and Filmwriter
"Mark Paul" Sebar
The Power To Write The Best!

o0lux0o read my blog view my photos
Mar 28, 2008 | 4:28 PM

Sebar I think your not understanding why true wine drinkers drink wine. It's not about getting drunk, its about enjoying a glass or two because its that good. If I want to get drunk I'll have a fifth of Crown Royal or Hennessy not wine. But yes I do agree that the price is ridiculous. There are plenty of great wines under 20 and 30 dollars. In fact I was listening to the wine show on Free FM where they were talking about this wine company that buys the unwanted wine barrels from French wine companies, blends them, and sales them for dirt cheap. They're supposed to be really really good but I don't remember the companies name :/

Susan how long is this wine's shelf life? After all, wine isn't quiet like say Cognac or Whiskey where the rule is, the older it is the better it tastes. Wines have a peak where they start to taste less and less good.

mystere read my blog view my photos
Mar 28, 2008 | 5:22 PM

Susan,

Can you imagine what our elders in our Japanese American community would say...Imagine the Isei and the Kibei Nisei if they heard what the price of that bottle of wine is? (For those of you who are not of Japanese descent, the Isei are the immigrant Japanese, while the Kibei are sons or daughters of the Isei who were born here in the U.S., but educated in Japan. The Nisei are those here to the Isei, and raised here.) I think they would flip out and say something to the extent on how money could be better spent on things they could use every day. I take it you are a Sansei, and can relate to what I'm saying; I'm sure you've seen it happen among other Japanese American families like I have. But in all honesty, I hope you had a great time tasting that small sample of wine; I happen to be allergic to alcohol - 1/2 a drink will give me a nasty headache.

I get a few laughs thinking what some of our elders might say about this experience; amongst us Japanese Americans, it may be one of the funniest things we could laugh over.

I hope you enjoyed the experience Susan.

From a whacked out Buddahead:

Ed Endo aka "Mr. E" from Cypress

craftyguy read my blog
Mar 29, 2008 | 1:56 AM

REAL MEN DRINK BEER! BUUURRRRPPPPPPPP..

sebar read my blog view my photos
Mar 29, 2008 | 8:43 AM

Uh, sorry, but they sip scotch!

Susan_Hirasuna read my blog view my photos
Mar 29, 2008 | 10:17 AM

Thanks to all your responses.
Make no mistake, I love a good glass of wine. And, I've been very lucky to have tasted some wonderful wines, way out of my price range and not on my dime.

Esau.. Thank you for the compliment. Hybrid's running great. My boys are back in school after spring break.

oOluxOo... I'm not knowledgeable enough about wine to tell you that particular vintage's shelf life. I can tell you, it's a premier cru.. the elite of the elite Bordeaux, the shelf life could be quite lengthy. That night, I also tasted a 1998 Margaux and that wine still had not reached its peak. There was a tightness and a lack of complexity that the 2003 had in spades. (BTW the '98, while inferior to the '03 is also waaaay out of my price range.)

And, yes, Ed, forget the Issei, my parents, only one generation back can't relate to all this wine talk. I BTW am yonsei.

mystere read my blog view my photos
Mar 29, 2008 | 11:34 PM

Susan,

Thanks for the quick response, wow...a fourth generation...wonderful! My dad also mentioned some things about sake...aging brings out a sweeter taste to it too. By the way, I've only shared my real name with you and Jane Yamamoto so far...I guess it's my way of connecting with the others in the Japanese American community members on the My Fox blogsites. By the way, I still remember the kimchi discussion you had with Jeff Michael a few years ago one night on air, and how Maria Quiban stood with you...that was great!

sebar read my blog view my photos
Mar 30, 2008 | 3:49 PM

Uh, o0lux0o , have you ever heard of winos? How do you think they started then buy the more expensive drinks, until they go bust an by a legendary drink like "Thunderbird" no insult to Ford Motor Company.

ashikun read my blog
Apr 1, 2008 | 9:03 PM

Susan: for $1200.00 bucks i'd rather buy
75 bottles of francis ford coppola's (claret)
wine...very good...your weekend news fan Paul

o0lux0o read my blog view my photos
Apr 1, 2008 | 10:18 PM

haha great point sebar but those are true wine drinkers. And besides, Nightrain is better ;) lol

_Bella_ read my blog view my photos
Apr 2, 2008 | 8:59 AM

Lol...Sebar, that was funny!

I like wine with Dinner not to get drunk, but to enjoy the flavor with my food....I just can't see paying $1200 for it, I would feel guilty knowing the money could go to better use, like charities. That being said....I wouldn't mind a sip though....lol!!

sebar read my blog view my photos
Apr 2, 2008 | 9:36 PM

No it is true. They start out with a Thunderbird (no insult to Ford) and soon they are drinking a Lincoln and finally they are into the Bently/Ferrari class. Same with wine. Thunderbird and finally that 2,000 dollar glass. An expensive habit to say the least. Hey, nice post...Susan, Here's-A-Tuna!

This_Aint_Your_Land read my blog view my photos
Apr 5, 2008 | 9:00 AM

"There's a sucker born every minute."



P.T. Barnham

Think I'd rather try a glass of Absynth (the old style) for that kind of money.

mystere read my blog view my photos
Apr 9, 2008 | 1:26 AM

Susan,

My good Yonsei sister...about another matter...you have the moves! It was fun watching the My 13 News. Take care now!

From a Sansei Buddah-Head little brother

Ed Endo "Mr. E" from Cypress

Susan_Hirasuna read my blog view my photos
Apr 9, 2008 | 10:19 PM

Hey, Ed, thanks for catching me there. I don't think even my parents found me on the big one three last night.

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Susan_Hirasuna

Weekend anchor Fox 11 Ten O'clock news, mother, Los Angeles native, USC grad, always busy and so always a bit tired!

Member Since: 7/4/2006