Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)
Back to feed- Posted: 10/8/2017
- Categories: Wine
Long story short, we got fired mid-gig because the sound was awful, and there was just nothing we could do about it. My buddy who booked us, snuck our night’s pay to us out of sight of his boss, and as a band, we decided to roll down the road to the restaurant I worked, Dick’s Last Resort.
Dick’s Last Resort in Myrtle Beach was a wild place, with a stage that hosted one of the beach’s best bands, a collection of local blues legends who, upon hearing of our debacle down the road, let us get up and play a couple tunes. So in a room of a couple hundred folks eating ribs and drinking beer, we climbed up on stage and played Lynard Skynard’s “Simple Man” and Charlie Daniels’ Band’s “Long Haired Country Boy.” We were mad about getting fired from a gig, so all that frustration spilled out and after it was said and done, my boss comes up and tells me, “you can play here whenever you want, Kevin.” It was a little bit of vindication.
Music is a funny thing for me. It’s not about ego so much as it’s just a part of who I am. It’s like another appendage, like a foot or a hand, but more like a way for my soul to communicate to the world. I’ve always been a wear-my-heart-on-my-sleeve kinda guy, much to my detriment, yet whenever I take hold of a microphone, it feels a bit like Superman donning his uniform; I’m not saying I’m a superhero by any means, but singing makes me feel a little superhuman sometimes, when in the real world, not so much.
It’s somewhat ironic the musicality of my existence has extrapolated itself in the wine world in which I currently swim. There is a bombast and a swagger to wine that has filled the void left in me when I left music so long ago. And while everything has seemingly converged in this sort of gradual return to music I am experiencing today, every time I am exposed to a new brand, a new style, it can be quite electric for me – I guess I will always be a nerd for both music and wine. There are wines that literally have my hair stand on end, the ripple of excitement that hits me subcutaneously, has me quivering at the cellular level – it’s pretty cool. Three things in this world render me this way – jaw-dropping wine, soul-stirring melodies, and above all else, love.
A nerd and a sap. Oh brother!
In what arguably may be the clumsiest segue ever, a couple of wines passed through the gates here at JJEG:
Drew Pinot Noir Anderson Valley “The Fog Eater” 2014. Pretty display of red flowers, earth and red cherry notes with a touch of mushroom duxelle, this light-bodied red has a touch of richness, yet stays true to the varietal. Stunning!
Stewart Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley “Max Vineyard” 2012. A bold, full-bodied red, there is lots of grip on the palate alongside gorgeous black fruits, wood smoke, tobacco and black pepper spice.
Alexandria Nicole Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills “Alderdale” 2014. A potent, powerful Cab from Washington State’s Horse Heaven Hills, this leans toward the realm of Bordeaux with focus on acidity, yet still bares its teeth with rich dark fruits and spices.
Alexandria Nicole Syrah Horse Heaven Hills “Jet Black” 2015. Jammy exhibition of black cherry, raspberry and juicy blueberry notes, hints of duck fat and roasted herbs, and riding a wave of fruit-driven hedonism.
