Preparing for a vertical of two,
A decade separating their debut.
Delicious Monte Bello cabernet,
And I in search of something fine to say.
I sit before two perfect crystal glasses,
reflecting on my luck amongst the masses.
Peculiar, that this lot in life be mine;
paid to drink, and write of drinking wine!
My greed for tasting is of course supplanted
by patience, that they both be twice decanted.
And that now being true, I shall begin
with the ’05, then its decade older twin.
The nose is deep with earth and blackened spice
and bread from flour of fine chinese black rice.
Impenetrable hues of deepest scarlet
with ruby tones, and highlights ripe with garnet.
Returning, once again, to aromatics,
I savor playful berries most emphatic.
On the palate, there’s acidity most buoyant,
and I must name Mr. Baugher a clairvoyant,
for he surely looked through future’s open door
when he predicted cellaring for decades more!
Here soft acidity is elegantly coupled
with tannins strong yet elegantly supple,
giving structure of a type I must call stellar,
now back you go, ’05, into the cellar!
With wisdom of the ages, the ’95
awaits my youthful palate to arrive.
With nervousness, the glass, I shyly fumble,
a mendicant for sure, and surely humble.
As to a holy man the mendicant draws close,
up to the waiting glass, I bring my nose,
and drawing in the air of life so deep,
I strive to stave off some strange need to weep;
not tears of sadness, mind you, nor of grief,
but rather with the freedom of relief,
for this, this smell, a freedom near-pelagic,
has oft enlaced my dreams with its sweet magic.
Sweetness, depth, complexity, orated,
are merely words, but these concentrated
strains of decadence that play as I imbibe
are a magic that a word cannot describe.
Rusticity and elegance, sewn together
in a tapestry of herb and spice and leather
with a garnishing of fruits most celebrated –
berry, cherry, plum — all complicated
by strains of semi-bitter cocoa powder
and a touch of smoke that sings ever so louder.
If perfection is a moment fixed in time,
then surely now’s a perfect time to taste this wine!
So, with gratitude I draw this to a close,
satisfied on tongue and in my nose,
and lastly, let it surely be once said,
that wine and poetry are meant to wed!
And if wine to this poet be a wife,
then may the fates grant this young marriage a long life!
And if the poet be a fine and noble fellow
then may the fates bless his heart with Monte Bello!
