Here I am sitting here in Scottsdale AZ, awaiting transport to the netherworld of the desert restaurant scene, to show off some very well kept and yummy 05 and 06 vintage wines. Band of Horses, a new fave is playing in the background, and I can exhale long enough to tell you briefly about tequila night. For as long as I have been alive, the last day of harvest has been commemorated by a feast of sorts for the winemaking crew. After 2 months of hard work, the night is for blowing off steam. It is always fun and different because of the harvest interns we bring in for the season. Every year is a different group, and the chemistry year to year makes the night an adventure every year when everyone is together with time and permission to (really) let their hair down. The 'feast' used to be much heavier on the tequila than on the food, and the stories from those days, with arrests, fights, cry-fests, and even a few hook-ups, are plentiful and fun to retell. In recent years though, we have made a point to make it through dinner, which is usually very good, in enough of a state to remember, let alone appreciate, the wines pulled out of the cellar for the occasion. The Tequila comes, but ceremoniously early on, and then in volume much later. Tequila night 2008 was a splendid and tasty affair. Family matriarch Nancy Bundschu hosted a wonderful home-grown meal. The leg of lamb came from Danielle Knego, star 4-h'r and daughter of Shandra, our controller. The steak came from the local butcher and his local sources, and the veggies all came from Nancy's garden. The wine came from family vintners from all over the world. And it was a tasty and beautiful dinner. That said, the setting is good to talk about for sure, and we are blessed because that is always how it is here. But what made the night what it was though, was the spirit of the group. They had just spent countless hours working hard together to produce stellar 08 wines, and still had the energy and fondness for each other to throw down in a very positive way. Being election season, politics was on everyone's mind. You wouldn't have known it though, except for the fact that Amy and Adam, interns (escapees) form Minnesota were wearing Ron Paul body suits. Javier got up and gave an impassioned speech for Obama and America, which was inspiring to hear, and no-one threw food at him. Nancy pulled out a game that had us all telling the group very intimate things about ourselves. I am banking that that was late enough for the memories to be just foggy enough. Of course the evening ended back at Steiner's, and lived up to its name. Throughout the night there was laughter, and with it ample evidence that our 2008 cellar crew is something special.
The fact the group got off to an early start at Steiners, before dinner, had me scared. LtoR Javier, Shaun, Rolando and Fabian
The pre-trip to Steiners ended being harmless, and even inspired some art photography before dinner at Nancy's. Is that an Agave plant?
Heather and Anne viticulturist and Associate winemaker. At an estate winery vintners and grows so get along!
Linda brought harvest shirt came out, which signaled a turning point in the evening...
Javier and Amy. Ron Paul and Obama getting along. Vineyard guru Abel is peacing in the background.
The table looking a little worse for wear. But Linda and I are still upright.
The worst-best idea of every tequila night- heading to Steiner's after wards.
