Eugenia Keegan

And Happy New Year.  Yes, a little late as it is now the end of January, but the appropriate opening none the less (as long as I sneak this in BEFORE February…otherwise it is just plain tacky!).  Hopefully it sets a tone for the upcoming twelve (oppps eleven) months.

The goodies under that lovely little tree turned into the mess you see below.  I am still working my way through the much appreciated music, books, candies, etc.  There were so many presents under the tree (and some big gifts that did not even fit under the tree….new electronic keyboard!) that I can only surmise that Santa stayed long enough to enjoy that glass of Old Vine Grenache I left for him (no cookies, just crackers and cheese) and unload several heavy items that were weighing down the sleigh.  Thanks Santa!!! Next year I will leave the whole bottle!

And These Were the Presents Unwrapped by the Adults!

My "Personal" Gift Station

"Santa" at the New Keyboard

Ummmm, What's For Xmas Dinner?

What Should We Drink With That??

I added a couple of other holiday shots.  Again, I am not accustomed to carrying the camera so my pix can be a bit hit or miss.

The new year however has taken an interesting turn of events (and my excuse for being continually behind on blogging), at least for the short run.

Just before the Xmas holiday I received a call from the Associate Dean of the Natural Resources Department at Chemeketa Community College who asked if I would step in and teach one of the wine marketing classes.  CCC has put together a super enology/viticulture program.  A new campus was built to accommodate a small working vineyard and winery.  They teach a great intro to wine marketing, but have struggled to put together the upper division marketing program.  The primary issue seems to be an instructor (s) to teach the three classes offered.  For whatever reasons they come and go.  SO for now you can call me Professor Keegan!

I am teaching “Understanding the Market Place” and it is a perfect set up for me to unleash all that I have gathered in six years of running a wine distribution company.  BUT, it has also sucked up all of my time.  The good news is that I know the material so I don’t have to be learning that as well.  But we use a book and I had to read that, and then I read it again chapter by chapter as we go through those chapters in class. Since I have never done this before I had to learn to write up a class syllabus, and now make up quizzes, and class projects, and field trips…..and you get the idea.  LOTS of WORK, but TONS of  FUN.

Now you know that I have stayed OUT of trouble for the past few weeks and why.

When not preparing my class work I have been working/thinking about this blog going forward (and a couple of other items on the big board of course) and have LOTS of ideas.  Stay tuned, videos on the way!!

It has been a fabulous two weeks “off”.  Frankly, I had no idea of how this blog was going to (or not going to) go forward.  But I have been rewarded by the number of people who have been reading along and have encouraged me to find a way back to it.  Add to that the fact that I really enjoyed every part of the assignment, not just the discipline but keeping some kind of chronicle of life.  Certainly nothing can be as much fodder for phonetic phun than being in a venerable cultural capital like France with grapes and wine as the focal point of the investigation.  Although the home turf may not be as novel,  life continues to include social and professional intercourse that is interesting and fun.

So, before I jump back into the blog itself, one piece of housekeeping:  The missing photos from the post L’Oustal Blanc were retrieved and posted.  It took David all of five minutes to rifle through the rubbish bin to round up my folly.  REALLY, I can’t believe how easy that turned out to be and how I agonized over the event.  Arrggggh!

My arrival home was quiet as David was still on the east coast (he returned on Saturday to a long overdue dinner together), and Lizzie, David’s daughter, is working crush and arrives home around 11:00 PM, showers, and heads to bed for a 7:00 start time the next day.  This afforded me a leisurely return home and back to some sort of routine.  Oregon on the other hand was aggressive in showing off all that I had been missing with autumn on full display.  The first weekend in November warmed to the mid 60’s; a time to return to the garden before winter sets in.

The 4th of November included the last day of harvesting at Adelsheim Vineyard as the final pick of Syrah arrived at the winery.  And, a “red letter” date in the life and career of David Adelsheim as the Oregon Historical Society honored him with their “Oregon History Makers” award.  This year they chose David for his pioneering spirit and leadership in the Oregon wine industry.  He is the first in his field to receive this honor with other inductees including Michael Powell (Powell’s Books), Gert Boyle (Columbia Sportswear), Dr. Brian Druker (oncologist, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute),   and a handful of others.

It was a truly lovely evening and an honor to be there.

Fall in Mid-Stream

Flaming Fall

Joseph of Many Colors

Comes in Red

Comes in Gold

Back Road to Portland

Prep for First Dinner

Pearl Onions Braising

'Shrooms

David Fixing the Lights in Front of the House

David Totally Cracking Up with that Last Caption

I better interject and explain this.  The two lights in the front of the house on the garage were out.  During the summer when the sun goes down at 9:30 or so this was not much of a deal.  But now with the change in season and return to “regular time” those lights are very necessary.  So, what started out as a simple change in light bulb became a full dismantle of the lamps, cleaning, etc.  During the cleaning one of the small brass nuts was dropped inside the dishwasher.  Hence, the dishwasher had to come out from the wall.  A simple project turned into an afternoon.

David Adelsheim, Oregon History Maker 2010

I received an email from a dear friend with whom I have travelled to France on more than one occasion (including last spring).  Her French is very good, but she too is a bit timid launching into the language. However having said that, we ALWAYS called upon and counted on Dana whenever we needed something really important (like reservations at a three star restaurant or a famous wine estate).   She never let us down.

In her email she asked, “So, how’s your French?  Let me put it right out there that without any qualification:  My cellar French is exceptional!  As those words hardly work elsewhere, what happens outside the cellar?  What I have learned more than anything else is a level of confidence that allows me to openly bastardize this beautiful language without much shame.  I am over being timid.  In fact, recently when asked to repeat my order to a somewhat intoxicated hanger on at a small bar in Béziers I answered in French, “Just for you sir I will repeat myself very slowly.  This might help you (gesture here) understand”. My glass of wine and sandwich arrived promptly.

This is my last post from France for this trip.  My plane leaves in a couple of hours.  A post script from stateside is forthcoming.  Á tout á l’heure!

No wine related trip to the Languedoc is complete without a visit to Mas de Daumas Gassac.  This now famed property was stumbled upon by Véronique and Aimé Guibert in 1970 while house hunting. A visit from Professor Enjalbert  in 1971 and his pronouncement that this property could create a Grand Cru launched the planting of Cabernet Sauvignon the following year.   Renowned Bordeaux consultant Emile Peynaud began advising in year one of vinification and by 1982 Gault et Millau proclaimed Mas Daumas Gassac the Château Lafite of the Languedoc.  What is amazing here is how the brand is the feature and not the appellation.  The wines are bottled as Vin de Pays de l’Herault and yet command some of the highest prices enjoyed by any wine from the Languedoc. The owners have never looked back.

Vineyards of Aniane

Local Dirt

Another Look

Daumas Gassac Estate Vineyard

The Two Local Great Estates

First Stop

Main Attraction....Exceptional!

Welcome

Ancient Forklift

Local Flora

La Livinière lies in the heart of the Minervois, in a natural area known as the Petit Causse on the lower slopes of the foothills of the Montagne Noire.  It covers six villages : Azillanet, Azille, Cesseras, Felines Minervois, La Livinière and Siran.  Somehow all I see in this map is a jock strap, so if nothing else it is memorable.

AOC La Livinière

Vineyards on the Hilltops

Early Fall Beauty

The "Dirt"