The Man Behind the Counter

We are in the heart of wine country so what's a person to do? I was too lazy to take pictures (pressing buttons is such hard work) so you'll have to imagine the rows and rows of neatly cultivated grapevines soaking up just the right amount of daytime heat units and cool evening breezes. Locals say that their microclimate  produces the best Pinot Noir wine in the world.

We stopped at a recommended winery and upon entering, I had the immediate impression that we were going to have to wait awhile before being served, not because of the crowds (there were just four of us in the tasting room) but because of the gentleman behind the counter. The man clearly had an unkempt look with his battered baseball cap askew on his head. His movements were a bit jerky and his speech was halted and flighty. My thought was that he was cleaning up the counter and soon we would be greeted by the person in charge. After a few awkward moments, the gentleman asked us what we would like to taste. From that moment forward, we found ourselves in the very best of hands. Our friend was witty, charming and best of all, unpretentiously knowledgeable and kind. We enjoyed sipping the wines as he shared the stories behind their creation. He also proudly shared that he was a part of the family that owned the winery.

We did not meet any of the other family members of the winery, but I have a feeling that I would like them. After all, they were smart enough to select their finest to be the number one greeter on the estate.