What Are You Drinking?

Charles J. Wagner, Caymus Vineyards

“A 1995 Cha^teau Mouton-Rothschild. It’s a legendary wine, from one of the first growths of Bordeaux. I didn’t use to appreciate Bordeaux; when you’re born and raised on California wines, you have a California palate. If a person off the street were to smell this wine, he probably wouldn’t put it in his mouth. Bordeaux can have a strong nuance; call it musty, earthy. . . . But one characteristic of all Bordeaux is that they can equate to elegance. I drank this with pea soup. By itself, the wine may not be impressive, but it let the food have its own flavor. The combination I find most exciting is of food and wine together, rather than either alone.”