Bacchus and the Jordan Cabernet

Bacchus works in mysterious ways. He can provide joyous bounty and improve our lot in life, but he may also delude the eye, disrupt common sense and can keep us from attaining that which we desire most. I wanted the status and pleasure that comes from buying and drinking a nice bottle of red wine. I decided to buy the most expensive bottle I have ever purchased outside a restaurant and so I headed to Lee's Discount Liquor on West Flamingo. I am still trying to fathom the mystery that made it quarrelsome to buy this bottle and difficult to drink it. I love my neighborhood and the businesses that populate it. I patronize my favorite restaurant frequently, but unfortunately they do not yet have a liquor license. I wanted to treat myself and friends to a nice bottle of cabernet so I needed to bring my own for dinner recently. I admit that I am not a wine snob and really not very sophisticated when it comes to wine, but I do know what I like and I do know that the Jordan winery in the Alexander Valley had several excellent years with it's cabernet. At Lee's I found a 2004 Jordan for under $50 so I splurged. At the register there was a line and when I finally got to to cashier he seemed to have a problem scanning the bottle. A longer line was forming behind me and eventually the clerk turned his LCD toward me (and the others in line) and asked if I knew which bottle I had chosen? I looked at the label and told him that it was the 2004. The clerked looked at me and then pointed to two possible choices on his screen. Mine was $49.95 and the other was considerably higher. He had no idea which was which so he put it on me, seeming to accuse me of somehow switching bottles!? Again he asked which I had picked. I have to admit that by then I was feeling a bit embarassed. Pick up your little microphone, I thought, and call someone to do a price check. "It's the 2004" I reminded him and said that I was sure that it was from the bin marked at $49.95. Again he eyed me and said "well, I guess I'll believe you." I shrank. Thanks for the vote of confidence buddy. A line of my neighbors, none of whom I'd ever met stood behind me and also sized me up. I handed over my credit card and wished that I had gotten the 129.95 bottle, just to save face. The clerk then told me "I'll need to see some I.D." Even though this is a routine request, his tone was again accusatory. I complied and then I asked to see his I.D. "What?'" he asked incredulously. "Why not, you're the one who doesn't seem to trust anyone," I said. The staredown did not last long and I won. A hollow victory nonetheless. The next few uncomfortable moments of the transaction passed quickly and quietly. I walked to the door with what should have been a triumphant purchase, instead feeling like a guy that should have just grabbed a box of Gallo and been done with it. No status, No pleasure, Seventy five dollar VISA charge... priceless. Well, it gets better. I got to the restaurant and after a 15 minute wait beyond the time of my reservation my friends and I were seated. I had spoken very highly of the food at this tiny place and my guests were excited to enjoy it. The waiter commented very positively on the bottle of Jordan and opened it to breathe. I am going to make a long story short. After we finished a bottle of Chardonnay we waited for someone to clear our glasses and get new ones for the red wine. Our dinner was on the table - cooling. After 3 obvious attempts by the waiter to ignore our situation I asked him to change glasses for us. He said "normally I don't do this, but for you... " Now I was embarrased again, but also confused. I will remind you again that I am not a wine snob, but I do know that it probably isn't the best idea to put a $50 bottle of red wine into glasses that contain chardonnay and backwash, right? "Bacchus!" I said to myself in the same tone Jerry Seinfeld used to say "Neumann," on his show when he'd realize the source of some grief. As usual the food was wonderful. We did not stay for coffee or dessert. My guests insisted on paying and as is their habit, they were generous to our waiter. I also thanked him and palmed him $20 hoping to buy back some of the status I assumed would come with the bottle of Jordan. The wine was fine. The Jordan Winery had provided excellent grape juice, but Bacchus would not let me enjoy it fully without exacting some mysterious emotional price that I had not or could not pay, either to the cashier at the liquor store or to the waiter at my favorite restaurant. There is no moral to this story. I only tell it to cleanse myself and share. There are other places to buy wine. There are waiters in other restaurants that will be happy to bring me a clean glass. Bacchus, we shall meet again.
BjK.