Just when some thought that I had disappeared into the big Underground wine cellar in the sky, I am back to earth! You see, when I last communicated I thought I would be gone for a few weeks. But, I underestimated. I had something far more serious, a staph infection in my spine that required emergency surgery and a one month hospital stay as well as several months of rehabilitation at home. So I am just now coming back and tasting and drinking a little wine with articles soon to follow.

Not to bore you with the details, but there is one thing I will share with you. At some point in my drugged state, I really did feel I was ascending into the great Underground wine cellar in the sky. Surrounding me in the blurred distance were glasses full of wine and many open bottles. They included the great old Inglenook Cabs, 1934, 1941, 1944, 1949 and many others, great old Burgundies such as 1945 DRC Richebourg and Romanée-Conti, 1949 La Tache, the great Norm Mini Eisele Vineyard Cabernets from the 1970s and the great Diamond Creek Cabernets from the 1970s including the phenomenal 1978 Lake, many great Champagnes to numerous to mention, fabulous White Burgundies from the 60s and 70s including those from Ramonet and DRC, as well an endless line-up of others from my past tasting experience that disappeared into the haze.

But, now that I am back, it’s time to come back to earth and re-focus on the Underground. An article on charity auctions will soon be posted. Later, we will have a long delayed article on the greatest wines ever tasted by our contributing editors and I will include my list at the end. In the near future I will also have a brief synopsis of the wines I had tasted before my time out, including the great new wines from Mount Eden and Ridge Vineyards, as well as notes on a few other terrific wines. I missed the Burgundy trip this year (one of only a very few I have missed since my first trip in 1981), but my long time friends and contributing editors, John Brincko and Geoffrey Troy, are there now and will carry on. John has been on many trips over the years and Geoffrey has not missed a trip since 1981 (he’s the youngest!). They will continue the Underground tradition and I will post brief notes on their findings as I receive them.

All in all, there is lot’s to come. Thanks for your kind words, thoughts and prayers in my absence. I look forward to hearing from all of you as we forge ahead into the future with honest, no nonsense, and understandable wine commentary. And, once again, please pass on the Underground to your friends!

 

In Vino Veritas,

John Tilson