This Too Shall Pass

This too shall pass.   I hope this finds everyone virus free and suffering from nothing more than serious boredom.   Sure, these are scary times, with stock market meltdowns, health threats, quarantines and the like, but perhaps viewed in historical context things aren’t quite as bad as they seem.

• Every decade for the last century has had at least one “unprecedented” crisis. Each was a little different, with unexpected twists and consequences, and sometimes widespread panic.  Rumors spread wildly, and many wondered how we could possibly snap back.  And each time, we collectively picked up the pieces, helped each other out, and life went on.
• Think about what we’ve overcome before. The 1918 Spanish Flu in the midst of WWI; the 1920s stock market crash; the ‘30s Great Depression;  the 40s and 50s WWII and Korean War; the 1960s Vietnam War and social unrest; the 70s oil shocks, gas lines and Watergate; the 80s/90s financial crises and a wave of over 1,600 banks failures.  We began this century with the quadruple whammy of 9/11, the dot com bust, the 2008 market meltdown and the H1N1 virus pandemic.  Quite a list of challenges, and each time we pulled together and overcame.   As we will now.

So, after the latest round of depressing news reports, I retreated to a wine store, browsed the aisles and came upon a wine that made me burst out laughing - it’s called “Pessimist.”  Its motto -- “A pessimist is never disappointed.”  How could I pass that up?  It’s our wine of the week discussed below.

As with every other sector of the economy, the wine industry is being significantly affected by the coronavirus threat.  Just a few weeks ago, the industry was focused on the impact of tariffs on European wines.  The sky was falling, it was rumored.  How could we possibly get by without our French and Italian wines?  Ah, for the good old days.

• Wineries have closed their tasting rooms, but many are continuing to accept online retail orders.  In fact, many are reaching out to customers to promote their online sales as a means to stay afloat.  So, if you have a favorite winery, now is a good time to order online and help them weather the storm.
• Many bars and restaurants, and some retail wine shops, have been ordered closed.  For example, wine merchant Kermit Lynch in California shuttered its retail store but was also forced to close its warehouse and therefore discontinue online retail sales.  Retail stores that have remained open have reported a significant increase in sales - one observer suggested that parents facing three or more weeks with the kids at home were stockpiling . . .
• Wine delivery to homes is expanding, as retailers adjust to the current circumstances.  Interestingly, one of our suppliers in France – a country that has been virtually shut down – is still providing online service to its customers.  And, of course, there are various e-commerce retailers like wine.com.

Our wine of the week is the 2018 Daou Vineyards “Pessimist” ($22 retail).  The funny thing is, we bought it on a whim, but it’s a surprisingly good wine and a good value.  It’s a red blend consisting of 62 percent Petite Sirah, 19 percent Zinfandel, 17 percent Syrah, and it’s aged in new French oak for eleven months.  Pessimist is produced in Paso Robles, California, a warm appellation about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

• This is a deep purple, full-bodied wine that packs a punch at 15.2 percent alcohol. The nose features intense, ripe black fruit along with earthy and fruit notes.  The palate displayed intense black fruit, firm tannins, spice, chocolate and a dusty texture.  It had a medium to long, interesting finish.
• This is not a wine that you’ll want to sip by itself. Because of the wine’s intense flavors and tannins, it's ideal for BBQ and grilled meats.  You’ll also want to serve it on the cool side – about 65 degrees to avoid the fruits seeming jammy -  and decant it for an hour or so to let the tannins soften.

Cheers!