Kuleto Estate Vineyards

Sunday afternoon was reserved for Kuleto Estate Vineyards - one of the most amazing vineyards I've ever seen. Our fabulous guide, Rick, gave us an extensive tour of the gorgeous estate and surrounding vineyards. All the while, refilling glass after glass of wine for everyone to enjoy. After the tour, it was back to the veranda for more wine and a selection of specialty cheeses and crackers. There were ten of us in the group - a fantastic collection of people with fascinating backgrounds including an architect, a nurse, and a package designer who's lovely Cuban mother was visiting him from New Jersey. He told me she was preparing a fantastic meal of traditional Cuban food for him and his friends the next day. He even invited me to the party (possibly because he feared I might have a heart attack because of my excitement over the thought of traditional Cuban food) - so generous and kind of him. I wish I could have gone.

I also had a lovely chat with the nurse in our group. She told me stories of other tastings she and her boyfriend had experienced during their vacation. At one tasting they learned the three levels of smelling your wine:
1. Wave the glass gently under your nose - these are the flowers and the fruits.
2. Take a slightly deeper smell - these are the vegetables and minerals.
3. Plunge your nose into the glass and take a deep breath - this is the alcohol and the wood.

After glass number three or four, I couldn't keep up. I had to start drinking water because my head was spinning. Never-the-less, I was still able to enjoy a lovely conversation with the architect about Frank Lloyd Wright (one of my favorite architects) as well as his favorites, whom I'd never heard of, and don't remember, because I didn't write them down. Everyone was so friendly. There's nothing like a bit of wine to loosen up even the most nervous introvert. After I had consumed those three or four glasses of wine, I noticed Zach had left the table with Rick, our tour guide. About a half an hour later, they returned with the ever allusive Pinot Noir. Let me explain....
Zach took this tour with some friends on a guys' road trip several months back, but he was never able to taste the Pinot Noir because it wasn't part of the wine selection on the tour. This time he was determined, so he bought a bottle of 2004 Pinot Noir (the stuff is so good that the 2006 was already gone.) and shared it with our group. Everyone said it was the best Pinot they'd tasted. What a nice guy.

Around five o'clock, we all rolled into our cars, thankfully everyone had selected a designated driver or had hired one, and Zach, who has the alcohol tollerence of an Irish Rugby player, had been drinking water for about an hour. The afternoon was full of great wine and conversation. It was a fabulous experience I will always remember with affection.