When HG/BSK began their marriage (57th anniversary this year), great wine was cheap. One could buy superb bottles for less than five dollars. HG/BSK began married life on W. 67th Street (just off Central Park) on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The 67th Street Wine and Liquor Shop was on the northwest corner of Columbus and 67th. If dining at home during the summer, HG/BSK began dinner with cold splits of very good champagne. Price was $l.50 each. As a weekend house guest in West Hampton, HG/BSK brought a case of Chateau Mouton Rothschild as a gift. Went nicely with grilled sirloin. Price was was less than 50 bucks for the 12 bottles. During early courtship. HG/BSK once had a casual meal of Zito’s bread, ripe French camembert and Irish ham. Drank a bottle of Chateau Margaux ($3.00). These days in New Mexico, BSK acts as wine selector. BSK finds superb values in the nine to thirteen dollar range. BSK favors Pinot Noir from France and California but finds values in Australian Shiraz/Cabernet, Spanish Tempranillo, Italian Chianti, Argentine Malbec, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Annoying aspect of life on Prince Edward Island is the high price of wine (due to tax policies). Makes HG/BSK lower HG/BSK’s drinking standards.
MJ and I bought, among other things, a magnum of 1949 Chateau LaTour, on our wedding day in 1978 for about $150. 21 years later we enjoyed the superlative vin. Then looked at Sotheby’s current listings, where it was going at auction in 1999 for $7500. ?
Okay. Now I know what to buy for your next visit.