By Bruce Neyers

Wednesday 27th July, 2022

The Right Glass of Wine – Keeping it simple is often best

In mid-May 1970, I was a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, flying back to the US after 13 months in South Korea as a Guided Missile officer. My flight was filled with other GI’s, all of us returning to the mainland after a tour in the far east. In my row were two other officers about my age, and a friendship developed along the way. Our first stop after Tokyo was Anchorage, and after clearing customs, we boarded a flight to San Francisco. We sat together for this leg too. Barbara, meanwhile, was on a Japan Airlines commercial flight to San Francisco, and as I had been re-assigned to the Presidio in San Francisco, we planned to meet when her flight arrived, then spend a few days in the Bay Area.

My flight into San Francisco Airport arrived early in the morning, and I had a few hours available. My fellow travelers and I were all hungry, so we found a restaurant in the terminal. After being seated, we each asked for a glass of milk. Our server returned with three glasses of delicious-looking, cold milk. I drank mine greedily, then smacked my lips. Only powdered milk was available where I was stationed in Korea, and most of the time it was still warm from the hot water used to dissolve it. It tasted so little like milk that I just stopped drinking it. We all agreed, though, that this simple glass of fresh milk was one of the best things we’d ever tasted. It was a great welcome home treat.

We ordered more milk with our breakfast, and our moods lightened as we began to realize that we were finally back in the US. We had more milk, and as I ate, I felt full for the first time in months. It was a grand meal, but soon I had to leave to meet Barbara. My companions both had flights to catch as well, so our party broke up. We asked for the check, and were surprised when our waitress said that our bill had been taken care of by another guest. Don’t worry, she told us. My manager told me not to charge for the milk.

When I think back on that experience I invariably break into a smile. Never before could I recall something so simple being so pleasant as was that glass of cold milk.  Soon afterwards, I began to develop a fondness for wine, but a long standing interest in simple things had been cemented. I think now of Barbara’s mushroom pasta, with a glass of Neyers Carneros District Chardonnay, which is irresistible. Her sautéed chicken, when served with a slightly chilled Sage Canyon Red, is heavenly. She makes a freshly grilled hamburger, which with Neyers Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon is a culinary triumph. Barbara and I share a bottle of red wine with dinner most nights, but an expensive bottle is rare. My appreciation for basic things pretty much dates back to that memorable glass of milk in 1970. Why try to improve on perfection?

One of our favorite ‘simple’ pleasures is a bottle of Zinfandel. During our early days in San Francisco, Barbara was learning to be a serious cook, and I was learning about wine. She was a school teacher then, and was home in time to watch Julia Child, as the ‘French Chef,’ on Public Television. For dinner, she would often try to recreate Julia’s preparation from that day, so I would visit my neighborhood grocery store for a bottle of wine. Most times it was Zinfandel. I loved its bright freshness, attractive flavors, and juicy softness. As an added benefit, it always seemed to work with whatever Barbara cooked.

The Vista Notre Zinfandel we make at Neyers is a model of restraint, much like those beautiful wines I enjoyed many years ago. The grapes come from three vineyards in the Sierra Foothills — where the soil is a mix of rock and sand — evening temperatures are mild, and the clusters are small. The wine is rustic but elegant, low in alcohol, and high in satisfaction. It’s complex and loaded with flavor. We drink it on a regular basis, and it goes well with everything.

One of my favorite foods with our Vista Notre Zinfandel is ‘Tomatoes Provençal,’ a dish Barbara learned to make from Maggie Brunier, mother of Daniel Brunier of Domaine Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf du Pape. It’s the perfect way to enjoy a ripe, summer tomato, and it’s easy to prepare. When Barbara makes it, I can’t help but think of the many wonderful meals we enjoyed at Maggie’s table.