I adore the long, exotic finish, and we enjoy it frequently as a change of pace to our home vineyard bottling. A couple of weeks tasting wines in France can change the way you look at a lot of things.

I was introduced to Venice in the spring of 1994, when Barbara and I traveled there to attend a friend’s birthday party. It wasn’t really extravagant, as we had already planned to meet in Paris after my business trip to France, so we just postponed our return home by a few days.

I remember the Neyers 2019 Syrah for its lovely aroma and beautiful balance. It’s not a powerhouse, but it’s as gratifying a Syrah as I have ever enjoyed.

After a toast, he sipped the wine, and with his typical bright smile, turned to me and said, “This is delicious.” I was flattered. “Why do you make Carignan,” he then asked? An answer was hard to come by, so I changed the subject.