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Everyone has one. That singular point in time when you “got” wine for the very first time. It’s your vinous “ah ha moment” and there isn’t a sweeter sip to be had. Lots of people drink wine, but once you’ve experience your wine WOW you will never approach a glass in the same manner. You stop merely sipping wine and start savouring wine by taking in all that it has to offer including the wine’s history, geography, sensibility, and winemaking tradition.

My wine “ah ha moment” was so passionate, it literally changed my life. Circa 1994, I produced an uber highend trip to Bordeaux for American Express Platinum Card members. The tour was led by Michael Buller, a well-respected wine writer; I was simply on-site to ensure the event went off without any major flaws. (aka I carried Michael’s luggage.) Midway through the trip, we visited Chateau Margaux; where chateau director Paul Pontillier treated the group to a fantastic tasting in the famous first-growth cellar. I have never been quiet sure whether I was under the influence of Monsieur Pontillier’s good looks, his breath-taking French accent, or the romantic ambiance of his stellar cellar, but one thing is for sure – I was smitten by the wine in my glass. It was my vinous “ah ha moment,” and I have never viewed wine the same fashion since that unforgettable sip. The wine was 1992 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux. For me, this average vintage rocked my palate and my world. It is my ah ha wine.