Saturday was probably the best it could have possibly been. Warm, sunny, not a cloud in the sky; it was what most would call “beautiful”. The weather only put an underscore on what would have been a great day had it been cold and overcast. A wonderful time was had by all, except maybe my brother, who is “not much into wine yet” as he puts it. And the beer that Bell’s brought was sub-par (not surprising at all). We were joined by my brother and his wife, from Mishawaka, IN, my in-laws (from the Pt Huron area, MI), the parents Watson (from Niles), and our good friends from Texas Township, Matt and Tracy. Accompanying Mateo and Senorita Tracy was Victor, who it was a pleasure to meet.
So here’s the run-down. The Black Star Farm icewine of 2002 is not as sweet as 2000, but in my opinion is just as good. Char thought the 2000 was better. Mainly, the 2000 was sweeter and more vibrant with grape flavour while the 2002 seems more subdued and has some other nice flavors that come out because the grape isn’t as vibrant.
As for the other wines, we stuck mostly to the dry wines, which relegated most of our purchases to 2002 vintages. This new-found love of the dry and complex that we’ve embarked on will give us another year to wait to enjoy the bounty of the 2003 harvest. Oh, well… just another year of winefest to look forward to. 
So the final count is exactly three cases between the three wineries; two at St Julian, 1/2 at Black Star and 1/2 at Warner. Too much money, but the wines are all of decent quality and we won’t have to make any trips to Russo’s for wine (other than the Penfold’s Cabernet Shiraz) for some time. As we drink them, check for some feedback here.
In other news, apparently, the top idiot was in Michigan, spending our hard-earned tax dollars to forward his agenda of fear, uncertainty and doubt with the American people. Oh the joy of living in one of “those states”. I don’t have much bandwidth to dedicate to these clowns lately. Most of the “issues” that are being discussed in the mainstream media are a waste of time and energy to even get too worked up about. At this point, my vote has been decided, not because I believe that the person is the best person for the job, but because, given all the variables, I truly believe that anything is better than the status quo. I don’t hold the values (?) of the current administration in any form (I don’t believe that lying to people about the mortal fate of their sons and daughters is “moral” for example) and I plan on putting my vote where my mouth is.
Take it easy ya’ll. Much wine is yet to be enjoyed.
F%@k It! & 
Pickin on the Jones’
I think I’m being taught a life lesson lately, though the ambiguity of it has me confused. The dominant theme, however, seems to be that doing the right thing is the wrong way to go. It’s no wonder so many in this world take the ethical low ground so often and with such zeal. I’ve tried to take the path less beaten numerous times lately and gotten beaten for it. I’m now teetering on the edge of “I can’t blame them.”
