More thoughts on the subject...

Suddenly I remembered how John Steinbeck described how the wine works on us in his wonderful novel of Tortilla Flat:

"Spiritually the jugs may be graduated thus:
Just below the shoulder of the first bottle, serious and concentrated conversation.
Two inches farther down, sweetly sad memory.
Three inches more, thoughts of old and satisfactory loves.
An inch, thoughts of bitter loves.
Bottom of the first jug, general and undirected sadness.
Shoulder of the second jug, black, unholy despondency.
Two fingers down a song of death and longing.
A thumb, every other song each one knows.
The graduations stop here, for the trail splits and there is no certainty.
From this point on anything can happen."

I've always loved Steinbeck, his characters are real, you can really feel and see them. Maybe I'll also choose this novel to be discussed, and to be enjoyed with some great wines from California.