I think many of us who read this forum well know of Otto Nieminen's love for Ch. Musar. Love might not be the proper word; it's a passion that goes beyond rational at times. And I mean that in the most positive sense.
Well, imagine my surprise this past Saturday when, as I am enjoying myself at a huge tasting at a friend's house in warm S. California, in comes Wade Hoestler who hands me a bottle of 1997 Musar, a gift from Otto sent all the way from Finland!!! Wade wasn't even attending the tasting; he was on his way home to San Diego after a karate tournament with his kids and went out of his way to stop by to bring to me this very special wine.
I was blown away...Otto and I have exchanged emails a few times about wines, and he had offered to send me a great Musar. I had discouraged him, since I know he is still a graduate student and already probably spends more of his income on wine than is reasonable, and also because I didn't want to depend on our mutual friend, Wade (hence the `1 degree of separation'), to have to schlep a bottle back across the Atlantic and the entire continent and then an hour north to get it to me.
But Otto did send it and Wade did get it to me. So.. let me publicly thank both of you... to Wade, a friend I see frequently at tastings who is amazingly generous with his wines and his wild game for BBQs...and to Otto, a friend I know only because of wine boards like this that bring us together to share our joy and passion for wine.
I hope one day to meet you, Otto, and pop a few bottles and learn a bit more from your amazing palate, but even if I don't ever have that privilege, I feel as if I know you already and am proud to call you `friend.' Thank you for this wonderful gift; whenever I drink this treasured bottle, it will be a very special day.
!
