Tasting Vivier Wines with Stéphane Vivier

I’m allergic to shellfish. The trouble is, I don’t know which shellfish I’m allergic to and when the allergy appears it’s threatening, and uncomfortable. So, by now I simply avoid all shellfish. Today, however, I was lucky enough to share lunch with Stéphane Vivier and two of his Pinot Noir based wines–a rosé, and a single vineyard red. We met at an excellent, ultra fresh oyster house to taste his wines outside, and after a while to share lunch. The wine project he’s started with his wife, Dana Sexton Vivier, carries with it a simple, elegant integrity I greatly appreciate–the wines taste with it too. So, when Stéphane asked if I’d like to start lunch with oysters. I honestly thought, you know, this whole meeting so far has been simple and lovely. If I have to die from shellfish, lord, let it be now (though I’d have to ask god to extra apologize to Stéphane for me if I did). This moment is so lovely, I figured, closing with it… what a way to celebrate life, you know?

Gratefully, I don’t seem to be allergic to oysters, and those were three of the best foods I’ve ever had. (Katherine, let’s come back here. We’ll bring our sisters with us.) Here’s the big truth though–I want to drink Vivier rosé as often as possible, and the Sun Chase Vineyards Pinot is some of the best California Pinot Noir I’ve ever had.

Write up to follow.

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Stéphane, thank you for taking time to meet with me.

God, thank you for keeping me alive.

Dan Petroski, thank you for making the connection with Stéphane.

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