Once and For All, Lou is Interested in What Exactly a Young Wine Like This is Doing Up So Late?
Lou inhaled deeply then raised the glass yet again toward the light, swirling with a clumsy flick of his wrist before sipping loudly.
Lucy Lou (no relation) rolled her eyes and took a modest sip, smiling against the pleasant flavor.
“And what might a young wine like this be doing up so late, my good man?” Lou asked no one in particular, as the rest of the group sampled and murmured.
Lou started to ramble, “I still have no idea what that means-”
“I’ll tell you who liked to stay out late,” mumbled the haggard man standing behind Lucy, who until this point had remained silent
The man finished his glass and slammed it onto the counter, motioning for another pour. “My goddamn ex-wife, that’s who.”
Lou laughed and realized that no one else had heard what the man said.
The group filled up their glasses and continued the vineyard tour outside.
Plucking a few grapes from a vine, the guide proudly began explaining the harvesting process.
“We are at the height of harvest season right now,but remember that the vines are dormant most of the year.”
The man snorted at the comment.
“Dormant most of the year? Maybe they should re-name this vineyard ‘my ex-wife’.”
Lou couldn’t help laughing as Lucy refused to engage.
“Sorry, brother” Lou said, tipping his glass toward toward the man.
The guide continued, “but during harvest, over the course of a few weeks at least four men will work on…”
The man spoke again, “Four other men in just a few weeks? Hmm, my ex-wife would probably love this.”
Lou nearly spit his wine out, “oh god, I’m sorry man.”
The group headed into the aging cellar, Lou trailing at the end with his new friend.
The guide continued to describe the actual wine making process to the group, “…this particular wine, once added to the oak barrels, will stay down here for twenty-one months before we release...”
Lou looked over expectantly.
The man locked eyes with Lou and spat out, “you know, son, twenty-one months is about how old the boy I was raising was when I found out his father was actually a janitor at the local Burger King.”
Lucy walked away without another word as Lou winced, but the man started to smile a bit.
Hey, maybe this old dude just needs to get it all out, Lou thought to himself, and took a chance, raising his full glass and offering a cheers
The man paused for a long beat, then smiled and clinked against Lou’s extended glass, “you may be right, son.”
They continued with the tour for awhile, sipping and enjoying, eventually joining the rest of the group in the final wine-shop area.
The guide finished up and began describing the sale available for the newest vintage.
“…available by the case of course, I think you’ll find this challenging but beautiful white wine is as round, full-bodied and delicious as anything…”
Lou piped up, “challenging, white, round, and full-bodied - sounds like they designed it after your ex-wife, am I right?”
Lour raised his hand for a high-five while turning to his new friend as the entire group fell silent.
The man froze, then burst into tears and ran out of the room.
“Are you kidding me?” Lucy demanded among the sea of of pursed lips and gasps of disapproval at Lou’s comment.
The guide was furious, “what the hell man, why would say that to my uncle?”
He ran after the old man as the group disbursed, leaving Lou red-faced and speechless.
