01 May Cleaning the Cellar
A funny thing happened during spring cleaning. There I was, down in the wine cellar, trying to figure out how to organize things for the new magazine format. With all the dusty bottles and crackled labels, I could neither make head nor tail of what I was doing.
I needed someone to help me with this daunting task.
Suddenly, in a corner where some of my favorites were stashed, I spotted a cellar rat studying my labels with fervor, rapidly taking notes. Who was this curious creature, and what was he doing in my wine cellar?
With a tip of his hat, he introduced himself, and eloquently explained why he was compelled to inhabit such a place — one reserved for those consumed by a burning passion for wine. And with a cheeky twitch of his whiskers, he mused that the manic women upstairs were so busy sniffing cardamom, they seemed to have forgotten about keeping the cellar in proper condition.
I invited him to stay for lunch. And asked him to move in.
Beginning with June’s issue, Gastronomic Meditations™ will feature a monthly column by wine blogging pioneer Alder Yarrow, the creator of Vinography.com. Alder has received accolades for his unpretentious and passionate approach to wine, and we are honored to feature his work here. As the creator of the world’s leading wine blog, he set a precedent for others to follow. I’m not sure they’ll ever catch up.
He’s also a hell of a nice guy, and his writing talents are a refreshing change from the stuffy world of wine writing. His first article is one I am positively itching to publish.
I promise it will be worth the wait.
So thank you for joining us, Alder. We are honored to have you here, and a comfy chair has been requisitioned for your cellar corner. Please pardon the swooning noises coming from the kitchen.