To Ellen Connolly, for her deluxe, solar-warm support, not the least of which included swabbing my mouth with Château d'Yquem moments before I submitted to a three-hour surgery.
To Burt McMurtry, for his extraordinary friendship and for bestowing on me a PhD in Quantum Oenophilia, and his lovely wife and bon amie, Deedee.
A HIGH RAISE OF THE CHALICE TO:
My editor, Lucas Wittmann, a gentleman of letters, acumen, and oenomania, who shared my vision from the first sip; Judith Regan, genius domus of Regan Arts and unflinching protectress of the creative act; Richard Ljoenes, maker of grand designs; Gregory Henry, publicist extraordinaire; Lynne Ciccaglione; and Emily Greenwald.
Eric Rayman, whose insight and foresight led me to Regan Arts; Angela Miller, my skillful and turophilic agent; and Nader Mousavi, champion decanter of cult Cabernet.
Lea Tucker and Megan Shean, my Aspen A-Team, always up for the next caper.
Rob Schipano, whose design talents never cease to generate glee.
A HEALTHY POUR OF GRATITUDE TO THESE AGENTS OF INSPIRATION AND INTOXICATION:
Adrian Jasso; Adrienne Jamieson and Patrick Chamorel; all Food & Wine Classic in Aspen volunteers; Alyssa Rapp; Amy Klewitz; Ana Moreno VanDiver and Pedro Gonzalez; Andrea Hazen and Edouard Mauvais-Jarvis; Antonio Francisco; Barbara Stallins, Carolyn Manning, Howard Wolf, all who oversee the Stanford Wine Collection; BCWC; Bobby and Jen Peters; Cathy McMurtry and Jim McLaughlin; Cathy Nelson and Jonathan Corl; Christina Grdovic, Diella Koberstein Allen, Devin Padgett, Ray Isle, Nilou Motamed, and all other Food & Wine Classicists; CJ Tropp; Dan Beltramo; Dane L. Neal; David Fink; Dennis Foley; Dick “Scandi Wine Savant” Christie; Dillon Cohen and Kate Holten; Dr. Barry Chaiken; Dr. Paul McCormick; Erika Seidman and Ben Downing; Evan Lodes and Laura Pei; Fred and Carol Schrader; Gail Simmons; Gillian Conway; Grace Chung; Jacques Pépin; James Corl and Krista Shulz; Jennifer DePriest; Jesse Kornbluth; Jim McMurtry; Jiyang Chen; Joe Schoendorf; John Abbott; John and Janet McMurtry; Joy Simmons; K. Don Cornwell; Kevin and Julia Hartz; Kevin Warsh and Jane Lauder; Kimberly Burns; Larry Mohr; Lee Black; Lee Schrager; Lisa Mattson; Liz and Ed Somekh; Long Nguyen; Lynn Fritz; M. Alexander Hoye; Marcus Samuelsson; Mark “El Burro” Hernandez; Marty “MJ” Higgins; Matt Oggero; Orley Ashenfelter; Peter Hellman; Rosina Miller; Samer Hamadeh and Alison Harmelin; Shelley Phillips, Dre Anderson, and all at C3 Presents; Steve Attardo; Steve Herrick; Vicki and Roger Sant; Wes Marshall; Wendy Munger; Woof dwellers
A 21-CORK SALUTE TO OLDMANS EVERYWHERE, AND ESPECIALLY MARILYN, ELLIOTT, AND ELIZABETH.
“UNHAND THAT BOTTLE!”