I received a comment from a reader asking about Canyon Oaks 2006 Zinfandel and asking if I could tell them my supplier. I checked with my retailer and asked if it was O.K. to give out her name to someone I did not know that was inquiring from the web. People are funny about privacy and I think it is always wise to check with people and ask permission when I am not sure. She said she was O.K. with me giving out her name. I replied back to the reader and noted that the e-mail address domain was located in Kentucky.

When I was planning on my purchases for April, I listed the wines that I was planning on purchasing. I mentioned that I was buying a case of Canyon Oaks 2006 Zinfandel. When I actually got to the wine store, I decided to get split the case up and get 6 Zinfandel and 6 Merlot. The price was the same either way and now I had some wine variety, in case my retailer did not have my other wine selections in stock. My retailer had to check on the price of the Eye of the Toad and she would let me know the price when she heard. I purchased it last year when it was on sale and got it for around $7 or $8 or so. She didn't have 6 Canyon Oaks 2006 Oaks Merlot on hand and would have to order it.

She was out of the Col di Sasso and it would be at least two or three weeks before she ordered more, unless I wanted a case. I did not. I showed her my shopping list and she spotted the Famega and asked if I would be interested in a case of the Famega. Also, the price had gone up. The dollar to Euro ratio is killing my European wine purchases. Every time I turn around, the price of my imported wine is going up. She had someone else who wanted a case and if I got a case she would get a reduced price for a 5 case purchase and it would bring my price down. My spouse really likes Famega, so I committed to a case of it too, but could not pick it up until the end of the month. She did not have any more of the Tilia, so in the end, the total number of bottles was about the same as what I planned but the selections were skewed.

By the time I got back to her store, to pick up my purchases, I asked about the person calling from Kentucky. She said she got a call that day on her answering machine. Long story short the person called back while I was there and she was talking to him. "He wants the other half of the Merlot and Zin that you ordered." Smiling, she handed the phone to me. I enjoyed a nice conversation on the phone with the reader, told him about my Dennis Martin phone interview and handed the phone back to the retailer.

We had "the Toad" on Friday night, with our salmon. Watch for my review in a few days.

Until next time, let me know what is on your mind, and how you are doing, O.K.?

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Jim Fortune - Bella Online Wine Guy