We drove out on Sunday to a wine shop in Geneva. It's a solid hour drive from the city to the far western suburb. Lots of miles, construction. Though, being Sunday afternoon, traffic was mild. Once off the interstate, space seems to open to wild grasses and even an occasional farm field dotting the terrain between the subdivisions and strip malls. You can see why someone might want to live "out" here in the 'burbs.
The destination was Vino 100, a small shop owned by Mike Ashe, a place where you can stay too long and talk and explore. While it's a franchise located in a large retail strip, the store showcases the ecletic nature of the owner through a small collection of wines, cigars, and even spirits, which run across the taste spectrum. Yet for this excursion, my focus was a bit narrower: white wine for the summer.
Mike already had 6 bottles of Willow Crest Pinot Gris, a 2007 white from the Yakima Valley in Washington, waiting for me. It's vibrant and refreshing and a steal for $11 a bottle. But I never leave with just what I had in mind. Part of the experience of Mike's shop is uncovering more through tasting samples and conversing about new wines on the shelves.
Of course, I bought more wines. Also, Sandra was intrigued by a barrel-aged gin, I believe, called Old Tom's Gin. Yes, intriguing. Typical floral gin notes with darker tones of caramel and brown sugar. Unique indeed. Always something unique to try at this Vino 100. It's well-worth the two hour roundtrip expedition every few months. I don't leave disappointed.
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