Bodega Norton, 2007 Barrel Select Malbec, Mendoza

As the last of the select group of close friends and family arrived, the winery's proprietor made a grand gesture with his arms, drawing everyone in close. The setting Argentinian sun cast shadows around the tasting room, giant barrels peeking from the shadows behind them, as the man toasted the successful harvest and their first batch of Malbec. He uncorked bottles as he spoke, and his wife and son handed out glasses. A young woman caught the son's eye and gave him momentary pause as he gazed at her. She wore a black dress and a cardigan the color of pomegranate and had luscious, strawberry lips and large, deep, charcoal eyes. A look and an elbow from his mother urged the son over to her. As he handed her a glass, she smiled at him.

"Gracias," she said softly.

The son introduced himself, but before he had a chance to say more, his father pulled him to the front of the crowd and poured wine into his glass. As he listened to his father's toast, he kept stealing glances at the woman in the pomegranate cardigan; she smiled at him whenever their eyes met, and he began to feel a flutter in his belly.

A great "Salud!" went up among the crowd as glasses were raised, and everyone took the first sips of the beckoning Malbec. Its earthy, spicy tones danced on the lips and tongues of the guests, prompting murmurs of appreciation and pleasure. Glasses were raised once more to toast its achievement, and a guitar trio began to play.

Couples took each other's hands and began to dance passionately and gleefully. Celebration was in the air; romance seemed to permeate as well. The son decided not to waste the opportunity and he invited the young woman to dance. As they swirled sensually around the room, they made little conversation, but rather enjoyed the feel of one another's bodies and the feast of the senses they, and the room, provided. As the son pulled the woman in closer, the smell of her hair drifted toward him, earthy yet sweet. Another couple glided past: a chef, friend to his father, who smelled faintly of oven smoke, and his wife, whose plump, cherry lips pursed in a sly smile.
The son looked into the young woman's mesmerizing eyes, unintentionally drawing his own face closer to hers. Their lips were nearly touching when they were jostled abruptly by a round, jovial, and apparently tipsy man who clasped a hand on the boy's shoulder, bringing him off balance. The man slurred a congratulations and some other kind words as the pair looked at each other with amusement. The man smelled of salami and rustic bread, which to the pair's surprise, made them hungry. They made their way to the table of food.

As the woman picked up her own piece of salami and touched it delicately to her lips, the son began to feel passion stirring within him. He bit into a plum and moaned as the soft, sticky, sweetly viscous juice filled his mouth, before realizing, with embarrassment, the sounds he was making. The young woman giggled and touched his arm affectionately, then reached up and wiped a drop of juice off his chin. Her hands smelled of vanilla and the son smiled warmly at her touch.

They returned to dancing, this time a bit closer and more intensely than before, which, in a room of such close friends, drew the attention of those around them. The proprietor and his wife, impeccably dressed and with their noses buried in their wine glasses, began to watch from across the room, whispering to one another; noticing this, the son shook his head good-naturedly and danced them toward the edge of the room. They found themselves next to another couple, which the son recognized as his father's business partner and his mistress, both quite inebriated and whose visible affection was beginning to border on scandalous. The woman's eyes flashed passion and fire, then closed softly as the man began to kiss her neck. She pulled his mouth to hers and kissed him sharply; they savored one another's taste and drank in more and more, each touch of their lips and tongues a new enunciation of their passion, different than before, delicious and intriguing. The son and young woman stared momentarily; then, both blushing at their voyeurism, moved in another direction.

They found themselves in the shadows between the giant oak barrels, the next moments almost a foregone conclusion. The son gently cradled the back of the woman's head with his hand, and as they leaned toward one another, her scent, an earthy sweetness like that of currants, intoxicated his senses. They kissed, softly at first; her taste and feel warmed him, the sensation velvety and luscious, moving all over his mouth like melted dark chocolate. As the passion began to build, her kisses darted playfully yet aggressively, surprising the son. She left the very tip of his tongue tingling as if he had tasted cayenne, and his whole body began to flush feverishly, his head spinning as he drank in her spice, her scent, her sweet yet powerful essence.

When finally their lips parted, they both looked away momentarily, breathing heavily. But soon their faces were drawn to each other once more and they embraced passionately. A wine glass was knocked to the floor but its sound was muffled by the celebration on the other side of the barrels. They took advantage of their temporary invisibility and slowly sank to the floor, drinking deeply from one another.

Chateau Ste Michelle, 2009 Riesling, Columbia Valley

He sat watching the myriad autumn tones that abundantly decorated the tall birch trees at the edge of his parents' backyard, mesmerized by the sunlight that pierced the foliage in millions of tiny points through to crisp blue sky. The brisk breezes that whisked through repeatedly disturbed the foliage, creating a swaying shimmer of gold, orange, yellow, red, tangerine, lemon, amber that adorned the forest behind the house. He sighed deeply and contently and smiled broadly as his nose detected the crisp apples his mother was slicing for pies.

The doorbell rang and his grin widened. He stood up and strode towards the front door, dipping his pinky in the bowl of honey nestled among the assorted pie-making accouterments scattered across the kitchen counter. His eyes twinkled as he gingerly opened the door to see her flowing, golden blonde curls being blustered back and forth by the wind.

"It's about time," he said with a sarcastic smile. "Must have taken you forever to walk over here from next door. We only have a couple of hours until dinner!"

"Easy does it, killer," she laughed, shoving him. "I've been putting in required family face time. First time I've been home since school started, remember?"
"Fair enough," he conceded, pulling her into a cozy hug. "Let's go! Can't break tradition." He grabbed his coat, called out a goodbye to his parents, and bounded out the door with her in tow.

They chattered excitedly together as they walked toward the forest that had only moments ago been the glittering, two-dimensional canvas behind panes of glass. But as soon as they reached the tree-line, they both fell silent, as they always did at this point of the journey. They strode though the tall, dry grasses, glancing at one another every now and again with a playful smile, soundless but for the swoosh and crunch of the dead leaves at their feet.

They reached the brook and both stopped at its edge. Its tranquil babble trickled into their ears as its water ran over cold, smooth stones. Their hands drifted together instinctively but slowly and very small smiles crept over each one's lips. Together, they stepped across the brook at the same time, then dropped one another's hands and continued among the trees.

The path through the trees narrowed and caused him to walk behind her, and as the afternoon sun silhouetted her figure, he smiled at her very bright, grapefruit-colored leggings. But amusement turned to growing surprise as his eyes made their way up her legs. He stopped walking and cocked his head.

"What's up?" she asked, turning around. "Why'd you stop?"

"Oh-" he responded, stopping himself. He thought for a moment. "I'm..." he paused again.

"Dude," she scoffed jokingly. "Seriously? Weirdo. Let's keep going." She rolled her eyes, giggling, then continued ahead of him. He furrowed his brow momentarily, then shook his head and trudged on through the leaves behind her.

The path narrowed even further, then began to widen again, and within a few minutes they arrived at a clearing that opened up to the crisp, blazing blue, Washington sky. Yellow flowers peppered the grass and clover and the scent of honeysuckle crisscrossed in the breezes that swept around here and there. She reached the center of the clearing and found a spot to lie down, sprawling herself contentedly on the soft ground. He plopped himself beside her and looked at her thoughtfully.

"Eleven years coming here," he mused aloud.

"It's my favorite part of Thanksgiving," she smiled in reply. They lay there for several minutes longer, staring up at the perfectly puffy white clouds, when, suddenly, she sat up.

"What's up?" he asked, leaning up on his elbows.

"Guess what I grabbed from my folks' house before I left?" she asked mischievously. He looked at her quizzically as she reached into her yellow zip hoodie and pulled out a bottle of Riesling. "It's still cold!" she exclaimed, her eyes twinkling, cheeks rosy. "Cheers!" She put the bottle to her lips and tipped it back. He shook his head affectionately and took the bottle as she passed it to him. He took a swig, his hand moving to catch a trickle of wine at the corner of his mouth that he hoped she hadn't noticed. Her unrestrained laughter informed him that she had.

As they passed the bottle back and forth a few more times, they reminisced and joked, completely as ease. He realized she was the coolest girl he knew, but the sweetest too. And not in a sugary way; she was just so easy to take in, so nice to be around, refreshing and familiar all at the same time. She was confident enough to show some tartness when she needed to; but at the end of the day she was nothing but pleasant and likable and just, yum, nice.

She pulled vanilla chapstick out of her pocket and, popping the cap off, brought it to her lips. He swore he could smell the vanilla, and suddenly, maybe from the wine, he began to feel overcome. The sun threaded through her golden locks and seemed to mesmerize him; he stared at her dreamily, and she was about to question his gaze when her eyes began to return it without her even realizing it. Their lips moved towards each other, pulling their bodies behind them.

She tasted sweet from the wine, pears and apples and autumn honey dripping on his tongue. Spice danced through his senses and his eyes closed. Soft and assertive at the same time, she returned his kiss, leaving sweetness lingering just so on his tongue. They paused gently, letting but a tiny bit of space between one another's lips.

"Cheers," he whispered dreamily.

Steelhead, 2006 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley,

She stood on her tiptoes, entire body stretching upward; as her elegant fingers wriggled toward their prize, her slender legs strained every toned muscle to push her closer to her sweet, plump reward.

Just as the luscious, ripe plum was at her fingertips, a strong pair of arms grabbed her from behind and pulled her backwards. A hand went over her eyes and another ran itself lithely up her body, bringing a near-bursting, enticing, ripe-as-can-be plum to her wanting lips. She hesitated for barely a moment and he rescinded his hand ever so slightly, their bodies rubbing against one another teasingly.

She smelled of the dusty, stony air that ran through the orchard; of the sweet sweat of a morning's work, evidenced by the bushel of perfect, black velvet plums resting at the foot of the tree (there would be to-die-for pies that evening); of faint sweetness from a lotion nearly gone, honey or vanilla maybe. But despite her lullaby of scents that drew his eyes closed, she had more tannin than he expected. She struggled against his grip without holding back, and what he first recognized as edge turned into near abrasiveness.

Grinning at her formidability, he regained control of the embrace and gently pushed the plum to her lush, black licorice lips. As she sank her teeth into its red ruby flesh the juices ran over her plump lips and down her chin, dripping toward the earth before he caught them, sticky on his fingers. As he raised them for her to lick clean, she spun herself around, svelte and agile, and planted her mouth on his.

As they drank each other in, he swallowed the juices from the plum that lingered in her mouth and flowed into his. As he reached deeper, inhaling thirstily, he got a hint of spice and anise that touched his tongue and it surprised him. He closed his eyes tighter and pulled her into his body, breathing all of her in. Her hair smelled floral, yet green in its essence of the orchard around her. Her fingers dug into the small of his back passionately and just before she pulled her lips lithely off of his, he tasted red fruits: wild raspberries, surprisingly even strawberries.

He licked his lips and the inside of his cheeks hungrily, his eyes focused on hers, savoring her taste all over his tastebuds. She pushed her delicious body into his and he unexpectedly stumbled backwards over the bushel of plums at their feet. They caught each other on their way to the earth and as they fell into one another they squished shiny, ripe plums beneath their bodies, the black and ruby jewels bursting and staining their juices everywhere.

The evening's pies had been sacrificed; but the jammy, decadent hours that followed were well worth it.

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Louis Jadot, 2009 Beaujolais

She nimbly plucked two glasses of Beaujolais from the silver tray on the hallway table, giggling over her shoulder at the older boy behind her. As she lead him up the stairs towards her room, she took a gulp from one of the glasses, licking her full, scarlet lips. Her ringlets of strawberry blond hair bounced daintily as she ascended the stairs quickly, almost on tiptoe. When she reached her bedroom door, she craned her neck one last time and, seeing no one, pulled the boy into her room.

They had met at the fair the night before; they shared a paper cone of truffle Parmesan fries and a fleeting, passionate kiss. She tasted of vanilla and smelled faintly of smoke from the lone cigarette she had cagily snuck from her mother's case earlier in the day. But when she had left abruptly, he didn't understand why, and he was left wanting to taste her again. Touching his fingers to his lips he had strained to recall the exact memory of her scent, her taste; but it was already gone. He made her promise to see him the next day and she had used the party as a distraction to get him inside, past her parents, and upstairs to her bedroom.

The impeccable white walls, bed, and furniture of her room were offset by the verdant, vibrant energy that was exuded by the two bodies standing inches apart beside the window. The late afternoon sun spilled into the room and hit her soft curls delicately, momentarily betraying her innocence and youth. Unable to contain herself, she threw herself toward him, hurriedly kissing his lips, eyes shut expectantly.

She tasted of ripe fruit and his tongue searched deeper to know her, but she kept her lips tight as he pulled her into him. He could feel her inexperience, her touch slightly rough and unfinished, as he strove to take more from their embrace. His mouth yearned to taste her deeply, but was frustrated by the impasse. He pulled away and, once again, touched his fingers to his lips. Her essence just barely clung to his tongue, softly brushed against the inside of his cheeks, but it didn't last.

The romantic in him wanted to try again to achieve that perfect, delicious kiss, to drink one another in ravenously and let bliss wash over them; but she sipped from her glass and swirled its contents nervously, trying to use it as a means to distract him from moving so fast. Undeterred, he deftly set his own long-stemmed glass on her spotless white nightstand, the wine still and calm in its tear-shape as he slid it onto the finished wood surface. He moved forward and her calves hit the edge of the bed, stopping her retreat and allowing him another gulp from her lips. This time he pushed forward with gentle and tentative firmness, expecting her to open up and give in to what he hoped would be something decadent and superb.

But when their union subsided, he still found himself wanting more. Her kiss lacked depth, and perhaps she did too. It was almost tragic, but it seemed she was still just a girl. Her mind was too small, her years too few; tight; frankly, a bit shallow; and simply too young to give herself to anyone. He suddenly recognized this and pulled back, mild disillusionment becoming general disinterest. He cradled her soft jawline in his hand and looked at her with affection, smiling faintly.

And then he turned to leave without another word. She was too dumbfounded to even protest, and then too heartbroken to do anything else. She shakily set her glass down beside his and plopped backwards onto her bed. Out the window she could see him walking into the golden glint of almost sunset, the autumn leaves eventually obscuring her view and blotting him out for good.

She sighed deeply, and a fat teardrop rolled down her cheek, catching the sunlight just so. She reached for one of the teardrops at her side and raised it to her mouth, tilting its stem way back and guzzling the burgundy liquid as it caught the sun's fading rays at the very moment it began to set.

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Quattro Mani, 2008 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

As he moves through the tall grasses at the edge of his field, he puts distance between himself and the carefully plowed land behind. He smells the earthy germ and pollens of the land surrounding him, mushrooms somewhere, browned butter, sage, clove, and the spice of the earth tickling his senses. He brushes his roasted chestnut hair out of his eyes and raises them to the midafternoon sun, shielding his brow with dusty, muscular forearms covered in scratches from the shaded blackberry brambles at the edge of his farmland.

He returns his gaze forward and moves his strong, compact frame ahead toward the sturdy, unfinished bench among the short grass. Though he is not a boy anymore, his body is in its prime, taut and lithe. He is striking and apparently powerful, but if you look in his eyes you see his softness and at once appreciate it.

As he walks, he notices the ash on his hands from his earlier work in the smokehouse; a recently slaughtered suckling pig is midway though a twelve-hour smoke and already mouthwatering. As he brushes off the ash, the scent of fire and smoke that floats up past his nose in the breeze reminds him of the hearth in his kitchen and transports him to that morning at sunrise next to it, breakfast in hand: a strong cup of coffee, a thick slice of bread with butter and his wife's homemade blackberry jam.

Arriving at the wooden table and benches, he finds lunch: a crusty, rustic loaf of ciabatta; a hunk of homemade truffled salami; a decadent tile of bittersweet chocolate. As he tastes a piece of the salami, he makes that sound that perfect food causes you to make... that half-grunt, half-sigh, vocal exhale of pleasure and satisfaction. He takes off his shoes and smiles faintly as he feels the grass between his wiggling toes, savoring this moment of rest, of relaxation.

In his peripheral vision moves a flash of olive skin and black hair, strawberry lips and fiery eyes. He turns to see his wife walking towards him from their house, gait delicate yet confident, body muscular yet feminine, her ample, supple breasts swaying and bouncing as her bare feet maneuver the soft grass towards her husband. She carries an uncorked bottle of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo in one hand and 2 glasses, already poured, in the other.

She moves in close to him and laces her fingers through his, smoothly passing him his glass. Eyes locked, they chin-chin, then bring the wine to their lips for a sip of the luscious, deep purple just delicious.

Instantly they pull each other into a passionate, violent, powerless-to-stop-it kiss. As their tongues palpitate around one another, they hurriedly deposit their glasses onto the table, ruby drops splashing onto the weathered wood as they drop to the ground and begin to wrestle each other's clothes off.

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Castle Rock, 2007 Petite Sirah, Russian River Valley

You approach a dimly lit bar on a late summer night; the air is warm, but you can feel the chill of autumn starting to creep in like a thin fog. It won't be long before the night air causes you to shiver. As you push the wooden doors open, the setting sun catches the ruby jewel tones of their stained glass windows. The wind stirs leaves of orange and maroon at your feet as you stride through the doorway towards the bar.

You order a Petite Sirah, and as the wine flows into the spacious glass, it splashes and breathes and comes alive. Across the bar, you notice a woman in her late thirties, raven hair falling over focused, hazel eyes, clad in a tight, knee-length, black silk dress. She looks at you confidently with just a hint of a smile hiding in her burgundy lips; it's clear that she's not shy and she knows what she wants. You move towards her, though you still sense a distance that does not close.

As you begin to interact, you are instantly drawn in, feeling that there is more to learn, more to taste, to experience. Without thinking, you pull her towards you and kiss her thirstily. She kisses back, but as your mouths explore one another, she feels rough and unfinished. Your senses are confused; you savor the vanilla, the cherry, the dark fruit you taste that makes you want more. But you cannot ignore the tartness that clings to your cheeks and tongue, tannic and abrasive, causing you to pull back.

As soon as you break away, you find yourself wanting to start again, to regain that first instant of bliss, of berries and spice that nearly gave you goosebumps. But you stop yourself, remembering how the softness gave away to dryness, the fireworks fizzled to something lackluster. Let down, you realize that the foreplay was much sexier than the finish, and while this was fun and not at all regrettable, the moment has passed and it's time to move along.

In love and in wine we find that, sometimes, it's all about the chase.

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