About

Cancer has a way of changing plans and the lives that go with it. The grapes in PRESENT were picked in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Winemakers Kris and Bruno ( https://www.d-cwines.com )convinced us that 60 months was the ideal barreling time if we wanted something really special. There was a lot of discussion about long chain molecules. Most quality wines spend 18 months in barrels, due to the business side of moving inventory through production, for winery space, and to free up barrels for the next harvest, so 5 years sounded like a long time.

The 2010 wine reached the five year milestone in November of 2015, but we spent it in Saint John’s hospital. Cancer diagnosis. Operations. Treatments. Decisions. No space to think about wine. It was a long road, familiar to many but new to us. At some point, Kris and Bruno called and said, “Don’t worry, we’ve got this”.

In August of 2018 cancer won, and Gig left us.

The wine patiently waited. It had become subtle, smooth, complex, and remarkable. So remarkable it was clear it had to be sold with purpose and thus evolved the plan to donate to Saint John’s and its dog visitation program.

Then there was the Woolsey fire, and then Covid, and the wine reached 10 years. Bruno Ripasso’d the wine on new grape skins to give it the brilliant color it now has. Kris called and said, “It’s bottled, and it’s wonderful.”

A short time later, in December of 2024 Kris succumbed to cancer.