Lush: The wines I’ve loved and loathed, and how we met

I, still to this day, remember my first sip of wine. I guess I was about six years old and my sometimes-present-but-mostly-not papa was visiting from I don’t remember where.

Just for the record – my papa loves his booze. I remember him, in a good-humored way, chugging something alcoholic at every opportunity and that is how I had my first swig of boozy goodness. It was popcorn and pickle night at our house on Garvin Mesa and Pop had his cheap bottle of wine. Because he loves me, and because he was all about education, he offered me a swig.

I, of course, accepted, and down the hatch she went – a huge mouthful for a six-year-old non-drinker – and now that I think about it I’m a little surprised I remember this story at all. I liked it. It was sweet, smooth, and damn sexy and  I’d never tasted anything like it. If I had to say with complete honesty, I think that drink of wine may have been my very first true love.

Some years later, still highly illegal, I met Mad Dog and Boone’s Farm. Oh Mad Dog, you talked so sweetly, bolstered my courage, made not-so-cute people look super sexy and gave me some of the most mind-numbingly horrible goddamn headaches of my life. Boone’s Farm and I broke up after that one camping trip that one time, but I don’t want to talk about that (and will deny everything if asked).

Mad Dog, on the other hand, gave me one of the greatest fucking laughs of my life. A friend of mine once slammed an entire bottle to bolster herself into making a move on the object of her affection. Just as she leaned in for the big kiss, out comes good old Mad Dog with a vengeance. For fear that she might be possessed by the devil, Mr. Wonderful hauled ass out of there and never looked back. Traumatizing? Maybe for them. I laughed my ass off, she eventually got over it, and I think that guy joined the Witness Protection Program.

Next came big girl wine in the form of the beautiful Blue Nun. Finally legal, it was time to start drinking the good stuff. This was also when I discovered clubbing and, ohpraisesweetbabyjesus, ladies’ nights. I don’t know who thought of this delight but if I ever meet them there’s going to be some serious making out. So me and my friends used to go to our favorite club, about six nights a week, and consume massive amounts of the cheap house wine and dance ‘til the sun came up. Not very smart, but super fun, and we never even once got arrested.

Some years later I decided I actually wanted to learn about wine and not just chug it. So I took to study not just wine, but also beer, Scotch, tequila, sake and then some. Went to France to learn more. I have made, have sold, drunk, mostly loved and sometimes hated these old friends of mine – but never a dull moment. It’s a fun and never-ending education to say the least, and one that, with any luck, and no arrests, will continue well into my days.

I have still not decided on a favorite. I’m OK with that. By the time you read this, I’ll have tried a bottle of Gaja 2004 Barbaresco Costa Russi for Christmas and of course some Champagne on New Year’s Eve.

I hope you had some good stuff too. Time for a drink!  ]

Ashley Trego is a Western Slope based chef, event planner, wine industry professional and freelance food and wine writer. She works with the Black Bridge Winery, 5680 Vineyards, Alfred Eames Cellars, Lilliputian Winery and Garfield Estates Winery. Ashley can be reached at ashtrego@hotmail.com.