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GUEST CONTRIBUTORS
George Medovoy
Brian Wilson
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WILSON on WINE
Best Wine Ever!
Circa August 1969, there was a Woodstock look-alike concert on the banks of the Amite River, 30 hot, dust, humid miles north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. No one with half a brain ventures outside an air-conditioned space during August in Louisiana which well describes the promoters of the above referenced music fest.
Working at the time as Program Director and Morning Mouth for a Baton Rouge FM rock station, it was my job to tour the grounds, tape recorder in hand, getting color and commentary, interviews with the bands/performers and anything else which might qualify for an interesting addition to the next show.
To truly appreciate my selection of the Best Wine Ever, one has to appreciate the conditions at Ground Zero. Sky condition: bright sun. Temperature: 98. Humidity: 82%. Wind: none. Precipitation: other than a passing scattered afternoon thundershower, none.
Having made the 150 acre circuit 3 times and scored “interviews” with Cat Stevens, Rick Nelson, Canned Heat (all of ‘em) and a 22 year old hairdresser from Jacksonville who was totally naked at the time, it became painfully obvious there were no concession stands for the 30,000+ who had assembled thus far. I wasn't the only one who noticed and temperatures were rising in areas other than the thermometer.
Some entrepreneurial types had also taken notice and carpe'd the diem with a Ryder truck which burst onto the infield, made one long, unappreciated, dust-raising circle before coming to a halt fortuitously right in front of me. The drive and friend leaped out, dashed around the back, threw up the door to reveal a half dozen plastic 50 gallon drums.
While he popped the lid off the first barrel, his co-conspirator held up a sign with the spray- painted message: “Ice Cold Wine - $5!!” The dude at the barrel then help both hands holding 2 bottles each of the Best Wine Ever: Boone's Farm Apple Wine. Never in history has a ten dollar bill made it from pocket to hand faster than on that August afternoon in the Louisiana outback.
As we have all grown and matured in body, mind and palate since those heady days, we all now know there is magnificent, more sophisticated fruit of the vine available for our subtler, intelligent and…controlled imbibing.
But on that insufferable August afternoon, Boone's Farm Apple Wine was indeed the Best Wine Ever!
Brian Wilson
Talk Show Host/Author - KSFO/San Francisco
http://www.brianwilson.net
When looking for a reason why things go wrong,
never rule out sheer stupidity.
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