Frank Issues a Reader Challenge

The Challenge:

Help! The Canadian government is about to grudgingly let me bring two bottles of wine into Canada duty free. I have a one-week business trip coming up in New Orleans, and under the rules of the game, that means I get to bring two bottles of wine home. Now while I could wish for more latitude – two bottles does seem rather a pittance – I’m not about to turn down the opportunity.

But here’s the quandary. In BC we have a choice – if you can call it that – of about 1,600 different wines. Suddenly I’m going to have access to what – 5,000? 7,000? 10,000? There are more than 4,000 wineries in the United States. If each made only two wines – and certainly it’s a rare winery that makes only two wines – suddenly my available choices have more than quadrupled. Add in all the import vintages and who knows just how big the selection I’ll be surrounded by really is. In fact, I did some quick Internet research – no one seems to know exactly how many different wines actually are available in the US.

But I can only have two. So which two do I choose?

Perhaps something French – Bordeaux or a Burgundy Grand Cru that never see shelf space at the LCB? How about a Champagne from one of the small, boutique houses? What about one of the much-touted Pinot Noirs from Oregon or a big, fat, in your face Napa Cab cult wine? Maybe one of my faves, an Italian Amarone from a producer we’ve never tried? Should it be a Parker big point wine or an unrated but potentially knock-your-socks-off discovery?

And as the quandary about the actual wines gets bigger, I realize some moral aspects are entering the equation. Two bottles of something different, maybe never to be seen at home in BC again. Should I be greedy or do I share the bonanza?

So readers, here’s your chance to help us pick which two wines they should be. Think: desert island, two bottles of wine. Send us your suggestions, comments, and moral dilemma problem solving expertise. We’ll let you know in February how it shakes down and post some tasting notes too.

Susan’s Note:

My mind boggles at the selection, but not so much that I’m not already polishing the wine glasses. And two of them are for the Amarone – not that I’m hinting, well not much.