Post by Dionysus on Nov 5, 2022 22:22:16 GMT -5
Swirl.
Sniff.
Sip.
Swish.
Spit.
Man, I hate these spit buckets, Dionysus thought as he inhaled sharply. Holding his breath, he took in the aerated flavor of the wine he had consumed; it was a very sweet sparkling wine, unique with its red hue, with a strawberry-forward flavor. The host of this particular tasting had informed the guests that blackberry was also present, though whether it was the strawberries or the bubbly nature of the drink, Dionysus could not locate that flavor. Perhaps it had been muted too much. Still, a fine wine, by his standards, and he marked his tasting sheet as such. He had found another case to order.
"And how is everything tasting, sir?" said the waiter as he stepped closer to Dionysus's seat at the table. Dionysus looked him over; the waiter was a small, thin man with a thinner pencil mustache to match. His face seemed to gravitate toward his pointed nose. His smile, though appearing smug, was presented with the same genuine happiness that one provides in the service industry.
Dionysus finished the glass in front of him; with what little pours they were providing, there would be no risk of him sliding under the table. "Everything has been great so far, Mr...?"
"Lewis, sir."
"Well, Mr. Lewis, might I ask where I could place an order for a case of number twenty-six on the list?"
Lewis looked at the tasting menu, then nodded in acknowledgement. "Ah, the Forbidden Kiss. An excellent choice, one of my favorites for either a romantic evening or a special occasion. When you are ready to complete your session, sir, you may speak with me at the front desk to arrange any orders and shipments. Would that be acceptable?"
Dionysus nodded, then pointed to another number. "I'm feeling like a Chardonnay next. Number thirty-seven, the Kendall-Jackson, will do. I have seen this particular bottle before but never had the urge to pick any up."
Lewis withdrew his notepad from his coat pocket, writing down the number. "Very good, sir. I too enjoy the Kendal-Jackson Chardonnay, as it-"
"Lewis, are you telling me that you enjoy any wine I will inevitably choose?" Dionysus interrupted.
Lewis chuckled lightly. "Well sir, my aim here is to not only introduce tasters to unfamiliar wines, but also to make sales happen. Certainly, you can understand my interest in your interests, yes?"
Dionysus thought for a moment, then nodded again in approval. "Just don't tell me you dislike it if I happen to, and we'll get along fine."
"Very well, sir," Lewis confirmed. "By the way, sir..." he paused, gesturing toward the other guests at the table; a cameraman and a woman sitting with a laptop with a microphone attached. "I cannot help but notice they have yet to order anything."
Dionysus looked over, then waved his hand absent-mindedly. "Oh, pay them no mind. They are documenting a day in my life."
"Might I ask what it is for?"
"Let's just say it has to do with the World Series, and we'll leave it at that. Is that fair, Lewis?"
"Very well, I shall return with your beverage, sir." Lewis bowed politely as he shuffled into the kitchen.
Dionysus turned to face the filming crew, crossing his arms as he did so. "Look, I understand that this probably was not where you expected this filming to go. But as I mentioned to you while we filmed the training montage, I had already made plans to come to this particular event. Why not relax, try some wine, and I will treat you to whatever you want."
The producer shook her head. "We can't accept gifts. Furthermore, we're on the clock right now. You may get to enjoy yourself, but we need to be at our best."
Dionysus stared the producer down, then shrugged. "Very well. I'm certain that, much like during the training montage, you have questions I can answer."
The producer tapped on the cameraman's shoulder, who reached into his bag for a binder. He handed the binder to the producer, who flipped it open and turned to the tab for Dionysus's interview questions. "Lets see...how often would you say you attend events like this?"
Dionysus stroked his beard, thinking of the last time he had set foot into a wine tasting. "This is my first one in a few months, I believe. I try to attend a few throughout the year, at least once every two months depending on my schedule. I don't have too many hobbies, and wine tasting gives me a chance to test my brain in ways a Sudoku puzzle or a word search cannot scratch."
"So where else do you go to unwind, if you don't mind me asking."
"Not at all!" Dionysus exclaimed. "Sadly, with the closure of a number of lounges in my hometown, I find myself circling more familiar places these days. For starters, a close friend of mine has a permanent residence, of sorts, at The Dakota Jazz Club in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. Good drinks, great atmosphere, and the talent they bring in to perform? Top notch. When I am unable to get a reservation there, I try going to The Living Room, located on the top floor of the Foshay Tower. The Prohibition is on the first floor of the same building, and while a nice venue, it ends up being too crowded and loud for my taste."
"So you would consider yourself a fighter of fine establishments, then?"
"Don't get me wrong," Dionysus said, holding up a hand. "I am not above going to pubs and dive bars and the like. I still say one of my favorite places to visit is Palmer's Bar. Its this tiny wedge of a bar located near the university, and the clientele are...well, they may be odd at times, but they're also real people. I can mingle with just about anyone, provided they prefer having my company."
At that moment, Dionysus heard the kitchen door open. Lewis had returned, holding a bottle of the Chardonnay he requested in one hand and a clean glass in the other. Setting the two on the table, Lewis nodded politely to Dionysus, saying, "The Vinter's Reserve, sir, as requested; a 2020 vintage that was awarded 91 points in Wine Enthusiast just this past April."
Dionysus smiled, rubbing his hands together. "Very well; I leave you the honor to pour." He then observed that something seemed off with the bottle. "...Lewis...is this bottle not cork sealed?"
"Ah, a keen eye, sir, " Lewis replied, confirming Dionysus's suspicion. "Yes, the Vinter's Reserve has a twist top as opposed to the more traditional cork. I hope this will not trouble you, sir."
"Are you kidding," Dionysus laughed, "I would prefer it! No fiddling around with a corkscrew, no risk of corking the wine accidentally. Just twist, pour, and enjoy."
The film crew looked at each other with puzzled expressions as Lewis removed the cap. Dionysus watched with interest as the Chardonnay flowed out of the bottle into the waiting glass. The gentle glugs coming from the bottle satisfied his ears while his eyes watched as the wine danced in his glass. Lewis stopped pouring as he retrieved a towel and wiped the top of any excess wine dribble. "Let me know if you require anything further, sir."
"Just a moment to enjoy this, Lewis. I appreciate it." Dionysus picked up the glass, holding it to the light. The wine shined with a golden hue. He then held it before the production crew in a toast of sorts. "To the hard work you have done today...and to your health," he toasted, before drawing the glass closer.
Swirl.
Sniff.
Sip.
Swish.
...Swish again.
There was something about this particular wine. It felt...off, in some way.
Spit.
He looked around for Lewis, who had just finished serving another table. He waved at Lewis to get his attention, who then immediately came over. "Is something the matter, sir?"
"Something tastes off with this particular bottle," Dionysus explained, not in the fury only a Karen could deliver, but in confusion and looking for an explanation.
Lewis shook his head. "I'm terribly sorry, sir. If I may?" he asked as he retrieved Dionysus's wine glass, taking a drink for himself. He too spat in the same bucket, to which Dionysus grimaced. Lewis then paused, lost in thought, before meeting Dionysus's gaze again, his eyes wide. "I must express my deepest apologies; I seemed to have grabbed the Pinot Gris instead of the Chardonnay."
Dionysus laughed, "I suppose that explains the strong citrus flavors. That's alright, Lewis; I can enjoy this as well."
"Are you sure, sir? I can still get the wine you-"
"Relax, Lewis. Mistakes happen, and this one was not a bad mistake, just an unexpected one. I'm still content with this particular wine."
"Very well, sir," Lewis said sheepishly. "I will make sure to not make the same mistake again, sir."
Dionysus waved his hand dismissively. "Think nothing of it; a mistake like this is a good one anyway. I'll be sure to put down an order for a case of this Pinot Gris as well as the Chardonnay. Now, this is quite nice; the mango and pear pair quite nicely. What food pairing would you recommend, Lewis?"
"W-well sir," Lewis stammered, "Not that it is my particular dish of choice, but I have heard many enjoy this particular wine with calamari."
Dionysus stroked his beard once more, deep in thought. "Yes...calamari would be fantastic right about now." He looked to the film crew. "We should get going soon; I have a dinner reservation that I would like to keep. You are more than welcome to join me to continue our conversation," he invited, finishing the Pinot Gris before standing up, stretching as he did so. He turned to face Lewis, holding out his hand. "Lewis, I cannot thank you enough for the opportunity to try these fantastic wines. I would be happy to place any case order with you at this time, if you would like."
Lewis's eyes lit up. "A-absolutely sir! Right this way!"
"And I'll be sure to recommend you to everyone who decides to taste here. You were magnificent!"
While he could not see Lewis's face as they were escorted to the order counter, Dionysus could tell the compliment made him feel good. The film crew diligently packed their things and accompanied the pair. Unbeknownst to them, Dionysus had planned to show them a night on the town.
He had shown them his work. Now was time to show them his play.
Sniff.
Sip.
Swish.
Spit.
Man, I hate these spit buckets, Dionysus thought as he inhaled sharply. Holding his breath, he took in the aerated flavor of the wine he had consumed; it was a very sweet sparkling wine, unique with its red hue, with a strawberry-forward flavor. The host of this particular tasting had informed the guests that blackberry was also present, though whether it was the strawberries or the bubbly nature of the drink, Dionysus could not locate that flavor. Perhaps it had been muted too much. Still, a fine wine, by his standards, and he marked his tasting sheet as such. He had found another case to order.
"And how is everything tasting, sir?" said the waiter as he stepped closer to Dionysus's seat at the table. Dionysus looked him over; the waiter was a small, thin man with a thinner pencil mustache to match. His face seemed to gravitate toward his pointed nose. His smile, though appearing smug, was presented with the same genuine happiness that one provides in the service industry.
Dionysus finished the glass in front of him; with what little pours they were providing, there would be no risk of him sliding under the table. "Everything has been great so far, Mr...?"
"Lewis, sir."
"Well, Mr. Lewis, might I ask where I could place an order for a case of number twenty-six on the list?"
Lewis looked at the tasting menu, then nodded in acknowledgement. "Ah, the Forbidden Kiss. An excellent choice, one of my favorites for either a romantic evening or a special occasion. When you are ready to complete your session, sir, you may speak with me at the front desk to arrange any orders and shipments. Would that be acceptable?"
Dionysus nodded, then pointed to another number. "I'm feeling like a Chardonnay next. Number thirty-seven, the Kendall-Jackson, will do. I have seen this particular bottle before but never had the urge to pick any up."
Lewis withdrew his notepad from his coat pocket, writing down the number. "Very good, sir. I too enjoy the Kendal-Jackson Chardonnay, as it-"
"Lewis, are you telling me that you enjoy any wine I will inevitably choose?" Dionysus interrupted.
Lewis chuckled lightly. "Well sir, my aim here is to not only introduce tasters to unfamiliar wines, but also to make sales happen. Certainly, you can understand my interest in your interests, yes?"
Dionysus thought for a moment, then nodded again in approval. "Just don't tell me you dislike it if I happen to, and we'll get along fine."
"Very well, sir," Lewis confirmed. "By the way, sir..." he paused, gesturing toward the other guests at the table; a cameraman and a woman sitting with a laptop with a microphone attached. "I cannot help but notice they have yet to order anything."
Dionysus looked over, then waved his hand absent-mindedly. "Oh, pay them no mind. They are documenting a day in my life."
"Might I ask what it is for?"
"Let's just say it has to do with the World Series, and we'll leave it at that. Is that fair, Lewis?"
"Very well, I shall return with your beverage, sir." Lewis bowed politely as he shuffled into the kitchen.
Dionysus turned to face the filming crew, crossing his arms as he did so. "Look, I understand that this probably was not where you expected this filming to go. But as I mentioned to you while we filmed the training montage, I had already made plans to come to this particular event. Why not relax, try some wine, and I will treat you to whatever you want."
The producer shook her head. "We can't accept gifts. Furthermore, we're on the clock right now. You may get to enjoy yourself, but we need to be at our best."
Dionysus stared the producer down, then shrugged. "Very well. I'm certain that, much like during the training montage, you have questions I can answer."
The producer tapped on the cameraman's shoulder, who reached into his bag for a binder. He handed the binder to the producer, who flipped it open and turned to the tab for Dionysus's interview questions. "Lets see...how often would you say you attend events like this?"
Dionysus stroked his beard, thinking of the last time he had set foot into a wine tasting. "This is my first one in a few months, I believe. I try to attend a few throughout the year, at least once every two months depending on my schedule. I don't have too many hobbies, and wine tasting gives me a chance to test my brain in ways a Sudoku puzzle or a word search cannot scratch."
"So where else do you go to unwind, if you don't mind me asking."
"Not at all!" Dionysus exclaimed. "Sadly, with the closure of a number of lounges in my hometown, I find myself circling more familiar places these days. For starters, a close friend of mine has a permanent residence, of sorts, at The Dakota Jazz Club in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. Good drinks, great atmosphere, and the talent they bring in to perform? Top notch. When I am unable to get a reservation there, I try going to The Living Room, located on the top floor of the Foshay Tower. The Prohibition is on the first floor of the same building, and while a nice venue, it ends up being too crowded and loud for my taste."
"So you would consider yourself a fighter of fine establishments, then?"
"Don't get me wrong," Dionysus said, holding up a hand. "I am not above going to pubs and dive bars and the like. I still say one of my favorite places to visit is Palmer's Bar. Its this tiny wedge of a bar located near the university, and the clientele are...well, they may be odd at times, but they're also real people. I can mingle with just about anyone, provided they prefer having my company."
At that moment, Dionysus heard the kitchen door open. Lewis had returned, holding a bottle of the Chardonnay he requested in one hand and a clean glass in the other. Setting the two on the table, Lewis nodded politely to Dionysus, saying, "The Vinter's Reserve, sir, as requested; a 2020 vintage that was awarded 91 points in Wine Enthusiast just this past April."
Dionysus smiled, rubbing his hands together. "Very well; I leave you the honor to pour." He then observed that something seemed off with the bottle. "...Lewis...is this bottle not cork sealed?"
"Ah, a keen eye, sir, " Lewis replied, confirming Dionysus's suspicion. "Yes, the Vinter's Reserve has a twist top as opposed to the more traditional cork. I hope this will not trouble you, sir."
"Are you kidding," Dionysus laughed, "I would prefer it! No fiddling around with a corkscrew, no risk of corking the wine accidentally. Just twist, pour, and enjoy."
The film crew looked at each other with puzzled expressions as Lewis removed the cap. Dionysus watched with interest as the Chardonnay flowed out of the bottle into the waiting glass. The gentle glugs coming from the bottle satisfied his ears while his eyes watched as the wine danced in his glass. Lewis stopped pouring as he retrieved a towel and wiped the top of any excess wine dribble. "Let me know if you require anything further, sir."
"Just a moment to enjoy this, Lewis. I appreciate it." Dionysus picked up the glass, holding it to the light. The wine shined with a golden hue. He then held it before the production crew in a toast of sorts. "To the hard work you have done today...and to your health," he toasted, before drawing the glass closer.
Swirl.
Sniff.
Sip.
Swish.
...Swish again.
There was something about this particular wine. It felt...off, in some way.
Spit.
He looked around for Lewis, who had just finished serving another table. He waved at Lewis to get his attention, who then immediately came over. "Is something the matter, sir?"
"Something tastes off with this particular bottle," Dionysus explained, not in the fury only a Karen could deliver, but in confusion and looking for an explanation.
Lewis shook his head. "I'm terribly sorry, sir. If I may?" he asked as he retrieved Dionysus's wine glass, taking a drink for himself. He too spat in the same bucket, to which Dionysus grimaced. Lewis then paused, lost in thought, before meeting Dionysus's gaze again, his eyes wide. "I must express my deepest apologies; I seemed to have grabbed the Pinot Gris instead of the Chardonnay."
Dionysus laughed, "I suppose that explains the strong citrus flavors. That's alright, Lewis; I can enjoy this as well."
"Are you sure, sir? I can still get the wine you-"
"Relax, Lewis. Mistakes happen, and this one was not a bad mistake, just an unexpected one. I'm still content with this particular wine."
"Very well, sir," Lewis said sheepishly. "I will make sure to not make the same mistake again, sir."
Dionysus waved his hand dismissively. "Think nothing of it; a mistake like this is a good one anyway. I'll be sure to put down an order for a case of this Pinot Gris as well as the Chardonnay. Now, this is quite nice; the mango and pear pair quite nicely. What food pairing would you recommend, Lewis?"
"W-well sir," Lewis stammered, "Not that it is my particular dish of choice, but I have heard many enjoy this particular wine with calamari."
Dionysus stroked his beard once more, deep in thought. "Yes...calamari would be fantastic right about now." He looked to the film crew. "We should get going soon; I have a dinner reservation that I would like to keep. You are more than welcome to join me to continue our conversation," he invited, finishing the Pinot Gris before standing up, stretching as he did so. He turned to face Lewis, holding out his hand. "Lewis, I cannot thank you enough for the opportunity to try these fantastic wines. I would be happy to place any case order with you at this time, if you would like."
Lewis's eyes lit up. "A-absolutely sir! Right this way!"
"And I'll be sure to recommend you to everyone who decides to taste here. You were magnificent!"
While he could not see Lewis's face as they were escorted to the order counter, Dionysus could tell the compliment made him feel good. The film crew diligently packed their things and accompanied the pair. Unbeknownst to them, Dionysus had planned to show them a night on the town.
He had shown them his work. Now was time to show them his play.