FRITZ Vineyards' 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon From The Dry Creek Valley, CA. : Drank Some In Memory Of My Dad Harry Alan Quinn Monday, March 5th, 2012

It was Dad's birthday on Monday, March 5th, 2012 and at home in northern Virginia with my wife and son I opened and drank some of the excellent bottle of 2007 FRITZ Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from California that our local sales rep for Mondo Vino Selections representing the FRITZ Vineyards gave to me as a gift last November/December to thank me for our business. He knew that the FRITZ Winery held a special place in my heart because my father loved the wines and he mentioned this to me as he gave me the bottle.

Little did I know that I would enjoy it on the day of my father's birthday. he died in 1997 and was almost seventy. Today if he were still alive he would be 83-84? Dad, you are still very much alive in my memory and this past Monday as well as yesterday ( Tuesday ) I toasted you as I sipped this excellent Cabernet Sauvignon : one of my very favorites in forever from California , and not just because of the memories and the associations with you Dad!

I really like this wine, it's balance and finesse and most of all that I do not taste alcohol and columns of flavor that knock me senseless and do not allow me to enter inside : but for the delicious purity, brightness and lightness of the fruit that is always for me " center stage " as it should be, never lost and never relegated to a seat in the audience looking back at center stage and wondering : " what happened?!? ".

Bravo FRITZ Vineyard for doing such and excellent job here, This is a beautifully-crafted wine where the grape was respected and left to reveal itself naturally and as it could without man's over-manipulative intervention. Let well-enough alone when the juice is good as it clearly was here in 2007. I hope to enjoy another glass tonight and continue on in this glorious celebration / memory of my father's life with me tonight with a really great bottle of California Cabernet Sauvignon!

I cannot say any more in praise for both. I will try, however. I will post this now " as is " and continue on as time permits. Hope you enjoy this and I will add my photos later of the wine and the bottle that I took this past Monday. Cheers, love you Dad, and thanks " mille fois " Nolan and to you all at the FRITZ Vineyard! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn

It's Monday, June 6th, 2011 On D Day & My Father Spoke In Normandy, France Back In The 1970's This Day As A Guest Speaker That Had Served In The War @

This Time For The American Army ... the headline should finish.

My mother and my father went up to Normandy, France on this day back in the mid 1970's I believe when my father that worked as a career officer for the American Embassy ( either at the time the Consul for Visas or the Consul for Passports - he did both while serving there in Paris, France off the Place De La Concorde ) was asked to say a few words. He was not the only speaker on this solemn event. He was in the war in France at this time of D Day and I have to find out whether he was already in France at the time or whether he was actually a part of the D Day invasion? Anyway, he had experience in World War II and my mother says that she remembers him giving a great speech and that it was an amazingly beautiful day for the rememberance on June 6th and that the grave yards there were beautifully maintained and breath-taking. She remembers it like it was today. She said that they got a great tour of the various cemetaries and that it really did leave a lasting impression on her.

I guess I was still in school here in the States when this happened but my two brothers were there in Paris, France living with them. I guess that they stayed in Paris? I am sorry that I was unnable to have been a part of this but I am thrilled for both my mother and for my father as they honored both the survivors as well as the memories of all those that have passed away since or died during the invasion itself.

I am glad that my mother called to tell me about this tonight. I had just arrived back home from my visit to see her and I had used my flip camera to record her talking about our early days in Brazil just after spending two years in the Azores Islands. That's how my father started his diplomatic career as a career officer with the Sate Department/ American Embassy.

My father died back in 1997 one night, He went to sleep and never woke up. No suffering and we all hope a painless passing. I miss you Dad.

I am proud of you and happy to share this with those that might be willing to read this when I post this to my Facebook account. It's now 9:23PM here at home in northern Virginia on D Day and we are worried about our dog that seems sick as of tonight. I hope she will get better really soon. It weighs on us tonight.

Cheers, TONY

My Father's 1997 Stuart Hill Executive Legal Pad Wireless : To Do Lists : Monday & More ...

It's now Sunday, February 27th, 2011 here at home in northern Virginia at 4:05PM on a sunny, beautiful afternoon and I am really tired but pressing on anyway as my son is downstairs now with his friend Matt and I think my wife might be taking a well-deserved nap after working all day on school work and on our guest bedroom.

Here is what my father wrote on the inside cover of the sleeve of this Stuart Hill Legal Pad :

" Mags 31 Oct @ John Sakimoto from / City Express called / C 785-2440 / Must Call Him Tomorrow! / Mag - Fr Nancy : /

United Mileage Plus 505-399-2400 Must Call Give A Em C Card # get 40.00 Change !

He's added 20+19+23+24+21+ and gets 107, crosses out 460 and many more numbers and cross-outs - and what's it all mean?!? Your guess is as good as mine.

Then he starts on one of the yellow legal sheets of paper and writes : To Do : Monday and writes : ( Swim ) In Afternoon ?? No Tuesday, first thing ( Bills - Tuesday! ) and he has crossed off the words Swim - In Afternoon and also Bills-Tuesday! I guess this means he accomplished all these things. Great Dad. It's good to have lists like this.

I remember how you would always call me at home on Ellen Avenue and how we would talk. I miss that most of all. We used to have really nice and friendly chats and they added to me and to the quality of my day and to the bond between the two of us. Thanks for that. Thanks for loving and caring about me for who I was and still am and not asking me to defend any of it. I appreciated and still appreciate that. Cheers et a plus tard mon pere et mon ami, Tony , your son - ton fils ...