Didier had no idea how it had gone this far. How had a “petit fonctionnaire” at a customs clearing agency on the outskirts of Paris gotten involved in shipments of arms for the Resistance? As usual, it involved a beautiful woman, and Claudette was no exception. As they huddled in her frigid garret room over the radio transmitter, the spice of her perfume drew him in.
“Now we must wait for the response to see where the arms drop will be,” Claudette whispered. “Didn’t you say you that you managed to buy a bottle of wine today? Maybe it will take our mind off the cold and the Bosch.”
“Qu’est-ce c’est bon”, she intoned as she took her first taste of the garnet red Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose was a complex blend of fresh blueberry, raspberry, violet, graphite, mesquite, spearmint and leather. On the palate the wine was vibrant, full of fresh blackberry fruit and natural acidity. It ended with an extremely long finish and integrated tannins. “What did you say this was?”
As they both reached for the bottle their fingers touched and Didier was sure there were sparks. “It is a wine called Complant from the Beller Vineyard on Mount Veeder in the…” But before he could add the words Napa Valley, her lips were on his and cold was no longer on their minds.
The slam of a car door on the street below pulled them from their embrace. “Cheri it is the Gestapo” she cried looking out the tiny garret window. “We must flee down the back stairs.” As they grabbed the radio and their coats, Claudette ran back.
“Qu’est-ce que tu fais?”, cried Didier. “I am not leaving this beautiful wine. La vie est trop courte”.