Featured User: Bill Bender

Bill is a trial attorney of 25 years in San Diego and has been actively involved in wine for 20 years, compiling in excess of 3000 bottles. He is the managing partner of Bender & Gritz, a 10-attorney firm located downtown. He lives in a 65 year old home that has been designated as a historical architectural landmark in the La Playa area of Pt. Loma with his teenage daughters, Bailey (18) and Riley (15). Delectable: What sparked your passion for wine? Bill: On my college roommate’s 21st birthday in 1987 his dad took us to a fancy restaurant called Elario’s in La Jolla. It was one of those places where they light dishes on fire next to your table and sweep crumbs away from the table as soon as they appear. Until then my exposure to wine had been limited to a warm glass in a plastic cup at weddings or a cheap bottle from the grocery store to pair with spaghetti on a Blockbuster and chill date. Well, his dad ordered a bottle from this huge list and when I tried it I was absolutely blown away. I mean I was totally thunderstruck. It was a 1959 Chateau Lafite Rothschild. I remember it vividly and I made a strong mental note of it. I told myself I needed to drink more wines like that. I’ve never had another taste of the ’59 Lafite but I can say that it was a clear epiphany wine for me and it started me on this path. D: What wine region are you wild about right now? B: It may not be as eclectic or hip as Jura or Bugey but I’m all in on Burgundy. I must admit that 15 years ago I just didn’t get it. I had the belief that the Burgs I was exposed to were uninspiring, thin and just not worth the price tag. Prices are still an issue, but I’ve come full circle on the wines. A big part of that is the evolution of my palate and substantial exposure to some of the best wines that the region has to offer. If I had to select 2 desert island wines to take with me if I were stranded—one white and one red—they would be Raveneau and Rousseau, without question. D: What is the most unusual wine you’ve ever tried? B: A couple years ago my business partner returned from a trip to Croatia with a bottle that was encrusted with barnacles, coral, shells and sediment because it had been submerged in the Adriatic ocean for 2 years. The bottles are encased in clay amphoras and then placed in underwater cages before being retrieved, traditionally cellared and put through a desalinization process. I thought it was a cool presentation and story but I was suspect on the wine. Well, I just had a bottle a few weeks ago and it was outstanding. The wine was a 2012 Navis Mysterium, a wine made from the Croatian grape Plavac Mali, which is in the same ‘bloodline’ as Zinfandel or Primitivo. I like the fact that it was unusual and good vs just unusual. D: What are some tips for aspiring connoisseurs? B: I’d give the same advice to new wine drinkers that I give my daughters. Be yourself. Don’t follow the crowd or chase scores. Be open to trying everything but know yourself and be confident in declaring what wines you enjoy best. In the early 90’s every male in Southern California was downing gin martinis and smoking imported cigars, so I did too. I was trying to fit in, but I absolutely hated the taste and the after effects of both. Interestingly, that is also around the time that I passed the bar, started practicing law and drinking finer wines. I haven’t had a straight gin martini since. I regret to say that I have still had a few more cigars over the years… D: What is your golden rule for wine? B: Don’t wait for just the right occasion to open a special bottle. All too often I see people holding on to specific bottles with the intent to open them at some landmark event like a wedding or birthday. Live in the now, life is short. Today is always the right time to drink something special. D: If you were a wine, what wine would you be? B: I like to think that I am a semi-mature Barolo. I have a bold and brash side, but once you get to know me you find out that I have a lot of soft edges and more layers than you expected.