When I head out on a tasting appointment, I spend some time preparing for the visit. Rarely do I jot down any questions to ask as I try to allow the context dictate the conversation—sticking to some pre-formulated questions feels rather artificial and forced; It certainly works for some, but not for me. When it is my first time visiting a winery, there are always a few awkward moments initially, but there are a couple of things that almost always occur: There is always a bike question (“Where’s your bike?”) and a comment about my height (“Boy, you’re tall”).

The first question produces a laugh, the second a bit of angst.

To paraphrase a certain green frog, it is not easy being tall.

I’m not saying that height does not have its advantages—I rarely need help to reach the top shelf, it has been some time since my view was obstructed in a movie theater, and it is fairly easy to photo-bomb (if I were into that kind of thing).

There are also a host of disadvantages—I bump my head a lot, airplane travel is a nightmare, it can be very difficult to find shoes my size, and it seems as though height intimidates people.

Most of the disadvantages are surmountable, except the last—there really is no way to know how people are going to react to my above average height.

[I am two standard deviations above average (for those of you keeping score at home), which means that I am taller or as tall as 95% of the male population.]

So whether real or not, every time I go to a new tasting, I am conscious on how my height might influence the conversation.

When I walked into the tasting room at Frick Winery, I knew immediately that one of my bigger fears would not come to pass—Bill Frick is a tall man, clearly as tall or taller than I am.

I have no idea if Bill shares the same view of his height as I do, but I would be shocked if he intimidates anyone; Bill is one of the more soft-spoken people I have met.

I was cautioned by a few people when they heard I was headed up the Valley to meet him that he is rather reticent, but I did not find that at all.

You can just make out the tasting room to the right of the large oak tree.

What I found was a man who, while far from boisterous, is thoroughly committed to making great wine. Bill is virtually a one-man show—after harvest he is alone in the winery, undertaking all the work of crafting his wines himself. He is the only staff employed in his tasting room, handling crowds of twenty with aplomb.

While it is true that Bill shies away from self-promotion (he is only attends one trade event—the Rhône Rangers in San Francisco), there is no doubt that Bill is one of the more talented wine makers in the Valley. I don’t think many would classify him as “chatty” but occasionally, his quick wit and engaging smile would come through, revealing his vibrant spirit with a hearty chuckle, which came through often while tasting through more than a dozen of his wines.

We started with the varietal wines…

While all of the whites were Very Good to Outstanding–this was the one that I bought.

2012 Frick Winery Grenache Blanc: Retail $27. Rich and full. Great mouthfeel. Melon and peach with a bit of pineapple. On the big side. Outstanding. 91-93 Points.

2011 Frick Winery Cinsaut: Retail $26. Wow really good. 100% Cinsault. Strawberry and cherry good depth and finish. For me, the best of the reds to this point (and that is saying something). Outstanding. 91-93 Points.

2008 Frick Winery Syrah: Retail $24. Only 70 cases produced and still $24? That’s a bit crazy. And so is this wine. Before he poured it, Bill stated that it was reminiscent of a Côte Rôtie from the Northern Rhône. Had I not tasted through the previous dozen wines, I would have been skeptical. The wine was just that, however. Big and meaty, with great fruit and balance. Outstanding. 92-94 Points.

After the tasting Bill reluctantly posed for this picture out in the vineyard where we tried just about every variety from the vines. Are you kidding? Walking the vineyards with Bill Frick? A great experience…