Hunting the Wild Molnar

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Look at him - He's a beaut!

After 10 weeks of playing phone tag with Peter Molnar, I finally have a date and time to talk to him about the Old Country. Although I barely know the man, I consider him my best contact in B-P, because his family is networked in to the HU wine industry on several levels. While I don't have any intention of becoming a wine buyer in Eger, it's good to know people who love classy tipple as much as I do.

Peter M has a expansive reach, as he has his hands in pies from Buda to Berkeley, from Lake Balaton to Lake County. I may be exaggerating his interests, but in talking to him, I recognized the notes of overcommitment and nuances of frazzle in his voice. His story checks out.

I see him on Sunday at the Molnar homestead in North Berkeley. I am to show up for my audience while his kids are asleep in the late afternoon. I picture us smoking cigars, drinking Tokaji and bonding like long-lost brothers, but I suspect this is some ridiculous caricature. I will of course report the outcome of our summit right here.

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