Hello, Beaker!! Nice to hear from you again! As I remember from some
private correspondence, you once worked at the Mauna Kea observatory on the Big
Island.

You wrote [on the Norton Thread]

>
> Also, I seem to remember that you may be familiar with the Big Island.
>Do you know of anywhere with a decent selection of good wines on the island?
>So far I'm stuck getting what I can find at grocery stores, and bringing
>a few back after mainland trips.
>

I just phoned my brother, who lives and works on the the Big Island. He owns a
modest house in the "rain forest" near Ke'eau (eastside Hawaii), but for
several years has been working "Kona side".

Here are his recommendations:

1) Surprisingly, the Long's Drugs in Kailua-Kona has some excellent wine
selections, even some $100 wines. Before the influx in recent years of big
box retailers and such, Long's was DA PLACE for quality wine.

2) Best wine merchant in Kailua-Kona right now is Kona Wine Mart, located off
Kuakini Hwy., immediately in back of the King Kamehameha hotel (which is right
downtown). I was in there myself, briefly, last winter and was impressed with
the selection. In the same shopping center is the Kona Brew Pub, an excellent
micro-brewery and restaurant, with live music.

3) If you're driving across the island, there's an excellent wine shop in
Waimea. It's been around for a number of years, and was once the ONLY "real"
wine shop on da island. My brother can't think of the name; but Waimea is
small---just ask around. I was there myself, 3-4 years ago, and can vouch for
it.

4) Finally, a dinner recommendation from my brother and me. It's the Hualala'i
Grill, at the Four Seasons Resort, on the Kohala coast. The chef is one of
the best in all of Hawaii, with an incredible menu to die for. The wine list
is simply amazing---featuring wines that even I can't get, living in
Napa-Sonoma---and the prices are just a couple of bucks over retail. My
brother, my wife and I enjoyed a bottle of Flowers Pinot Noir with the main
course. It was priced at just $50.

Have a great trip---and my brother says that he'd be delighted to meet you when
you come. E-mail me privately and I'll give you his cell phone number and
e-mail address.

As I re-read this, it's dawning on me that you may already be living there!
If so, please get in touch with me at this address.

Aloha

---Bob