One might have put Jeff in the category of "ski bum", but ironically he was the most proper of the group. He was familiar with the slopes, but was additionally familiar with all the finer things in life.

He definitely had a "Colorado flair" about him, usually sporting a long-sleeved shirt with a vest as an additional layer.He wore some of the usual suspects from the ski community; North Face, Patagonia, Columbia and the like. He appreciated a Coors Light; being from the Rocky Mountains, but wine was his passion.

Jeff became our "go-to" guy with respect to unknown territories. He was familiar with wines from up-and-coming areas of the United States. New Mexico, Texas, Arizona and New York for example. He was quite the aficionado when it came to the Finger Lakes Region and even further into Canada. Ditto with New Mexico and Arizona. If there was an undiscovered wine region in the continental United States, Jeff knew about it.

His knowledge could not be overlooked, as he would prove to be a formidable asset during our tasting time each nite. Jeff was a fan of steak and Southwestern-style cooking, and on occasion put in his requests to Oscar, our resident chef.

Jeff and I skied on the weekends to clear our heads and he also enjoyed hiking. The landscape in Vermont was certainly different from Boulder, and Jeff planned to take advantage of it. One of our favourite things to do after a long day on the slopes or a long session of tasting was to enjoy a cigar. While not the best for our palates, Jeff and I reasoned that a Cohiba here and there would not ruin our ability to taste.