The work of an investigative reporter for the Ocean Reef Press is fraught with peril. Danger, suspense, and intrigue are steady companions; courage and persistence the only pathway to success. When the game is afoot, we are a small, lonely fraternity. Nevertheless, the most intrepid of us carry on despite the risk. We analyze whispers snatched from the wind. We cultivate sources we wouldn’t introduce to our mothers. We study clues that others overlook. Eventually, we discover the scent and follow it relentlessly.

So now you know how I came to be slinking down a narrow, deserted corridor, deep in the silent bowels of Carysfort Hall. Ahead looms a sealed vault. What would lie within? I tingle with the same anticipation as the investigator who discovered King Tut’s tomb. The door silently swings open to reveal… Sean Carroll, surrounded by wine bottles and sporting a proud smile.

Sean selected this undisclosed location to house his special cellar. He oversaw the installation of a climate control system and the tall rows of wine racks. Then he worked with our wine merchants to assemble a collection of age-worthy wines. They pitched him special offers and he achieved volume discounts, all to assure Members a reserve of classic vintages — forward thinking to pay long term dividends. Sean has been selecting his treasures for a year or more. In addition to the 1,500 – 2,000 bottles of wine, he has held back a supply of our special private label Bourbons for future celebrations. Sean said, “Our private barrels of Woodford Reserve have been significant in our beverage program, and multiple vintages of selected wines gives us the opportunity to do Vertical Tastings or regional comparisons of a single vintage. We are always looking for ways to take our program above and beyond what any other Club can offer.”

Now the wines will rest in Sean’s Inner Sanctum, aging and maturing before emerging for specialty Member events well into the future. My most intense and persistent investigative questioning failed to pry the access code from him…