Buster Aux Anges

Buster died on Friday night of old age. No pain, no suffering. He was a fabulous dog who lived a fabled life that touched not only our family but many people in America and France.

I'll write more later, but it is still to hard to accept that he is no longer with us.

It was a great privilege to spend all these years with that dog and I know this sounds ridiculous, but we all feel like we were touched by a noble spirit.

The Young Buster

Buster Two Weeks Ago

- Joe Dressner 8-23-2009 10:57am

in our thoughts

so sorry to hear about that, Joe. He was beautiful. Please know that you and your family our in our thoughts.

posted by dobianchi 8-23-2009 11:52am

I think I have covered this on my postings on cancer. Please....no prayers and don't keep me and my family in your thoughts. You've never met me or my family. Furthermore, you never met my dog.

Why do you also write about yourself in the plural -- "our thoughts." Or, are you also speaking for Stacy B.'s thoughts?

A simply note that you are sorry to hear the news would have been much appreciated and sufficient.

Buster is also also accepting donations to Chiens Sans Frontières.

posted by Joe Dressner 8-23-2009 11:59am

All my thanks to Jenny & François

Then sent me a lovely note about Buster's death. It was very moving.

posted by Joe Dressner 8-23-2009 12:22pm

My parents always gave my cats away when they were young, which is what steeled me for loss, as a child. Having a very nice dog until he was old is surely a boon! I didn't know Buster. He looks cute, though. And the wines he labeled are similarly good fare.

posted by Sharon Bowman 8-23-2009 1:34pm

Sad news Joe.

posted by Cory Cartwright 8-23-2009 6:35pm

An unwelcome loss

posted by Gadfly 8-23-2009 9:40pm

Sorry to hear about Buster

For those of us who love dogs, it's so wonderful to have that one special dog in your life. It sounds to me that Buster filled that role in your life, and I congratulate you on having that good fortune. I've been lucky in that regard as well.

I hope that you can find another dog to fit into your life someday.

posted by DC-Joe 8-23-2009 11:25pm

je pleure.

posted by melanie 8-23-2009 11:54pm

These are such fine pictures, man;

it's not hard to feel what a great pal Buster must have been. Bless his little doggy soul!

posted by Steve Edmunds 8-24-2009 1:26am

joe,

I am sorry to hear the news. I met Buster in your office.

posted by Gene 8-24-2009 3:10pm

greetings joe:

without great happinesses we would not suffer great losses.

it's a zen thing.

may the cuvee buster live forever.

best to you and denise.

robert ames.

posted by robert ames 8-25-2009 12:18am

Sorry about Buster, Joe. I dread that day with my own dogs and only hope they meet with as peaceful an end.

posted by David McDuff 8-25-2009 8:29am

Thank you David.

posted by Joe Dressner 8-25-2009 8:49am

BUSTER WAS A GREAT DOG

Gail and I (and our dog Truffles who knew Buster from the neighborhood) were sorry to hear about Buster's death. Losing a dog is one of the hardest parts of living with them but they add so much to our lives that it's hard to imagine life without them.

We will celebrate Buster's joie de vive every time we open a Cuvee Buster.

Al Fenster and Gail Sanger

posted by A Fenster 8-25-2009 9:43pm

It's the life that counts...

...and I'm sure Buster enjoyed his. Lost my (way too) young (6) boxer this year - all the kids in the street cried.

Hard as it seems you just have to remember that they had the best life - ...

Anyway - you have a bicycle now!!!
Bill

posted by billn 8-27-2009 1:00pm

Salut Buster

ça n'était vraiment pas un bon été pour nos petits animaux de (très belle) compagnie : Raoudi, Noireaude puis Buster. Lui aussi a eu de la chance de vous rencontrer, c'était tout à fait évident lorsqu'on vous voyait ensemble
Vivement une autre belle histoire avec votre nouveau compagnon à quatre pattes, même si l'idée doit vous paraître étrange pour le moment.
Bonne chance pour le vélo

posted by Fanfan 9-16-2009 4:34am

Fanfan:

I just noticed this today!

Thanks for the note.
Joe

posted by Joe Dressner 9-29-2009 6:54pm

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Joe Dressner - Captain Tumor Man!

Hi, I'm Joe Dressner the famous wine importer and I have brain cancer!

I already have a wine blog and frankly wine is such a luxury business that I hate to mix my cancer problems with my wine observations. I think it would be a general downer for the lifestyle crowd out there.

Furthermore, we in the wine trade always claim there are tremendous health benefits to drinking wine. I've already had cardiovascular bypass surgery over eight years ago and now I got a tumor aggressively rattling in my brain. My colleagues in the glamorous wine industry want me to keep it quiet.

So, I've started this wonderful new blog to discuss wine, brain tumors, my life and to give you hot tips on handling the cancer stricken around you. There will also be practical wine/radiation pairings when I start radiation therapy and chemotherapy next week.

Having brain cancer means I might both physically and intellectually decline. So, I will be using this blog as a venue to pursue petty vendettas against relatives, acquaintances and people in the wine trade.

I might also lose touch with reality and say things that are not true or are only half true. The important thing is to have fun and enjoy this rare and precious time in my life.

One of my pet vendettas is my cousin Dr. Barbara Hirsch. Dr. Barbara Hirsch is a very important Great Neck Endocrinologist, who was raised and nurtured by my parents. Dr. Hirsch waited until my father was near death and my mother was suffering from a rare neuromuscular disorder, to write them a seven page letter denouncing them for being horrible to her for the entirety of her life! Despite my concerns, Dr. Hirsch still refuses to apologize.

Last night, I drank a beautiful bottle of Bourgueil Clos Sénéchal 2005 from Pierre Breton. It was sublime and reminded me that I used to be healthy. Not only that, the vineyard used to be there before I existed. It exists independently of my having cancer and will continue to exist. You ought to buy some.

August 2009 Postscript: Not only does it exist independently of my cancer, it also exists independently of Louis/Dressner Selections. After 18 years, they have dumped us for Kermit Lynch. Oh well. At least I'm alive!

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