The other day I mentioned to two of my colleagues that I enjoyed doing the blog posts on food so much that all I can imagine for future posts now involve food and recipes. They suggested that I do my next few blogs on one of my other loves...wine.
I responded, "Then people will really think I am a wine-o!"
Beth then replied, "Well it isn't like you are hiding your love of wine. There are pictures of you and your mom with wine. You and your boyfriend with wine. You and your cousin with wine. You and your family with wine." I had to laugh at her very true observation. I guess she had a point.
While I could care less about any other types of alcohol, I love wine because of the stories behind it. I appreciate the experience of discovering a new bottle. The process of selecting it and tasting it. You really savor wine and it is its own culture. However, I am far from an expert. I know what I like but why I like it and what I know about it would probably make most wine experts cringe. But my friend, Josh, who is far more a wine expert than I am, explains to me that the wine world is embracing a new attitude. Now it is more acceptable to just drink what you like and not so much of sticking to the old rules. You know the rules, red with red meat and white with fish or poultry. I never eat red meat but I like red wine so out with those rules! I will have my spaghetti with meat sauce (turkey meat) and red wine, thank you!
Still, writing on wine is an intimidating subject. People study wine for a lifetime and spend hours developing a heighten sense of taste to truly enjoy every aspect of wine. There is a language for wine and I just don't know all the words but I do know what I like. And hearing this, Marla, encouraged me to write such a blog on just what I liked because she would love some new ideas of what to try. Her sister recently told her that she needed to discover some "grown up" wines. I am not sure that I would classify my taste as sophisticated enough to be grown up but I can make some suggestions. I am probably in the later adolescence of my wine development thus far so I can tell you what I like and why but don't expect the expert touch.
What I would fill my wine rack/wine refrigerator with if I had one: (feel free to buy one as a gift for me if you would like)
Barefoot Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc - This brand of wine is always my good, inexpensive standby. This brand has even won numerous awards and it is always consistently good!
Middle Sister Drama Queen and Rebel Red - I am really getting into the blends of wine lately and these two have quickly become my favorite! I would love to try the other ones but right now I think these are the only two in Mississippi. The website is a lot of fun too so check it out: http://www.middlesisterwines.com/
A to Z - I first tried A to Z Pinot Grigio at The Waltz on The Square in Oxford. I thought part of the reason I fell in love with this wine was from the atmosphere. I love The Waltz bar because sitting in the cozy yet cosmopolitan and artsy environment makes you feel as if you are about to walk out on a busy NYC street. You just feel happy...then again maybe it was the wine. However, when I tried a bottle of A to Z at home, it was just as good and it was my introduction to how amazing Oregon wines are. Now this region is the home to my favorite wines. The only thing I don't like about A to Z is missing the cork experience. It has a screw cap and I love the sound of opening a new bottle of wine.
I recommend trying any of the Oregon wines. I haven't found one yet that I don't like. Here is a website that I came across on the Oregon wine regions:
http://www.oregonwine.org/Discover_Oregon_Wine/About_Oregon/
Others I like and ones you can include when you buy me a wine fridge are:
Kendall Jackson
Yellow Tail
Hob Nob
Liberty School
Cupcake
Beringer
Francis Coppola
Eco Domani
Mirrassou
Naked Grape
Of course all of the above is an inexpensive selection but I haven't reached the point in my wine development or my career development where I can afford much more expensive. If you would like to send money so I can review more expensive wines, feel free to do so. Until then I will keep trying out the more inexpensive varieties. I do have a lot more to learn and that means more to try! I think I might need to go read a wine magazine with, of course, a glass of wine. Cheers!
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