Wine Review

When we went camping this past weekend, we didn't plan it out very well. Because of our rotating work schedule, we worked Wednesday and Thursday-didn't leave time for shopping for fresh ingredients. We picked up our daughter from school and stopped at a grocery store on the way back to the camper. We had gone earlier and set up the camper and made beds and all that good stuff. Never take a hungry Dude or a crabby Drama Queen to the grocery store at 5 PM when you have no idea what you are going to do for breakfast or what you want to grill when all your cousins show up the next day to the soggy, cold campground. But I saw my salvation, glowing at the other end of the market: Liquor Store.

Here in Minnesota you can only get 3.2 beer in stores and our liquor stores are not open on Sundays. It is an old Blue Law. If you forget to stock up during the week, you are making a run to Wisconsin if you live close enough! The liquor store was 'attached' to the market, but has a separate entrance.

We walked around and thought about what we could make to warm us up. We couldn't come up with anything so it was beer and wine. I bought another bottle of Bitch, which I had posted back in September that I had found it up in the town our daughter went to college in. I also picked up a bottle of of Sommerau Castle Sweet Red that is from Germany. I have said time and time again that I don't have high falutian taste in wine, with the exception of my favorite Rosa Regale. I like sweet wine; not a big fan of butt puckering, tannic wine. I picked up the bottle and thought it would fun to try. The Dude smelled it and said "smells like communion wine" so he passed. It is soft and silky and plummy. The notes on the back also described raspberries, but I didn't really pick that up. I had it with a hotdish-type dish I threw together. It was nice with the meal and nice on it's own. Best of all? About 8 bucks. It would be nice for a party when people are not sure if they like reds or if you know they like a sweeter wine but want to switch it up from a white.

helps if I actually attach the picture before posting!

I think I killed it

I didn't always like wine. I remember (vividly) when I was 18, I had gone with a friend to visit her brother in college in Wisconsin (which will remain nameless). Back in the old days, you had to be 19 to drink in Minnesota and 18 in Wisconsin. We went to spend the night with Kenny. Being that we were A) in Wisconsin with no adult supervision, and B) old enough to drink in the state, we decided to play quarters. To make a long story short-never play quarters with wine. You probably shouldn't play quarters at all, but most definitely not with wine. Suffice it to say I spent most of the evening in the 'ladies room' indisposed. For many years I wouldn't even look at wine (the stomach doesn't forget-my 20th birthday was my Golden one-still can't even smell sloe gin). But around age 30 I picked up a bottle of White Zin and gave it a try. I know, White Zin? But I said before, I'm not a wine snob. Me and the Dude like the Pink Truck for less than 9 bucks a bottle. I like the sweeter wines, usually whites and pinks, but I do like Pinot Noir. My favorite is Rosa Regale by Banfi. It is a sweet wine, that is slightly sparkling. OMG!! It is the best thing since sliced bread! Considering I have to work a full hour to pay for one bottle, I don't drink it as often as I would like. Sometimes I buy wine for for the name-who doesn't? But when I went to open the bottle of wine tonight, the foil cutter wouldn't work. Does that mean I have opened too many bottles of wine in the last year? I bought it last year (actually 2007) at Thanksgiving time. It is shot. I had to tackle it with a paring knife tonight. I bought this wine solely for the name. Three Blind Moose? Who wouldn't find that funny? And look at the pretty yellow cork. I did enjoy it; slightly tart, some citrus, nice crisp finish. Of course, 3 glasses of wine and no food is not a good idea, so I need to go to the kitchen and see if I can unearth something worth eating.

*Helps to mention that this is a Riesling!