A happy buzz

 

A "happy buzz" is when you've had just enough wine to feel different, good, courageous, empowered, and like throwing caution to the wind is the best revelation in the world. A happy buzz is not anywhere near being annihilated or falling over drunk however.  That's why it was quite ironic when the Evil Red Genius had the following to say last Friday evening during our "taste and run" at my happy place:

 

 "It's a happy buzz.. I like it when it's buzzing in here. It's a dull roar."

 

While one could possibly attribute that statement to the way we were feeling, she was simply describing the atmosphere of the wine bar. (Or was she?)

 

The short two-hour time frame that we spent at my happy place was filled with interesting wine and quotable moments.

 

From the wines on the tasting bar to the one we chose to share that evening were four

quote-worthy and unique wines!

 

2013

Legado Torrontes

Argentina

 

 

"This should be spritzed on someone........ and not in their mouth."

 

If you can't tell, we weren't fans of the Legado.  It was very perfume-y and reminded me of walking through a department store perfume counter area at a shopping mall. Hold your breath and run past the crazy woman who wants to spritz the nasty stuff on you.

This wine should not have been tasted - it should be in a mister at Macy's.

 

Cuvaison

Chardonnay

Carneros (Napa Valley), CA

 

 

The Evil Red Genius and I LOVE a stinky red wine, which you will have already realized is true if you've kept up with any of my posts over the last year or so. In fact, we've been named the "Dirty Pinot Girls" and often think the stinkier the better when it comes to red wines. It often takes one (and it did me) a while to "get past" the funky smell and actually taste the wine. Once you do, it opens up a whole new world! We have been known to get rather vocal and excited when we come upon a funky/stinky wine! It can be quite entertaining for onlookers. 

 

This Carneros Chardonnay completely blew us away!

At one whiff, we both looked at each other like something miraculous had occurred!

This wine was stinky!

Why is that miraculous, you ask?

Because we have never had a stinky WHITE wine. All of our beloved stinky wines are RED!

You would have thought we had discovered gold right there in the depths of my happy place the way we reacted.

 

It smelled like a dirty diaper that had been tossed out of a window onto the side of the highway on a 100 degree scorching day in the South! Only the two of us would get excited about a wine that smelled that way. The taste was tropical and fruity with a hint of minerality.

It would be a perfect sit-on-the-front-porch of the beach house with cheese Chardonnay this summer.

So what did I do? I bought one to save for that exact occasion!

 

 I recently found that a Swiss family bought the Cuvaison winery in 1979.

Perhaps, I need to start seeking out California wineries owned by the Swiss if they are going to make stinky white wine! Who knew the Swiss were so brilliant?

 

 2012

Tempore

Joven

 

 

Keeping with our stinky theme, the next wine is an 85% Grenache and 15% Tempranillo Spanish blend. Tempore cultivates its vineyards in a way that favors the natural cycles of the plant without using aggressive treatments.

 

Perhaps that is why one whiff of this wine, brought out this exclamation:

 

 "This smells like a dirty flower - like a marigold"

 

 I found it quite interesting that the winery's website stated that this wine is "unctuous".

When a person is unctuous, you can't trust their kindness because they usually want something in return.

 

Note to self: Never trust a wine that smells like marigolds.

 

 

 2012

If you see kay

 

 

 

Go ahead, say it again.

If. You. See. Kay.

 

Now think about what you're saying....

 

wait for it....

Yep, you got it!

 

I heard of this wine a year ago and when it showed up on the shelves at my happy place, it was gone before I could try it. Red and I wanted to try something new and we knew we wanted a red.

 Guess what just happened to be back on the shelves?

Yep - Kay.

 

Kay is a red blend with fruit selected from top vineyards in Italy. This particular vintage is made up of Cab, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Primitivo. With dominant black fruit, this cult wine smells of plum, blackberry and fig. It is fruity and tannic but with a hint of velvet and burnt meat on the end.

With a second sip, I received a rush of cocoa or perhaps milk chocolate.

 

While it wasn't the best red I've ever had and I don't think it's worth its hype, it was good.

It definitely improved with the steak and cheese pizzette.

 

 

 

Jayson Woodbridge and Chris Radomski's winemaking philosophy is one of "risk everything".

They created Kay as an image of a strong woman who embodies the principles of living life to the fullest. The tattooed woman on the motorcycle represents freedom and being true to one's beliefs. 

If she happens to start some controversy along the way, so be it!

 

Kay is a creature.

She is an embodiment of a lifestyle, a genre, a feeling in your gut.

Kay is a force of nature, a wanderer.

She represents the philosophy of "Wide open throttle or don't bother doing it at all".

She's not trying to be, she just is.

Always uncontrollable, she's wanted.

 

 We accomplished a lot in two hours and the wine selections actually made me start contemplating and analyzing a lot of things in life.
 If Kay is enjoying the ride, why shouldn't we?
Perhaps it really is all about that happy buzz.....

 



Much-needed reality check

About three weeks ago, I made a really dumb decision.

In fact, I was so angry I was in tears.

I screamed at myself the entire half-hour drive home and then when I got home, I continued to scream at myself in the mirror.  I considered locking myself in the house and never coming out again but knew that wasn't reasonable. I was supposed to go to my happy place with the Evil Red Genius but at that point I didn't want anyone to see me. I didn't even want to see me. Prowler, God bless him, still loved me and that helped. If he had shunned me I don't know what I would have done.

I, thankfully, had enough bobby pins to make myself look acceptable and off I went, in a surly mood, to pick up my friend and head to my happy place. No one was the wiser and that's exactly how I wanted it to stay.

Nothing seemed to go right that day. I was doomed. The wine that Chef Mike picked out for me (and he has never picked out one I didn't love) didn't make me happy. In fact, he offered to buy it if I didn't like it and usually when I receive that offer, I know it's going to be stupendous. Nope, I took him up on his offer and gave it back and decided on one that we had before and knew we liked. It was nice that the wine had a "V" on the label. At least the wine wasn't disappointed in me. Yet, it still didn't really make me feel any better. Mike even toasted the comes-with-your-meal bread and brought out a made-for-me dipping oil, and while it was delicious, it was going to take a lot more than food and wine to get me out of this funk. (Ya never thought you'd hear me say that, did ya?)

A few hours at my happy place was nice but when I returned home reality set in. I don't care what other people think. I stopped caring about that a long time ago. In middle school, I was treated horribly and it was arguably the worst time of my childhood.  Kids are mean and the way things are nowadays they are even meaner. No amount of bobby pins and hairspray would take away the cruel reality I was now facing though. The next day I invested in a lot of both and decided I was going to suck it up and make the best of it - or at least just not let anyone see me in this state.

The next week I had a concert to attend and the weather gods were on my side because the rain allowed me to wear a baseball hat the entire evening. Once again, I was able to hide the disaster, be considered concert-appropriate stylish and no one was the wiser.

I knew eventually, this would end though. I wouldn't be able to hide forever. About a week after the tragedy occurred, I decided to embrace my mishap. I'm not sure what made me feel this way but that Friday I showed up to work without a single bobby pin on my head. I took a deep breath, made sure I wore something that would possibly accent the new-do (and more importantly distract from it) and with my head held high, I owned this monstrosity!

People were shocked. In fact, some people didn't even recognize me. But to my surprise, people actually liked it. Were they smoking crack, I wondered? Possibly, but hopefully not while on the clock.  Were they just being nice? No, these people are brutal. They don't care about anyone's feelings. They will tell it like it is. Did it make me feel better? A little. Honestly, it was nice to hear but in all actuality, it didn't matter. I wasn't happy with it and THAT is what mattered.  My self-esteem had been crushed. My opinion of myself had been demoralized.  I knew in time it would get better but I knew it would take a lot of time before that would happen.

That night, Red and I stopped by my happy place to do the weekend wine tasting and pick up to-go food. This was going to take courage. It was the first time I had walked in there looking this way. It was a Friday night so the potential for "everyone" I know to be there was high and I really couldn't fathom getting crushed at the one place that accepts me no matter what. I was nervous yet something other than stupid bangs were going to have to keep me from being at the place that I love most! I may not be happy but I'm going to own this, I thought! No one is going to know that I'm feeling extremely defeated. I planned this! I did this on purpose! Yeah, that's it.  Embrace it!! After a little wine, I wouldn't care anyway, right? (ok, it would take a lot of wine and that didn't happen.)

Arthur was floored and in a good way. He was almost blushing and said he absolutely loved it. I had been told earlier I was chic and even sultry. Tara, who has no filter at all (which is something I love about her), couldn't understand why I wasn't over-the-moon happy with the way I looked. I swear I thought Ashton Kutcher was around the corner with television cameras. It was a matter of time before Chef Mike would come out of the kitchen exclaiming that I had been punked.  But it didn't happen.... They were sincere and it was truly heart-warming. Yet, it still didn't make everything ok.

I still went home and stuck my tongue out at myself in the mirror.

As another week went by, I still clung tight to my bobby pins and only went without them two times. One time was a Board meeting day and I knew I'd have to endure some comments but I didn't think that it would be the exciting topic of conversation that it turned out to be. However, the comments were overwhelmingly positive and often from unexpected individuals.  Again, I wore an outfit that would hopefully distract and I received comments in that regard as well (which I tended to believe more).  Still, I went home and pulled my hair back in a knot, screaming again because it wouldn't all go back in the ponytail holder anymore. Deep sigh. It was going to be a long couple of months or even close to a year before this would be anywhere near fixable.

Then it happened.......

Divine intervention slapped me across the face. 

My dad is losing his hair. Yeah, he's a man and who doesn't love a smooth, sexy bald head on a man? Men can get away with not having hair, right? Of course they can. But when you have prostate cancer that has metastasized to the bone and you're going through chemo and THAT is why you're losing your hair, it puts a whole different spin on things. Reality smacks you in the face. Even if you're feeling better. Even if the treatment is working (praise God!) and your side effects aren't as bad as they could be (although you sure do feel like complete hell most of the time), looking at yourself in the mirror and seeing your hair falling out is a harsh reality check. It is a blatant and constant reminder that you are sick and you have cancer.

What the hell am I complaining about?
It's just hair.
It will grow back.
Get over yourself, girl! 

If Dad can handle losing his hair as he battles cancer, the absolute least I can do is accept screwing up mine.

 

 

If food is the body of good living....

......wine is its soul.

-Clifton Fadim

 

Sometimes, the right wine and food make everything better....

It sure did last Saturday afternoon.



2013
 Scout's Honor
Venge Vineyards

This spicy, fruity and smooth blend of Zinfandel, Petit Syrah, Charbono and Syrah is

named after Scout, the owner's beloved golden retriever, who has since passed.

Plus there's a big ole "V" on the label and we all know what that really stands for!
 

 "Wine is sure proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

-Benjamin Franklin

 

 

Villagio - an Italian Trattoria

Villagio, meaning "village" in Italian, is a restaurant located on Main Street in 

historic Clifton, Virginia.

http://www.trattoriavillagio.com/

 

It opened in 2013 and I have been wanting to try it but the time has just never been right.

Last month, the time was right and the Evil Red Genius and I went for lunch one Saturday afternoon.

 

 

When I try a new Italian restaurant, I expect a few things:

 

Good wine

Excellent pizza

Welcoming atmosphere

 

I loved the tiny area where we were sitting, especially the one brick wall! So much character!

 

 

The atmosphere was welcoming and our waiter was pleasant. However, when we had narrowed the wine selection down to two options and he talked me out of the first one, I wasn't too excited (especially hours later at a wine tasting when I found out his description of it was completely inaccurate).  

 

We decided on our second choice and he stated he was going to chill it for just a moment!

Here we go again!

 

This time, I knew better and requested that he not do so. Once bitten, twice shy.

 He looked at me like I had just put a gun to his head but to each his own!

I am paying for it. I'm the customer. Just do what I want.. and he begrudgingly did.

 

San Lorenzo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

 

 

I am not well versed in Italian wines and I think most of the time the long names scare me away. However, I have learned that I tend to like Montepulcianos (remember the stick wine I blogged about last September at the Outer Banks?)

 

I find they are easy drinking wines and are on the lighter side of a red wine yet smooth and fruity. 

 They tend to be a good food wine and this one was no different.

 

 

I am always sold when a restaurant has an impressive cheese plate. Of course, we never know if it will be good until we try it but hey, it's usually worth trying!

 

Villagio has a cheese platter where the customer can choose three, five or seven cheeses off of their decent but not extensive list.

The Evil Red Genius and I decided on the five cheese platter which came with baguette slices and honey, cranberry and apricot jellies. While Villagio was very generous with the cheeses, they were not the best cheeses we've shared, but they sure didn't go to waste!

 

Garroxta - a firm, earthy goat cheese from Spain that was fine on its own but not with the wine.

 

Mahon - buttery sharp, slightly salty and nutty; tasted like white American cheese and was not good with the wine at all.  However, I wanted to put this one on a BLT sandwich.

 

Bra Duro - a cheddar-like flavored, semi-firm cow's milk with a coarse outer rind; a hint of farm funk

 

Aged Crotonese -  a sheep's milk cheese that was way too hard and tasteless - Boo!

 

Sottocenere - a semi-soft cheese made with raw cow's milk and slices of truffles then rubbed with various herbs and spices; aged in an ash rind to convey the subtle flavors. 

This was an extremely bizarre cheese but absolutely delicious!

 

Overall, the cheeses were pretty bland but the Stottocenere was by far the best of the five. I don't regret trying the cheese platter but there's no need to try it again during a future visit.

 

 

While there were 10-12 pizzas to choose from, we selected the Romana - tomato sauce, pepperoni, Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese. Sometimes simpler is better and this was a good pizza. Did it make me moan and long for more? Was it the best I've ever had? Am I going to brag about how it teased my taste buds and how I wish there was more when it was gone?

No, but it was enjoyable.

Villagio did not "wow" me by any means but I am quite the critic these days.

With that being said, it was an enjoyable experience and I'd definitely go back to sit at the bar or even try dinner.

Besides, who doesn't love Clifton and the Clifton Wine Shop is right upstairs from Villagio!

 

"Drinking wine is just a part of life, like eating food."
- Francis Ford Coppola
 

 

From mediocre to memorable

I have favorite wines.

I have can't-live-without wines.

I have everyday-go-to wines.

I have wines that "will do" because they are simply better than the alternative.

 

I enjoy trying new wines and often will be surprised and encounter what becomes a new favorite.

Lately, I've become more particular - some may even say snobby - about the wines that I enjoy.

 

 I don't drink wine just for the sake of drinking it.

I drink it for the taste. I drink it for the magic that occurs when paired with food. I drink it because I want chocolate and it's a good excuse.

 

I also drink wine because it just feels like the right thing to do sometimes.

 

It often has the power to make a horrible situation happy... if just for a little while.

 

 

About a month ago, on the way home from a disappointing doctor's appointment for my dad, we decided to go to my happy place for a late lunch. We decided to go there because no matter what life throws at us being at my happy place always seems to lessen the blow for even a little bit.

This day was no different.

 

 Dad wasn't feeling very well and didn't have much of an appetite but he wanted our favorite pizza so that's exactly what he was going to get! In fact, we got two to share between the three of us.

 

 

Naturally, I was asked to pick a wine. We both wanted a light red and didn't want to break the bank. It was late afternoon on a week day, we were the only ones in the restaurant (which we liked because we're able to spend quality time with the staff) and we wanted to just relax and try to comprehend the harsh reality.

 

As I perused the wine shelves, I came across an Oregon Pinot Noir that I had heard of but had never tried and the price happened to be just right.

 

2011

Spindrift Cellars

Pinot Noir

Willamette Valley, Oregon

 

 

With aromas of bark, earth and dead-on-the-side-of-the-road funk, this Pinot had flavors of strawberry and sweet berries.

It was simply delightful and paired nicely with the pizza.
 

It was exactly what we needed.

 

It also proved to be somewhat of a hilarious wine.
 

I always ask those who are with me what they smell and taste when they are trying a wine. Dad and the Evil Red Genius have become in tune with my nonsense and humor me now by telling me those things before I even have to ask.

 

Dad hands his glass of  Spindrift to Mom and asks,

"What do you hear?"

 

 When Mom responded with, "the ocean" Dad had to hear for himself.

 

Spindrift was taking Dad's pain away and that instantly made me a fan.

 

At this point, I was going to give Dad anything that his heart desired and when he said he was ready for another bottle who was I to tell him otherwise?

 

Keeping with our not-breaking-the-bank theme, I remembered the Chilean Montes Twins Malbec/Cab blend that I tried when I "went" to Chile a few weeks prior.

 

 

While I'm not a huge Malbec fan, this Malbec blend was delightfully stinky and had much more depth than the Spindrift. I was pleased that Dad enjoyed it as much as I did.

 

 

I wasn't sure when the three of us would be back at my happy place and I wanted to make sure that this afternoon was relaxing, uneventful and good for our soul.

 



To our surprise, we were then serenaded by one of our favorite happy place friends, the amazing, Tommy! We also found out that day he was named the County's High School Teacher of the Year and no one is more deserving!

 

 

 "I used to walk in the shade with my blues on parade

But now I'm not afraid

This rover crossed over.

Grab your coat and get your hat

Leave your worry on the doorstep

Just direct your feet to the sunny side of the street"

 

The three of us were smiling through the tears and couldn't have asked for anything more. Thank you, Tommy! We love you and are so blessed to have you on our side!

 

Sometimes it's not about the wine being fantastic.

It's not about the taste. It's not about the smell. It's not about those things that I always think of when I find a wine I really enjoy.

 

Sometimes it's the people who are with you, the food that you eat, the music that you hear, the love that you feel that makes the wine spectacular.

Sometimes those things often make what I would normally think of as a mediocre wine, one of my absolute favorites.

 

On any other day, under any other circumstances, the Spindrift Pinot and Montes Malbec would have meant absolutely nothing to me.

But because I shared them with my dad on this day, they will forever be special to me.

 

 

"Drink wine, not labels."

 -Dr. Maynard Amerine