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