Cheers to wine and Dad!

Well, hello, good to see you again, my friends! It's been a while.

To be honest, I have neglected this blog for most of 2016. I haven't been inspired to write.

I also have been preoccupied with my other blog which follows my dad's battle with prostate cancer and my obsession with a non profit to put an end to the wretched disease. The Father's Day race was a success and as the top individual fundraiser and leader of the top team again this year, I shall now get back to working on wine and food and all things happy.

Believe me, I have a LOT of happy to write about! Stay tuned, this is gonna get good!

Two years ago, I joined the IYI - If You Insist - membership at my happy place. I was growing bored with the regular monthly membership wines and needed a spark. Believe it or not, I was getting more wine than I could drink and what I did drink didn't excite me. Upgrading to the IYI membership was one of the best things I ever did! I went from receiving two bottles every month at $35 to two bottles every quarter at $250. Don't let anyone ever tell you that price doesn't matter with wine because it sure does!! Not that there aren't $20 or $30 bottles of wine I enjoy, but you can definitely tell a difference compared to a $100+ bottle! Every quarter, IYI members also get to attend a

members-only tasting event with a guest at no cost!

The very first IYI members-only event that I attended is still one of my absolute favorites. One of the reasons was because my dad was my "plus one" that night. Dad attended many wine tastings with me over the years until his cancer came back and the effects of chemo took over. While I still enjoyed the IYI events, something had always been missing until this most recent event.

June 2 was my last IYI members-only tasting (Yeah, you heard that. Stay tuned for a later post for the reason. I'm not ready to divulge it all just yet). Since Dad accompanied me to my first, it was only appropriate and fitting that he accompany me to my last. I was concerned that he wasn't going to feel up to going but from the moment I invited him he gave me an enthusiastic "Yes"! Up to a week prior, my dad had been feeling better and I couldn't be happier. Seeing him in pain is something that I cannot fathom, especially when there's nothing I can do about it. Having my dad with me for the Sparkman wines event was incredibly special to me. I cannot even begin to put it into words.

Before the event began, we, of course, had to open up our own bottle of wine to share. I mean, how can you just sit in a wine bar for a half hour and not drink wine? That's just nonsense!

When the weather's warm, I tend to drink white wines. It's kind of like when the summer clothes come out of hiding, the white wine does as well. I love a good Cab but I'll be ready for that when autumn comes back around. I'll give Master Cab a break for now.

Come to momma, Mr. Chardonnay!

Not having anything in mind except for a California Chardonnay, I started to peruse the selection. Then I saw it.

2013 Jayson Chardonnay

Pahlmeyer Vineyards

North Coast, California

Obviously, my eye went right to it because it's my favorite guy's first name. Then I remembered I had missed the Pahlmeyer wine event a while back because of a stupid work meeting (Don't they know to plan board meetings around my social calendar by now?) and this would be my chance to try one of the wines.  But then the description totally sold me. You will always have me at "toasted vanilla" when it comes to a Chardonnay.

A little pricier than I usually choose on a Thursday evening, I figured it would be worth it for many reasons and had it tossed in the chiller. Wow, was I right. I haven't had a Chardonnay this delicious in quite a while!

Jayson's beautiful golden hue had aromas of honey, green apple, caramel and mandarin orange. With a rich and creamy taste, hints of ripe peach softened my taste buds first and apple, banana, baking spices and a touch of toasted vanilla rounded this mouth-watering wine to a finish!

Proud of myself, I sent a picture to my favorite guy and his quick-witted self replied, "I hope you get a discount since they spelled my name wrong!"

Dad and I were definitely starting this night out right!

At mylast IYI event, we would be tasting wines from Sparkman Cellars of Washington State. We were fortunate enough to not only have my buddy, Tom, from International Importers but Merf, the winemaker of Sparkman Cellars, join us! What a treat!

Let's get started!

2014 Pearl

Sauvignon Blanc

Yakima Valley

Ya'll know I'm not a Sauvignon Blanc fan because I hate grapefruit and that's usually how Sauv Blancs smell and taste. Well, this one smelled even worse... unless you like a mix of dishwashing liquid and Pine Sol! I seriously looked around for a cloth so I could polish the WineStyles furniture with it.  Honestly, while it didn't taste like grapefruit, it did taste just as unpleasant as its aroma. Before the next wine, I used my water to rinse out the glass and then a paper towel to wipe out any residual Pine Sol. Mind you, I was the only one at my table who thought this way but again, that's why we all have different tastes and why there are so many wines out there! To each his own!

2012 Apparition

White Blend

Yakima Valley

Well, I was on a roll because I didn't care for this next white blend either. It had some serious aroma to it but not much taste. Dad got apricot and stone (have I taught him well or what?). My friend, Shauna, got mosquito repellent. I got a sweaty, oily mechanic after working in the garage on cars on a humid August 100 degree day. It had a "nonchalant" taste to it and Shauna said it best when she said it tasted "empty". I, of course, had an appropriate add-on to that comment - "empty like the brain of my ex-husband". Hey, if the wine fits.....

While I love the name Yakima because it's just a fun word to say, I am quite fond of Columbia Valley wines and was hoping the reds from that area wouldn't let us down.

Wilderness Red Blend

Columbia Valley

Does it smell like the wilderness? I know you're wondering.

Well, our conclusion was that it smelled like dog food and bear shit mixed with wild berries.

So yeah, maybe..... if that's your kind of wilderness.

In case you weren't sure, the wilderness also tastes like you're eating a candy fireball with a bite of lingering smoky licorice.

Yeah, I'll leave you to ponder those. I came at ya hard this time!

For whatever reason, this led to a discussion about bag phones. Some of you may not even know what a bag phone is but Shauna and I sure remember. Those things saved our young lives after high school. We felt invincible! As long as we had a bag phone, we could drive anywhere no matter how far or how long it took because we had that monstrous phone in its faux leather bag plugged into our car cigarette lighter. Yep, ya never know what diversions our conversations will take at my happy place. That's part of the magic.

Upward and onward to the next......I hope.

2012 Ruckus

Syrah

Columbia Valley

Well, the Ruckus Syrah surely wanted to be a funky red wine and ya'll know I love some stinky and funky-smellin' reds! It reminded us of green moss on a wet log in the woods. It tasted of cranberry candle wax with a stone fruit peachy finish with a little kick at the end. The best wine we tasted so far....

2013 Darkness

Syrah

Columbia Valley

Now we're talking!! Darkness is all about the barnyard funk, baby! The minute I took a whiff, I was hooked. Some said it had a flavor of olives but I got smooth, dark berries wrapped in oak. Shauna said it best when she said it reminded her of "being in a barn and the door is shut and its dark!"  I love a dilapidated barn! Give me a smooth oaky barnyard funk smellin' red in that dilapidated barn and I'm a happy girl!

2013 Evermore

Cabernet Sauvignon

Columbia Valley

Arthur typically saves the best for last and I usually agree. It would be hard to top Darkness for me though. However, Evermore was damn delicious and, lucky for me, I received a bottle in my last quarterly IYI batch!  The name instantly made me think of my favorite poet, Edgar Allan Poe. Think "The Raven".

What came to mind at first whiff? Vinyl, barnyard and dirty socks! Then second whiff was an old Victorian house that's dusty! Either way, it smelled amazing! This wine could use a couple of years laying down in the cellar and then it will really have a fantastic flavor. Fortunately, I can afford to do that! This will be a definite special occasion wine to pop open in a couple of years.

There is no better date than my dad! I am so honored to have had him by my side at my last IYI event!! Cheers to many more wine celebrations together!

In water one sees one's own face;
But in wine one beholds the heart of another.

~ French proverb