Search This Blog

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

The Wine Baby

Do you like wine?  I LOVE wine.  But, WOW was it an acquired taste.

I had my first sip of this fermented juice at 18 in London, England where I was visiting with my dad and sister.  In England, the legal drinking age is 18; and, I was so excited to be an adult!  Yet I had previously experienced little of this adult hobby, so I decided to order something safe:  alcoholic juice.  I imagined it tasting like ... well, grape juice with a little kick.  But ... I was a WINE BABY; and, unfortunately so was my dad who offered no help in ordering.  So I ordered the only wine I knew how to pronounce:  an incredibly dry (wine with little to no residual sugar and, therefore, NOT so sweet) Chardonnay.  While one of, if not the most popular grapes in the world to drink, it was not the ideal first wine for this WINE BABY.

This was NOT juice.

This tasted more of spice than sugar.  There was a residue of powdery butter left in my mouth.  My cheeks puckered and my throat closed in.  It was painful to swallow.  I forced the entire glass down because my sweet Daddy was paying for it, but there was no pleasure in it, and I, therefore, deemed wine: not for me.

There were occasions when I had a sip of something sweeter to be sure ... but I never pursued the beverage as a hobby ... I never knew anything about this infinite subject ... until I met Jared (my husband) - a WINE ADULT.  Luckily, he knew what wines were for babies like me.  At one of our first dates he asked me what kind of wine I liked, and I responded "cold and sweet."  He delivered.

I have since come to believe that a Moscato from the Asti region of Italy (called Moscato D'Asti) is a WINE BABY'S mother's milk.  Want to start liking good, quality wine?  This is a great place to start. It is often considered "off-dry" (just a little sweet) though you can find fully sweet versions, is a frizzante (just a little sparkle), and is very low in alcohol content.  While my Jared would probably not like the comparison, it's the closest thing to sparkling grape juice you will get in something of quality.

We suggest Nivole for your first bottle - or your weekly bottle in our case.  It's about $12 for a half bottle, but it's quality.  It's sweet, yet not syrupy.  The bubbles ensure that it is crisp and not flabby (exactly what it sounds like).  It has floral notes and tastes of peach and apricot.  It's light.  It's refreshing.  It's "cold and sweet," perfect for WINE BABIES and ADULTS alike.



Are you a WINE BABY?  Maybe a WINE TODDLER like me?
Do you even like wine?
What kinds are your favorites?

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

The Restless Wolf

I am a restless wolf:  forever bored and, yet, forever curious.  I find the monotony that life can sometimes bring to be both unsettling and unsatisfying; and therefore, I am always looking to fill it with anything beautiful, interesting, and worthy.  Here, I want to both share and receive.

So I wonder, what do you do when you are bored?