Well, here I am. Sitting in my new apartment, avoiding unpacking now, and drinking a powerade to replenish the electrolytes that I lost while moving in 95 degree heat.
A conversation that we all had (and by 'we' I mean my roommate-Puffy, friend-Joey, and fellow wineaux-Jessi) while taking a breather in the old apartment today triggered an idea for a new post. Somebody brought up the subject of wine, I don't remember who exactly but it probably came up when Jessi suggested we go get more powerade and I suggested we grab a bottle of wine, also.
Wine as a topic usually induces the same reaction in Puffy and Joey, one of hatred. They shudder at the suggestion that they try some with a face screwed up in a nasty expression of disgust and a "bligh" sound from their mouths. Then Puffy usually reminds us all of when he tried a drink made of the cheap sangria that you can get a gallon for $8 mixed with coke.
Jessi and I usually have the same reaction to that mixture that they have to straight wine. We also usually add a comment of "blasphemy!" or "tragic!" to it. (I tend to get a little more dramatic and act like it hurts my heart to do something like that to wine) In my opinion, the only thing that wine should be mixed with is stuff to make a sangria (I have a fabulous white sangria recipe if anybody wants it).
These two are just a few of the people I know who I have begun calling haters. They may or may not have tried wine before, but they refuse to try it, even while under the guidance and tutelage of a wineaux. One does not have to be a wineaux to enjoy a nice glass of wine once in a while. One guy actually said to me that wine was a girly drink, that it is not something that a "man" drinks. This is probably one of the worst argument against drinking wine that I have ever heard. I laughed in his face and walked away, putting him in the "lost cause" column.
Hating all wine is like hating all pizza. There are far too many different options to choose from to say you hate all because you didn't like the one you tried.
Majority of fledgling wine drinkers lean toward sweeter wines because they are the easiest to drink, probably because they are closest to fruit juice to the pallet. I used to be one of those. I could really only drink sweet wines like miscatos and rieslings, not venturing past pinot gregio on the dry/tart scale. As I tried different wines in my adventures to vineyards, wineries, tasting rooms and events like the Wine and Jazz festival here in Kearney my pallet has matured, allowing me to, if not enjoy, at least appreciate drier wines. It just takes practice and determination to find the right wine for you.... a willingness to experiment doesn't hurt either.
As usual, talking about wine has made me crave some so I think Jessi and I are going to crack into the bottle of Buzzard's Roost that she got earlier. Na zdrowie!
I was inspired to document my adventures into the local wine scene. This is it. I want to share the experiences that I have and help you get to know the great people I meet on Nebraska wine tour. Hopefully, you will follow my lead and explore local vineyards yourself. Go grab life by the bottle and here's to it always being half full.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Change of Scenery
I am sitting here drinking the rest of my Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy, avoiding packing up the last 2 1/2 years of my life, and thinking I should go get a glass of wine so it's one less thing I have to move. It's one of those huge bottles of cheap yet decent wine you can get for 10 bucks that doesn't fit anywhere in the fridge except the entire bottom shelf.... hang on. I've talked myself into a glass.
Ahhh.... hit the spot.
Now to the point. I have come up with the perfect theme to decorate the kitchen in my new place! Ready? Wait for it... WINE! Such a stretch for me, I know.
I already have wine bottles decorating the top of my cupboards here so my favorite of those are going to follow me to the new place. The oodles of used corks that Laura and I have collected really have no home yet. I think they would look fabulous as wall art but since I am not that artsy, I may have to think that through a little more. Jessi, being the bestest best friend in the world, got me a pair of awesome wall plaques that boast the phrases "Reality is only an illusion that occurs due to the lask of wine." and "I never drink wine unless I'm alone or with somebody!"
I think the only things that would really top it off would be like a wine bottle or glass form out of wrought iron hanging on the wall and a great sign that says "In vino veritas, in aqua sanitas" (In wine there is truth, in water there is health)... I'll add that to the list of stuff my dad needs to make me, right behind the wine glass holder.
Is it possible for a room to be an enabler? Because if so, I think my future kitchen would fit into that category. I may have a problem, but we've barely seen the top of that particular iceberg.
Hmmmm... I should probably get back to packing up my life, but there's still wine in my glass. I think I'll just enjoy the rest of my moscato and go to bed, rise with the sun and keep going in the morning.
Ahhh.... hit the spot.
Now to the point. I have come up with the perfect theme to decorate the kitchen in my new place! Ready? Wait for it... WINE! Such a stretch for me, I know.
I already have wine bottles decorating the top of my cupboards here so my favorite of those are going to follow me to the new place. The oodles of used corks that Laura and I have collected really have no home yet. I think they would look fabulous as wall art but since I am not that artsy, I may have to think that through a little more. Jessi, being the bestest best friend in the world, got me a pair of awesome wall plaques that boast the phrases "Reality is only an illusion that occurs due to the lask of wine." and "I never drink wine unless I'm alone or with somebody!"
I think the only things that would really top it off would be like a wine bottle or glass form out of wrought iron hanging on the wall and a great sign that says "In vino veritas, in aqua sanitas" (In wine there is truth, in water there is health)... I'll add that to the list of stuff my dad needs to make me, right behind the wine glass holder.
Is it possible for a room to be an enabler? Because if so, I think my future kitchen would fit into that category. I may have a problem, but we've barely seen the top of that particular iceberg.
Hmmmm... I should probably get back to packing up my life, but there's still wine in my glass. I think I'll just enjoy the rest of my moscato and go to bed, rise with the sun and keep going in the morning.
Strange Beginings: an Epic Adventure
I've always thought I have good ideas and that everybody should hear them. This is probably why I have been considered rather talkative since I was young. As I got older, I found out (to the frustration of my friends) that this chatty part of my nature is amplified by alcohol. So, when my bestie, Jessi suggested writing a blog about our adventures in wine (shameless plug: she has a blog too-
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