On Wine

I have tried wine on a few occasions. I remember liking it a great deal at the restaurants where I tried it. They always recommended something. I remember not liking it when given it on a plane or at weddings. So, what do I like, how do I pick my own out?

How do I deal with anything I don't know about? I consult wikipedia, and search for wine. I learn a little history, what different wines are made from, how the different wines taste. I now decide that I can buy my own wine.

I enter the store. It has a very large selection of wines. At least one hundred different selections. I start to chicken out. But I don't want them to win. I notice the wines are grouped by country or state of origin. I want my first bottle of wine to be from Oregon, I decide.

Now the selection is much smaller. Based on the information I had from wikipedia, I had decided that I wanted either a Merlot or, preferably, a Cabernet Franc. I knew, from wikipedia, that these were both bordeauxs and they sounded as if they would fit me. I did not know that Cabernet Franc is not very popular. Hence, I could not find one in the Oregon section.

I did find a Merlot. Pavin & Riley, 2004 Columbia Valley Merlot. It turns out that it is not made in Oregon, but Washington. It must have been misplaced. But it was 5 dollars off, leaving it an irresistable $4.80. So I took the bugger home with me.

I arrived and showed my purchase to my wife. She remarked:"Finally going to cultivate a taste for wine? I think I put our wine glasses into storage."

So now I had a bottle, but no glass.

Not to be outdone by such a minor setback I went back downtown. As I am sure you are aware wine glasses don't come alone. They are sold in boxes of four. But not at Hallmark. They sell them individually. They may have pink flamingos on them, but it holds the Merlot.

So how is the wine? Good. It is pretty dry, i.e. not very sweet, but fruity, full, rich. I really like it. I think I am going to go out on the deck and smoke my pipe and have another glass.
  ¶ 8:54 PM