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| Sharing the Good things in Life with my BFF |
The upcoming American Thanksgiving paves the way for the holiday season, and because many of my author friends live in the USA, I feel I’m celebrating being thankful right along with them. Thanksgiving (both in Canada and America) not only gives us time to be with family and friends, but to think about what we’re truly grateful for. It’s also a time for us to reflect on the past year, and take stock in what we have reaped and accomplished thus far. As some of you know, I moved from cottage country to the warmer southern climate of Ontario this summer, and have never looked back. So in keeping with the spirit of giving thanks, I’d like to share one of my experiences since moving down here that I’ll always be grateful for…
Living in wine country has its benefits. So when my BFF came down for a visit this past September, it was a no-brainer on where to take her. Setting a course for a couple of wineries, getting lost for about 15 minutes, then finally getting back on track, we made it to the first winery, and we were not disappointed.
To be honest, I’ve never been to a wine tasting. Usually they’re free if you purchase a bottle. We both tried a few—my BFF preferring red, and I going to the light side, our palette’s danced and tonsils rocked to the taste of each wine sampled. My house warming gift consisted of a rather nice chardonnay. Salute!
Next, we asked for directions to the next winery (far be it for us to put our faith in an out-dated GPS). We found it easily, and met up with a whole lot of bikers on their Ride for MS. What a fun group! We met kindred spirits and wine lovers in two participants named Sharon and Mike, and did a selfie with them! Fun times! Of course more wine was sampled and bought before we cashed in our chips and headed back home.
This whole experience has taught me something. It takes a lot of time to grow, nurture, and prepare grapes before the wine making process begins and after the wine is bottled. It’s a huge industry that relies on many people. So how would you compare making wine to writing a book? It comes down to this: some wines take years to be released into the world, while others maybe months. Authors can crank out words like stomping on grapes until they’re satisfied with the tone and flavor. Other authors take their time, allowing their words to ferment for a while, let breathe, until they too are ready to uncork their properties. However you write, and whatever you write, you can be sure of one thing: everyone’s tastes are different, and there’s bound to be an audience just for you.
What or who are you grateful for this time of the season? Your health? Your family? Your job? Red or white? Fiction or non-fiction? For me, it’s our new home, living closer to family, and knowing in my heart that it was time for a change. Oh, yeah, and white, definitely white. Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends and family! Cheers and thank you for reading my blog!
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| And a Good Time was had by All! |
This past Saturday we joined the Winery Tour through the Paso Robles area. San Luis Obispo County has many wineries of varying sizes and reputations. This past weekend flaunted the talents of all of them for those interested in enjoying a lovely sunny day and some of the best wine tasting around.
We did our homework before setting out. The county published a Spring 2011 Vintages Magazine for those who wanted information and maps for a self-tour. We latched onto one of those and began by letting our fingers do our preliminary exploration. In today’s season of gasoline price gouging, we try to learn as much as possible before foot meets gas pedal.
As a result we had a list in hand, our local friends to act as guides, and the desire to experiment with tastes and click with camera. One of the first things we noticed after setting out was that stretch limos were numerous. It seemed that many of the wineries had been pegged to a tour list for those choosing to pay a tour service so that they could imbibe without worry for a designated driver.
Each winery we visited had an individual wine list for tasting and an accompanying tasting fee. When one considers that the varying small tasting fees for a sip of each of between ten and twenty wines, the monetary amount were more than fair. For those like us who wanted to taste only the best of a particular type of wine offered by the vineyard, that two or more ounces of the best cost us nothing. We also considered that a fair exchange.
When one considers the fact that in a few hours, the taster visited up to twenty or more vineyards in search of just the right bottle of vino, one sip at each adds up very quickly. Also, most people began the tour with empty stomachs and may not have stopped for lunch along the way. That fact counts for something, too.
Sister Jo and I were only interested in desert wines. We don’t drink often to begin with. When we do share a vintage, we prefer a sweeter, more robust wine with desert. A good merlot falls well into that category for us and satisfies any craving we might have to imbibe.
On Saturday so many types and names of wine beckoned to us from behind counters and served by pleasant sommeliers that the mind had little choice by to go numb after several wineries. The wine that I remembered best of all those presented was a sporty little Syrah desert wine from Red Soles Winery called Monkeyshine.
For someone like me who has always preferred a fortified wine, Monkeyshine served two purposes. It had a lovely hardiness and strength to hint at fortification while also sending out tendrils of sweetness without choking the drinker to death. The bouquet teased the nose with a mild brandy effect even as its fruitiness swirled around the edges.
As for Sister Jo, she chose a Syrah desert wine called Sticky Paws from Red Soles. She liked its fruity lightness and pleasant fragrance of honey dew melon and oranges that lingered in the mouth afterwards. We can certainly recommend either of these lovely choices for a dinner party near you.
From castles to haciendas, French chateaus to modern California architecture, the taster on Saturday’s tour had more than enough to favor the eye and the palette. Some wineries provided tidbits to eat, and at least one provided a Bar-B-Q for those visiting the cellars. For those on a guided tour by limo, and after enjoying dozens of wines, the afternoon was a happy place to experience and song and cheer followed them accordingly.
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