Pink.

Wow! Here it is, almost August, & I've barely talked about what I've been drinking, if at all! That's just not right, so since I have a few minutes this morning (shhhh, don't tell the puppy), I'll fulfill my promise from the last post.

It's no secret that Doug & I are ardent fans of rose'. (Not White Zinfandel or the dreadful Pink Catawba & blush wines that many local wineries make, but good, dry rose'. There's a huge difference.) It's the perfect solution for red wine lovers that want something cooler & lighter during the warmer seasons. There's simply no better wine to sip on during any kind of summer weather, & most of them are very food friendly. I'm not going to try to convince you that I'm right (because I already know that I am), you're either going to find out for yourself or not. They don't all taste the same, & some suit other foods more than others. If you don't discover a rose' that you like, that's ok -- more for us!

While I'm not going to name all of the different bottles of rose' that we've enjoyed this year - there have been quite a few - I can share some of our favorites with you. Let's start naming names, shall we?

The rose' that we've bought more of than any other this summer - & the wine I promised to write about in my last post - is the 2008 Charles & Charles Volume II Rose' out of Washington State. One of the winemakers is Charles Smith of K Vintners...you know, the guy that makes Kung Fu Riesling, Velvet Devil, Holy Cow, & Boom Boom, among many others. He's one of our favorites, & quite a character in person. Ah, but I digress, so let me get back to this wine. It's made from Syrah, & is possibly the lightest & crispest rose' from that grape that we've ever had; I find it to be very similar to those out of Provence. Very pretty, pale pink color. The nose is lovely -- strawberries, flowers, & just goodness -- & that first sip is more strawberries, raspberries, & a wonderful acidity. Bone dry. I absolutely love this stuff, & the price makes it even more lovable...you can usually find it for under $12.

Another wine that has captured our heart is the 2008 Lucy Rose' of Pinot Noir from Lucia. This is a completely different animal than the Charles & Charles, & you can tell that just from looking at it. The color is much more vibrant, & the wine is very flavorful & fruity. Our friend Amy says it goes down like Kool Aid, & we agree! Like most rose', strawberries are the most prominent aroma & flavor, but there's more going on in this wine. Watermelon, maybe some kind of peach, I don't know. What I do know is that it's fantastic, & a downright delightful pairing with pork from Pappy's Smokehouse. Mmmmm...it's a little early in the day, but I'm starting to get hungry for barbeque.

The 2008 Crios Rose' of Malbec is perhaps the greatest value out there & it pleases everyone. This shouldn't come as a surprise, as winemaker Susana Balbo knocks it out of the park with everything that she makes. For about $11 or less, this can be yours, & it'll be a hit anywhere you take it!

Toad Hollow's 2008 Dry Rose' of Pinot Noir "Eye of the Toad" -- for about $10, this wine is a winner. We love it, & like the Crios, it's very consistent in quality year-to-year. Grab it, you won't be sorry!

We're also very fond of the 2008 Boxcar Rose', made largely from Syrah with a little Pinot Noir thrown in for good measure. It's also a steal for about $13.

You've probably noticed that all of these wines are 2008...while there are still many 2007's on the racks, I'm going to ignore those. Rose' is not meant for aging, & I've had some less than stellar experiences with some favorites from last year. Blech.

So many, many wines, so little time. I've got a lot to do today, so I'd better get to it!

Observations From A Long Saturday

Yesterday was a big day for the ol' business. Those of you that know what we do will know the enormity of it all when I say we had five yesterday. Yes...FIVE. It was a record-breaking day, & it's a record that will remain unbroken. It was a hectic & dreadfully hot & humid day.

In between 1 & 2, we stopped for lunch at a new place that has sprouted off from a very upscale & well-known place in St. Louis. Imagine my surprise when I saw this on the wine list:

(I apologize for the lack of focus -- it was, after all, taken on my cell.)

Still not spotting it? It says "Sauvingon Blanc".

It's SAUVIGNON. One mispelling I could understand (sort of), but everytime that varietal was on the list, it was spelled the incorrect way. I rank this one right up there with another nice place (that has now closed down) that topped its martini menu with the header "Martini's". Gah.

On our way out of 2, I noticed this stained glass window:


You're right - that is a girl sitting at a computer. I know I can't be the only one that finds this hilarious.

Now for something completely random... Sweaty hair that has been dried in front of the air conditioning vent really can be quite cute. Too bad you have to go through so much just to get that look!

And that's all I've got for right now. Doug & I are diving into a lovely bottle of rose' (that I will write about in the future, I'm sure), & I'd like to enjoy it without too much distraction...

Unbelievable...

We just did the craziest thing.

We actually sought out the company of our 4 & 6 year old neighbor kids. We spent time with them, cheered them on, & actually hugged them when we left.

Oh, yes...there was a motive. There was definitely a motive.

We're hoping to achieve this:



The above photo was taken after a Sunday afternoon playdate with 7 other dogs in our backyard. That's what it took to stop Hurricane Truvy. We don't have those resources available tonight, so....

Desperate times called for desperate measures.

We hope it worked...but she just grabbed a coffee cup.

Out of our kitchen sink.

Fuck.