Vino y se fue

For the first time in my life I bought a bottle of wine that is intended solely for me, not as a housewarming gift or a “Shit! What do we take to their party?” escape pod. Yes, I am going to be 30 this May.

Yes, 30, IP. Not 34. That’s you in August. ;)

Anyhow, while hitting Harris Teeter with a work friend, we decided to take a look at their wine section. Back in December, IP’s brother cooked us a great meal in New York and served a tasty Riesling. I totally forgot the name but remembered the description of the wine on the bottle’s label (how’s that for selective memory?). While browsing the Rieslings, I hit upon the description. I’m pretty sure that this is the wine I had (IP’s brother isn’t sure of the name, either) and the interweb’s hearty endorsement of it convince me that it is indeed the same and I will like it. There’s no knowing that until I pop open the bottle, though, and I’ll do that when IP returns from a small trip tomorrow night.

But yes, I am not a wine drinker. When I first started drinking (October 16, 1999 at my friend’s insistence since it was her birthday), I was all about the frou-frou drinks—cloud up the alcohol with as much sugar water as you can, my man, and make it quick! I really zoned in on mudslides for a time which could’ve been bad for my waistline if I hadn’t been such a dedicated runner. At one point or another during college I tried Pinot Grigio and professed to like it that night, but didn’t the next time I tried it. Upon heading to DC in 2006, I cycled through affairs with whiskey sours, margaritas, rum and (diet) cokes, and mojitos before settling with comfortable (and cheap!) light beer. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy the sometimes needed rum and (diet) coke (mmm, Castillo Rum!), but it’s the light beer, in particular Heineken and its Heineken Light little brother, that do me good. Unless we’re talking summer and Gordon Biersch, then it’s all Summerfest, all the time (Golden Export the rest of the year). All this is to say is that I am not a sophisticated consumer of wine. I detest red wines and found white wines only a little more palatable. I hate champagne toasts at weddings and will more than likely encourage everyone to chug a beer (classy!). Even the sparkling nonalcoholic crap that Mathgeek likes to have on New Year’s? Nas-tay.

However, I’ve found a common ground with this Riesling. We have an understanding. It’ll be sweet and tasty and light, and in exchange I will not dry heave. If I’ve made the right choice, that is.

While I possibly enjoy this, though, there is another wine adventure to be had. My sister, Dorkus Malorkus, Italy-loving snob that she is (kidding!), has promised me that I will simply love Moscato d’Asti wine—a dessert wine, she thinks it’s sure to meet the requirement that this particular Riesling has met. We shall see.

02/01/2008: An Addendum (happy February by the way).  I forgot about my love of sangria.  While sangria of course contains wine, thankfully it’s not the dominant taste in this wonderful drink.  Before beer and the DC mixed drinks, there was sangria at Dominick’s.  Rather, I should say there will always be sangria at Dominick’s.