Belated/early Wine Wednesday

Yikes, what a week! The last week of the semester brought the end of the course I was teaching, no less than three holiday parties, and a massive headache that's still kind of throbbing in the back of my head.

As far as the wedding blogging goes, inspiration is failing me a bit. Should I write about my upcoming meeting with a very cool-sounding florist who will hopefully not laugh at my complete ignorance about all things flower-related? (I can tell a carnation from a calla lily. After that things get shaky.) Our upcoming engagement party and bridal shower? Or my frustration with invitation software and templates that don't have enough room to list divorced parents on separate lines? (I can't be the only person having this problem. Why on earth Wedding Paper Divas assumes you can always squeeze the bride's parents onto a single line is beyond me. And don't even get me started on Jean M.'s delusional belief that all you need for any invitation is 12 lines.)

Nah. Instead I'll blog about my recent wine-buying adventures, and a fantastic $8 Cabernet that's gone on the short list for wedding wines.

I recently had the delightful task of buying lots of alcohol for a holiday party, and I put a lot of thought (probably too much) into providing a well-balanced selection of wines for the guests to enjoy. (Good practice for the wedding, I figure.) After the party I was so thrilled to overhear people praising the great variety of drinks! Here was the list:
* Pillar Box White from Australia -- this is a great blend of unoaked Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. A bit sharp and citrusy for some, but Econo Boy and I love it.
* Sagta Torrontes from Argentina -- Torrontes is a great grape for fruity, slightly fuller-bodied white wines. This one was new to me, but I thought it was very nice, although not quite as good as the Las Brisas white I mentioned in my last Wine Wednesday post.
* Smoking Loon Pinot Noir from California -- an old standby, light and drinkable, a great inexpensive wine.
* Wishing Tree Shiraz from Australia -- I'm not a big fan of Shiraz, I find it too heavy, but Econo Boy assures me this is a balanced and pleasant one.
* Xplorador Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile -- a home run! Spicy and dry, just like a good Cab should be in my book. And at $8 a bottle it's a huge steal. My friends who've been urging me to drink more South American wine are on to something!


I did, however, learn a lesson: buy half red and half white. I did 2/3 red & 1/3 white, and by the end of the party the white was almost gone while we still had plenty of red. For a July wedding, we might even consider buying slightly more white than red. (Now how am I going to explain this to my white-loathing father? Maybe if I promise no Rieslings ...)