Opolo Merlot Reserve

2006
Paso Robles, CA

The scent of this reminded me very much of Tawny Port meets Kalamata Olive. The taste was like a Robitussin cherry mushroom with a bit of earth mixed in. I do not wish to insinuate that this wine tasted like cough medicine with my reference to Robitussin. As a child, I very much enjoyed the taste of Robitussin and therefore, the slight reminder this wine brought forth was a characteristic I liked.

The finish was dry yet had a smooth, lingering, warm, slight spice flavor. This was very good. It was a nice and welcome change from the usual.

Oh Lover, hold on
'till I come back again
For these arms are growin' tired,
And my tales are wearing thin

If you're patient I will surprise,
When you wake up i'll have come

All the anger will settle down
And we'll go do all the things we should have done

Rachael Yamagata / Duet (with Ray LaMontagne)

8.5 out of 10
Approx. $24 / 750 ml. bottle? (can't buy easily)
14.8% alc. by vol.

St. Francis Chardonnay

2007
Sonoma County
California

I was very happy with this choice to accompany (and use in) an angel hair pasta dish I made last night. I am constantly in search of minerality in my wines. It is one of my absolute favorite characteristics that, when it's there, usually promises me a highly enjoyable glass. This wine did not let me down. A magnificent yellow diamond sparkle in hue, this emitted an awesome fresh flower/strawberry essence when I held it in my mouth. Upon swallowing, it was slightly bitter which worried me in the first millisecond. Then as it went down, a burst of mineral heaven sprang forth and I smiled a très heureux smile and relaxed for awhile.


I seem to be on an emotional roller coaster lately. It's my grandmother's birthday today. She's 92 and alone at her nursing home. I am going to go see her tomorrow. But it's days like this that I long for more time. I wonder if the nurses wished her a happy birthday this morning and if she wondered if she would get any visitors today. She was such a big part of my life and I feel terrible that I haven't been there often enough due to too many other obligations and an hour's drive. She means so much to me and I know we have limited time left. We are very similar as she raised 3 children and made family the most important part of her life. She knew what was most important was raising her children in a loving and safe home. She taught me that other things could wait until their due time, but children are here but for a short while. Yet a part of her always felt like she was inferior and longed to be more . . . shiny. I too struggle along that line, knowing what's right, but sometimes wishing for just a bit more, wondering if this is where I am supposed to be. Nothing a little dark chocolate can't snap me out of. I am baking Devil's Food cupcakes right now to bring to her and hope that our visit will stay in her mind awhile. (Hah!!! I was just listening to Chris Martin of Coldplay after a live version of "In My Place" and, after thanking fans for sticking with them through thick and thin, he said - no joke - "Eat More Chocolate" YES!!!!!)

I go from thinking of my life growing up and visiting with my grandparents in their sunny, happy home which always smelled of some delicious meal cooking, to seeing my grandmother now in the end stages of life, to watching my own children grow up before my eyes and wondering exactly where I myself am headed.

I listened to my oldest daughter sing behind closed doors and cried. Her voice is awesome. She was trying out for Glee Club and was a nervous wreck. She's never sung before and was going to be judged on stage in front of others. She refused to practice in front of me. She toyed with singing one of her favorite harder edged rock songs, but decided on one of my favorites, a more recent pop song: Anna Nalick's 2 AM. I came up the stairs and heard her practicing. I stood outside in the hall and was overcome with listening to my first child singing like a young woman. And doing something I was always too shy to pursue. I just stood there and quietly sobbed!! It was an awesome feeling though. I was, once again, in awe of her.

I am really missing my children being little and am yearning for a little one SO badly. I wish I was in a better position to adopt. I am often overcome with the feeling lately, especially as my own grow older. There are SO many children out there in need of a good home, it slays me. I truly believe that children are divinely bestowed upon us and entrusted to our care. The every day headlines bring word of one atrocity being committed against a child after another. It is beyond heartbreaking.

My youngest has a cheery, sunny room and an extra bed. And my children all tell me that they always feel like there's someone missing at the dinner table. Of course, we have 6 chairs and there are only 5 of us, so I am sure that plays a part. But sometimes I am flooded with the same sensation and feel the only way I can "fix" it is to bring some less fortunate child into my home. I believe that whatever was meant to be, will be. And I trust that if it was meant to be, I will some day be in a position to give another child a chance at a better, more love- filled life. And, maybe by then, I'll be exactly where I was always meant to be.



I have an eclectic repertoire of music always churning in my head, on a daily basis. I've come to rely on the dimension music adds to my life, almost as much as that of wine. And I enjoy the two together. My favorites run the gamut of Radiohead to Sam Cooke. Today, it's Sam Cooke who's in my head:

There been times when I thought I couldn't last for long
but now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming
but I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

~Sam Cooke~

8.25 out of 10
$12 / 750 ml. bottle

ZIN91

2006

Old Vine Zinfandel

California

This was just OK. Had a bit of a bitter taste that I couldn't get past. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't great. Mostly plum and slight cherry flavors with a bit of black pepper mixed in.

I'm stepping back in time tonight to remember my good old best friend John B. from college. A boy I was very fond of, but just not fond enough to make it work. (Harry was right in When Harry Met Sally - sometimes guys and girls just can't be friends without it having to go somewhere else, which then either ruins the friendship, or maybe, just maybe was the right thing after all.) Anyway, he was my best bud for awhile there (we're talking a couple of years), until we made out on my birthday and I felt like I was kissing my brother and pushed him away and he left all mad and pretty much didn't want to ever talk to me again. :(

A favorite song of his was running through my mind tonight and made me think of him:

Might as well go for a soda, nobody hurts and nobody cries
Might as well go for a soda, nobody drowns and nobody dies. . .
It's better than slander

The Kim Mitchell Band

$15 / 750 ml. bottle
7.5 out of 10
14% alc. by vol.