Clos du Bois de Menge Gigondas

2009 
Red Wine 
Southern Rhone of France

I bought this to give a French red yet another go. It was also given a "90" rating by I-don't-remember-who. I would not agree with the 90 rating unless drinking it with the Castello Sage Blue Brie I eventually shared it with. With the cheese, it was really, really flavorful & vice versa. Alone, it was good but I was disappointed with the "eh" finish. I found the wine bordered more on the herbal side than a berry side of flavor, which I tend to prefer in as much as it is a not-so-typical wine flavor. It also had a touch of minerality - another preferred characteristic of wine for me. I grilled organic turkey burgers with organic fire-roasted tomatoes, sea salt & pepper, & crumbled Saga Blue Brie cheese. Again, with the burgers, the wine was great. I didn't notice the weaker finish when had with the cheese alone or with the burgers. 

I think a lot about the "right attitude" and how it can (or can't) affect one's life. Take, for instance, the person who is given a poor health diagnosis. You hear of people who pack it in with such a diagnosis & you hear of people who persevere with a positive attitude. Yet some of those with the "I will beat this" attitude don't end up making it. I've always wondered what happened there. Lately I have been thinking about this in my own life. I feel like I've been down more than I've been up. Always on the brink of finally making it. Not making it big, mind you - just being able to provide for our needs without stressing so much. The truth is, if I am being honest with myself, behind my attempts to have faith & believe that everything is going to work out, there is actually doubt that it ever really will. And I sit & contemplate, is that the real problem here? As much as I try my best to believe & trust & have faith, down deep I just don't have enough of it to make it fly?

I read a book last year by Don Miguel Ruiz called "The Four Agreements". Don is a surgeon turned Shaman (who returned to his familial roots by becoming a Shaman - Toltec). I read his little book front to back & vowed to implement it in my life. The basic premises of the Four Agreements are as follows:

Always be impeccable with your words
Don't take things personally
Do not assume anything
Always do your best

What struck me most is that the first (3) things I felt I am in definite need of conquering. And the 4th also to a certain degree. Let me tell you, it is HARD to follow these (4) agreements daily. I can't help but feel if I can make it through a week of following all four, I should be given a PhD. Truly. I don't think I've made it through just (1) day mastering all (4).

I find myself, like yesterday when I was cut off by a Subaru Sedan (from my own State nonetheless), saying or thinking bad things. I was in the left lane of a main road coming out of a stop light. I know, from living here for a long time, that the right lane merges into the left a short distance later. I always stay in the left lane & I try to give anyone in the right the benefit of the doubt of possibly not knowing the area (i.e., out of Staters especially) & therefore, let them in. Yesterday, this IDIOT in the Subaru ran right up alongside me as the lane was ending. There was NO ONE behind me. Rather than back off & move behind me, he moved up right along side me when it was now (1) lane only. He was forcing me over to the middle line of the road. I backed off & let him in. But I called him an as*hole out loud in my car. I then proceeded to tell myself (out loud in a super kind voice) that I wasn't being "impeccable with my words". AND, what's worse, upon deeper introspection, was that I found I was assuming this guy just wanted to dominate the situation & felt some sort of power in forcing me to back off. These were the thoughts actually controlling my mind for the next 10 minutes home until I took a left & was no longer following the idiot. For a moment, it was totally scary as I found a rage building in me that wanted to run him off the road! Whoa! What is up with THAT??????

Whenever I look back
On the best days of my life
I think I saw them all on TV
I am so homesick now for
Someone that I never knew
I am so homesick for
Someplace I will never be

Time Won't Let Me Go, The Bravery

8.0 out of 10
13.5% alc. by vol.
$18/750 ml. bottle

Cupido Takes on Terrilogio

Cupido
Toscana, Sensi family
2010 
Sangiovese

8.5 out of 10
$9.99 / 750 ml. bottle
13% alc. by vol.

Terrilogio
Toscana
2009
Sangiovese (85%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), Merlot Blend (5%)

7.5% out of 10
$12.99/750 ml. bottle
12.5% alc. by bol.


I previously reviewed the 2004 Terrilogio. There is a difference. The 2004 was better. The 2009 was a bit watery in flavor. This is supposed to be a "Supertuscan" which, I would think, would come with a super flavor. Not so. My point here is that the $3 less Cupido Toscana Sangiovese was better.

There was a slight smokiness & greater lasting finish with the Cupido. The Terrilogio was weaker in flavor & had less of a finish. The Cupido tasted better alone & with food. We had the Cupido with home-made pizza & the Terrilogio with turkey meatball grinders - similar spices & tomato sauces in each meal, but better quality of taste from Cupido. Terrilogio was better with food, but not alone. The Cupido could stand up alone.

I've had too much to drink today. It's been a weird, sad day & I came home from church thirsty & chugged a couple of Sam Adam's Octoberfest beers, one of the few beers I truly like. This had a greater impact on me due to the fact that I had no water or any other liquid upon awakening today.

I went to church with my youngest & we said goodbye to our minister of six years who is leaving. It was an hour & a half long service which culminated in an "Order for Godspeed & Farewell" ceremony, which was beautiful. I couldn't stop crying. I am happy for his future endeavors, but sad that he is actually leaving the church ministry. He is going to work for hospice, which I think he will be great for. But he is young, & was so great for our kids at church.

In addition, last week we had a church "head" come to speak who spoke of decreasing church attendance in the United States since the 1950's. The numbers were depressing. He spoke of it as if it weren't such a bad thing because people were speaking of feeling "spiritual", just not religious. This to me doesn't really make me feel better.

I see the difference in the people around me & especially in my children's lives. When I was in college, I would go with my Catholic friends to mass because it was the only church on campus. I am Protestant. I still got something out of just being in the building. My eldest who left for college two weeks ago I am pretty sure will not attend any religious services. I brought her up in the church & had her confirmed, but she never held onto any faith other than there is a darker side to this life we live. I must have failed somewhere in spite of my perseverance. So now I pray for her to find faith on her own. But how can I blame her when she was picked on in middle school, & also picked on in church by the middle school kids there (who were from a different town than the one she went to school in)? It is no wonder just "being in the building" didn't bring her comfort. In addition, most of her friends don't attend church, or never did, & some are even from Atheist families. Where the heck is the Hope in that?

I have been thinking today of her, she is over 15 hours away & not so city-smart. And I have been thinking of our minister who I will miss. And I have been thinking of how I have been unable to do the things I always wanted to do for my children & always thought I'd be able to do by now. I have worked hard since I was 16. But I don't have a lot to show for it.  It has just all culminated into one big "feeling sorry for oneself" day. I do know that things could always be worse & that is what I think of MOST of the time, but sometimes life can just get you down in spite of it all.

At some point in the midst of my "sorrows", my girlfriend contacted me to come over. She is missing her son who is also away at college. He is her only child. She was feeling out of sorts herself today. So we decided to visit & just be out of sorts together. Unfortunately, she also took out a bottle of cab & it went down too easy on a weird day. But sometimes, it just feels good to wallow together before moving on. We got a little hammered & felt bad for each other & laughed & moved on. Now I feel better. :)

For Jess:
House is run down
In need of repair
Days go by
Years do too
But pumpkins adorn the front stairs
Every October
To be sure
One for each girl
Whether they are here, or away