Getting Smashed

Having a baby slightly changes things. The title and the first sentence are not completely accurate. One is a significant overstatement and the other is a monumental understatement. I will let you decide which is which! Jessi and I don't get out as much as we used to now that we are the parents of a beautiful 7 month old boy. When we do get out for a bite to eat or a coffee there isn't much charm or romance tied to the event. Last night was our first run at trying to incorporate a little charm into our evening out with baby in tow. What better way to infuse the night with a touch of romance than to incorporate wine into our plans. I read a review on a local wine bar, Smash Wine Bar and Bistro, and off we went. Things were different with a baby in the mix, instead of heading out at 7:30 or 8pm we made sure we were there close to their 5pm opening time. We were pleasantly surprised to find they had a great happy hour menu that included both wine and food. We both had a glass of French Syrah/Grenach mix and some delicious eats. The wine was flavorful, smooth, and very enjoyable. We also ordered a Washington state flight of 3 different wines, all were blends. One of the wines in the flight was a merlot/Zinfandel mix, I have never come across a blend like this before. I was not overly impressed. My favor of the three wines was one made by Alexandria Nicole, the 2005 Quarry Butte, a mix of several wines with Cab Sav leading the bunch. I would give it 85 points out of 100. Jessi, Lachlan, and I had a wonderful evening sipping wine, talking, eating, and enjoying one another's company.

When we got home a couple hours later the night was still very young. I opened a bottle of San Juan Vineyards 2004 Merlot that I picked up for just 10 dollars. We settled in to watch the movie Once, which was a great movie for those of you who enjoy a moving story line, and phenomenal soul touching music. The Merlot was as good as any other Washington Merlot I have tried in the 15-20 dollar range. This wine was a huge fruit bomb; not much complexity, but perfect for a quaffing wine that doesn't demand much time and energy unlocking its' secrets. I give this wine 86 points.

Wine always bring something special to all occasions it makes an appearance. I thoroughly enjoyed my evening last night, and I'm looking forward to future times at the wine bar...hopefully Lachlan will not always be joining us.