Wine for the Common Days

Sunday night is one of those nights where one tries hard to hold onto the feel of the weekend, but can't help but concede that the stress and responsibility of the work week is quickly approaching. What better way to fight back the stress of the impending work week than by popping the cork on a bottle of wine. This is exactly what we did this Sunday. Two years ago a friend gave me a bottle of Silver Lake Gewurztraminer 2002. My friend and I had plans to drink this wine together, but after his moving and both of our wives having a baby, this wine was moved to the "ready to drink" wine rack. This wine had a big sweet pear bouquet, and a satisfying sweet peach flavor. Although this wine was sweet, it didn't overpower the fruit. This wine was simply enjoyable; perfect for a quiet Sunday evening.

I rarely drink wine during the week but the perfect wine for a Monday graced my palate this week. A decent build up for one of the most ordinary wines being made. A friend shared a glass of Charles Shaw 200v4 Cab Sav with me. This wine is one dimensional, with its most noticeable attribute being its cloying sweetness. I recently hosted a blind wine tasting, and I threw this wine in for fun. Everyone thought it was Shiraz; nobody guessed it could possibly be a cab sav. This wine is just too sweet for my liking. I have to admit that although I name this wine as ordinary, it is drinkable. A 3 dollar wine that is drinkable! WOW. The interesting fact is that this wine tasted better when I was drinking it with my friend. I hear studies have shown that the same wine can taste significantly different based on the context in which the wine is drunk. I know that context changes the experience of wine, but a good wine is good everywhere, and a bad wine is bad wherever you are. Here's to hoping your wines are good to you.