Wine Blogging Wednesday #43: Comfort Wine

I’ve been thinking about this Wine Blogging Wednesday assignment for a while, different wine styles and varieties running through my head like determined marathon competitors. Would the winner be Petite Sirah: the first unusual variety I fell in love with over ten years ago? Gewurztraminer: that wonderful match for Thai food? Pinot Noir: the one I resisted for so long and finally gave into for its finesse and endless food pairings? Oh, no. As you can tell by the pictures, the winner was to be none of those…. bubbles have my heart and warm my soul. But they didn’t have me at hello. Like Pinot, I resisted them for a few years, perhaps due to the cheap versions so often served at weddings. Yet even when I once got to try some Dom Perignon when my bartender friend opened a bottle by mistake, I remained unimpressed.

So, what did it? There was no “aha” moment, no bottle that blew my socks off. Gradually, I gave in. Starting slowly with Moscato d’Asti, then the sweet Toad Hollow Risqué, and the Coppola Sofia. Now, it’s anything and everything. Versatile and delicious. Cheap (love that Cristalino as many fellow bloggers do for the great QPR) to expensive (Champagne really makes a special occasion better). Sweet or dry. From Spain, France, Italy, California, New Mexico, Moldova, wherever… Red or white or pink. 

But what made me choose sparkling wine over all others? I think for me, someone who’s around wine all day, I can have it whenever I want. A sip of Viognier, a taste of Zinfandel. But since Rosenblum doesn’t make any bubbly, someone will bring in a bottle for after work. And on a crazy busy Saturday, with the tasting bar three deep and more people (and dogs) coming up the stairs all the time, that sparkling wine represents the end of a hard day. That period where co-workers can just be friends—sitting, chatting, relaxing, complaining about jerky customers, reflecting on the nice ones, pleased with our hard work, and more pleased that it’s over for the moment. When the flutes are pulled down, and the bottle releases its silent pop, that’s when comfort comes to call.

Wine Blogging Wednesday, created by Lenn Thompson, is always interesting, but this one had less pressure, in that we could pick anything that made us feel good. Joel, thanks so much for a fantastic theme.  I think we all needed it.