by Claire
I didn’t start drinking wine until my early 30’s and even then it was always white wine and not very often. These days I am a red wine fan and we even went to Napa Valley a few months before we acknowledged we were actually broke!
Oh Napa Valley…what an incredible trip! I know, I know…I’ve likely paid for 50 trips to Napa with the interest I’ve paid on debt–but it was such a great trip! Allow me to reminisce for just a moment…
Wine fascinates me. I wasn’t always interested in drinking it but I’ve always been intrigued by wine making. Add to that my very favorite biblical verse (John 15:4 Remain in me as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on it own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him, will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.”) and you see how I had a unique appreciation for the art and science of wine making. My fascination began with very basic reading about making wine and that probably started a few years before I ever drank wine on a regular basis! When I was single I would go to nearby wineries just to explore and then in 2008 I went to Italy and had a phenomenal time touring wineries! I was fortunate to meet an American (from Kentucky) who had married an Italian woman and stayed at her family vineyard on a small tour and learned so much…in English!
And so of course I wanted to go to Napa with Steve and tour wine country! We spent a few days in San Francisco and then headed up to Napa. The weather alone can make anyone fall in love with that region. I will go back one day….when I know every dollar I spend is in my account and not from a credit card.
Why am I sharing this now? We went to Sprouts yesterday and there was a lady providing free samples of a Chilean wine…that was on sale for $5! Through the years I have found my favorite wines and while several are in the $12 range…many are much more expensive. Since operation debt payoff has kicked in, I am discovering good wines in the lower price range. The $5 wine is surprisingly good and I hope the sale continues a few more days so I can grab some more bottles! As I enjoyed a glass of the $5 wine I remembered an absurd moment from that Napa trip.
Late in the day after multiple tours of multiple wineries, I was feeling it! So much so that I ended up signing up for a “wine club.” My favorite winery by far–Etude–had the best Pinot Noir I had ever tasted. And so emotion and booze (and not in that order) had me signing on the dotted line! And for the next three months I was the proud recipient of 2 phenomenal bottles of wine each month…ranging in price from $70 per bottle to $90 per bottle. INSANITY! I know! We cancelled it in January after receiving the third shipment and now it is a funny reminder of the “lifestyles of the rich and famous” life we had created.
I don’t want to go back there but also look forward to something in between that madness and the $5 wine! Another motivator!
Born and raised in Texas. I’ve at least driven through every state in the US courtesy of a roadtrip loving Dad.
I’m single with two children and a good parenting relationship with their father.
I am a “life is just half full of funny” kinda gal. Humor is my saving grace and I am thankful for it every single day. I have a strong Catholic faith and am thankful for that foundation.
I read a lot for a living but still enjoy a good book. I love biographies but in recent years have found the need for fun fictional books–sadly, for a long time I just didn’t enjoy fiction!
I love live theatre of any kind–from local productions to Broadway.
I love to scrapbook and pride myself in my kids’ albums.
I love being a mom but also love my career. I’m blessed to have found a balance allowing me to be at everything my kids need and want me to be at–while also having a career.
Favorite Quotes: Well behaved women rarely make history.
Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out. -James Bryant Conant
Trader Joe’s has some fantastic Malbecs for around $5 a bottle, and one of my favorite Rieslings is around $12– it’s all in where you look.
For me, there’s nothing like a good Malbec; I’m just lucky that they tend to the side of reasonable!
We don’t have a Trader Joe’s but we are getting one soon! It was big news here and I’m so thankful both for the cheap wine and the many foodie items that always come up in real food recipes. “Found at Trader Joe’s.”
Whole Foods regularly has a line of wines that are under $4 per bottle and are pretty good. I was surprised at how much I liked it.
Thanks for this Christine! We DO have a Whole Foods but I haven’t perused their wine selection. That’ll be a “to do” this weekend!
I enjoyed this post a lot.
We are also fans of trader joes 3 buck chuck…also available at Costco liquor store and you don’t even need to be a Costco member.
WHAT? I can get this at Costco?! Adam! This is great news. Thank you! Next stop: Costco. JUST TO CHECK THE WINE b/c Lord knows I can do some damage at that place. Oh wait….I think our membership expired so I will just go to the liquor store! 😉