drinking

PARTY PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~ thedailydish ~ 11 Comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnrLloO7nFQ&hl=en&fs=1]
Did you MISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS MEEEEEEE??!~!!!!!!

I_MISSSSSED_YOU!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY HANUKKAH! HAPPY KWANZAA! And ALL THE BEST IN 2009!!!

Since I didn’t get round to sending out cards this year – or photos for that matter, here are my belated greetings. I actually considered buying discount cards the day after Christmas, but frankly what’s the point. Now that I’ve reconciled what used to be a bank account, I am WAY GLAD I got those 5 calendars for half price.

Sooooooo what have you all been up to these past 2 weeks…..????????

REALLY:: You don’t say// NOOOOO???!! WOW.

Me?? WEeeeelllll. We went to Hotlanta for the holidays. And it was HOT. WELL. Not really, but it was warm. On Christmas afternoon we went walking, the sky was gorgeous blue and we didn’t have to wear coats, let alone mittens, hats and scarves. Though my sister gave me a sweet hat for Christmas – which I LOVE.  Kiwi REALLY likes it too.

hat

We had a grand ole time w/ my family. We played Trivial Pursuit and discovered that the official language of Latvia is LATVIAN. No fooling. Then we played Bingo. It was fun, but we all agreed it would have been better if we were playing for money. We drank wine. LOTS OF WINE. Now that my 2008 Wine Challenge is officially over, I am having difficulty giving it up. I blame it on the kids.  No.  Really.  Each time I go to stock up, the clerk eyeballs me suspiciously.  Like WHAT THE HELL”S THIS SEMI-ATTRACTIVE WOMAN DOING WITH TWELVE BOTTLES OF WINE??!  I always mention my children.  And the clerk, without fail, nods knowingly and asks to carry the box to my car.  SO. I am loath to stop drinking.  But what with the economy and our depleted savings, let’s face it.  I am going to have to cut my consumption altogether or switch to TRULY cheap hooch. My husband kindly left some adult juice boxes in my stocking.  Thanks babe.

winejuicebox

BUT don’t think you weren’t on my mind too.  I thought of some of you particularly whilst we made our hellishly long 28 hour car ride there and back. We passed exits for Raleigh (Hayden), Greenville (HellCat) and finally Columbia, SC (Connie). I considered swinging by for a spontaneous visit, but thought you all deserved a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We are not exactly at our Ellingsworth best after so many hours in the car. Especially after dealing with the endless stream of Left Lane Charlies.  And by Left Lane Charlies I of course mean those persons who man the left lane ONLY.  Neither speeding, nor passing.  Just passing the time.  talking on their cell phones.  Conversing w/ passengers.  DRIVING A U-HAUL AND TOWING A CAR.  Along the way we did find time to buy fireworks, mostly b/c I Insisted and was at the wheel.  We set some off last night and MAN OH MAN was it fun.  My favorite was Halley’s Comet, which made a loud BANG and shot fire balls skyward..and then streetward..toward our neighbor’s car..after the package fell over.  Fortunately, as our neighbor was still out of town, NO HARM DONE.

And so here we are home.  And it’s the new year.  WOW.  My husband casually mentioned last night that 2009 marks 20 years since he graduated high school.  I nearly snarfed my wine.  OH MY GOOOOODDNESSSSSSSS.  20 years.  HOLY CRAP WE ARE OLD.

And on that note.  Bottoms up.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!!

Wine Challenge: Third Quarter Summary

~ thedailydish ~ 7 Comments

Hard to believe another 3 months has passed me by, but here we are again.  Focusing on my most favoritest of subjects. WINE.

I will be honest w/ you.  The past 3 months – POOF! into the ether.  This summer just went by waaay too fast.  I spent many of its balmy nights blissed out of my mind, sitting on a beach, by a campfire, YES pretty much anywhere, enjoying an adult juice box or two.  The past two weeks alone I’ve been drunker than a skunk on a blind-inducing bender. And YES it has been fun.

Unfortunately, in my revelry, my wine diary got tossed to the wind like yesterday’s bikini.  Well, technically it was placed behind that old photo on top of the bookcase – but you catch my drift.  This quarter I sampled many, many wines. Unfortunately, this quarter I made far fewer recordings in my illustrious diary than ever.  Wine is always easy, but being disciplined when you’re with wine is a little bit harder.

This quarter I sampled recorded 19 new wines.  The ante was upped slightly these past 3 months, in that many of the wines I tried would normally sell for MORE THAN $10.  This might perhaps account for some of my less-than-disciplined approach.  Drinking *better than hooch* does that to you. But then again, so does hooch.

Out of the 19 wines surveyed:

12 rated A or B.  A or B = Gooood.

7 rated C or LESS.  C or Less means NEVER AGAIN. NOT EVEN IF YOU PAID ME.

Christy’s Top Five of the Summer (in no particular order):

Castle Rock
2007 Pinot Noir
CALIFORNIA
13.8% alc/vol, 750 ml

A deliciously light & lovely red.  Notes of cherry, ripe red berries and spice.  Medium body w/ a lingering finish.  Low acidity.  YUMMY! Highly recommended.

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Tangent
2006 Pinot Gris
CALIFORNIA
13.5% alc/vol, 750 ml

Pale, clear gold w/ hints of fruit in the bouquet. Luscious fruit flavors – melon, citrus, pear, nectarine and honey.  Lovely, crisp clean finish. Round on palate. FULL FLAVORED and delicious.

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Pascual Toso
2006 Merlot
ARGENTINA
14% alc/vol, 750 ml

What a red!  Round and rich w/ a perfect finish.  Low acidity.  Appealingly dry.  TONS of flavor, but not sweet or cloying in any way.  Ripe red berries w/ a hint of ….??  Something.  I just can’t put my finger on.  Not spicy.  Licorice?  Not dramatic or dark enough.  Just a wonderful wine.  See for yourself.

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TOHU
2006 Sauvignon Blanc
NEW ZEALAND
13.5% alc/vol, 750 ml

This wine in one word.  EXQUISITE.  Palest wisp of color.  Most distinctly unique flavor of citrus – especially grapefruit.  Crisp w/ very low acidity.  Clean finish.  Absolutely delicious.  One of the best wines I’ve had this year.

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Zolo
Torrontes 2007
ARGENTINA
13.8% alc/vol, 750 ml

Clear, palest gold.  Bright fruity bouquet.  Really striking, intense flavors of tropical fruit, pineapple, melon.  Good body.  A tasty young wine.  Yum- YUM.