Wine Debunk | ...refuse to be intimidated

Mouthfeel

Mouthfeel can be tricky to describe, but we’re going to give it a whirl. When you eat or drink something, the primary sense involved in that process are taste and smell. On some level, we understand that feel is important but it’s not the sense that carries the spotlight when it comes to consumption. Why not? You already know right now if you prefer soft tacos or crunchy. Marshmallows that have been toasted over a fire have crisp skin and gooey insides. We engage the sense of touch with our mouths all the time.

viscosity

Avocado & Brut Champagne

Please don’t freak out but we’re going to recommend pairing avocado with Brut Champagne. We like football and we like football viewing parties. That usually means there’s going to be some guacamole and that got us to wondering what might go well with avocados. Avocados are delicately flavored yet high in healthy fat. Wines that go well with avocado should be in balance with these elements. A heavy, fruity red would drown out the taste of the guacamole. What we suggest is something dry.

Body

Wine is often described as having body but that doesn’t mean that one size fits all or that one body type is better than another. Although it's common to think of full-bodied wines as exclusively red, some white dessert wines with higher sugar content fall into the fuller side. Does that mean full-body is better? You tell us. Champagne is thin. Still think thin wine is not good? We didn’t think so. The point is, you can’t necessarily know if a wine is good or bad based on body.

Sangiovese

The Sangiovese grape is often used in blends, giving heart to traditional rustic wines, but it’s also used to make Sangiovese wine. There’s a high level of acidity and tannins to be found here, so striking the right balance can be tricky. This is a wine you don’t have to be prissy about. Most of the time a Sangiovese is intended to be consumed fairly early, especially if it’s from the Americas.

Reason to Drink - Mad Men Return Date Announced

The office was abuzz with debate. There was news, but was it a good reason to drink? We voted. The girls won. Jon Hamm let slip the date Mad Men will return to the air for their 5th season. Apparently, March 25th will also be a good day to open a bottle, so this one's a two-fer.

Cote du Rhone

reason to drink

Fresh Cooler

Like something fresh? Something cooler? Wine can be both fresh and cooler. We’ve got an unusual suggestion for this week’s daring pairing. Instead of finding food to go with wine, how about putting something in your wine? We propose mixing wine with Hibiscus water. Come on, there are a fair few of us who remember seeing the priest mix water with wine every Sunday. And Hibiscus water is delish! There’s a reason why hummingbirds like it so much and it’s not just because the flower is red.

recipe

Merlot

Día de los Reyes

In Argentina, January 6 is a feast day known as Día de los Reyes. To celebrate, they make a ring shaped cake called Rosca de Reyes. Hidden inside is a little plastic king or baby Jesus that’s good luck for the person who finds it. In New Oleans, they call this King Cake and they make it for Mardi Gras. Dia de los Reyes is Twelfth night aka the Twelfth day of Christmas. You know, when your true love gives you twelve lords a-leaping. In our house, it’s also the last day to get the holiday decorations put away and open season to begin mocking neighbors who still have their lights up.

Government Actually Working

Need a reason to drink? We're raising a glass to the brief evidence that the government is actually working. Just this week, in a rare moment of governmental solidarity, the FCC unanimously ruled that commercials can no longer be louder than the TV shows.

Huzzah!

That sounds like a good reason to raise a glass to us.

How about a Pinot Blanc? Citrusy, light, refreshing. Kind of like when government works.

Pinot Blanc

citrusy

reason to drink