What I Did On My Winter Vacation

It's been awhile since I have posted to this blog. Not because I gave up drinking, far from it! It is because I have been drinking the same wines listed here. I have not gone out and tried something new and instead went for the familiar and the inexpensive. You see I have been living with a pregnant woman during my winter vacation and while she is a very pleasant and beautiful mommy to be, she's not much of a drinker. So logic tells me not to buy an expensive wine that I may not finish or a new wine that she will not enjoy with me. Just stay with the tried and true. Here are some of the wines that I have been enjoying.

My every day wine (just a figure of speech, not a drinking problem) is in that $10 and less sweet spot. It has to be an easy drink and cheap so if it goes back in the fridge and goes bad before I can get to it, so be it. I'll just open up another bottle of cheap wine. The wines in my bandoleer are:

Big House Red -- a long time favorite with a screw top for longevity in the fridge.
Ten Mile -- I think this has a screw top.
Cellar No. 8 Zinfandel
Castono Hecula Monastrelli -- I like to think of this as my Spanish Big House Red.
Casono Monastrelli -- same place, cheaper wine. David and Rachel gave this to us as hosts gift and I am drinking this as I type. A lovely bottle even if it makes me sound gay. Happy gay not, um, you know, oh never mind.

When I want to break out of my cheap bottle and go for something extravagant I have been opening two of my favorites.

Ridge Three Valleys -- a man trip favorite
Seghesio Zinfandel -- a consumer reports favorite

While each of these costs $20+ at the local wine shoppes (note fancy spelling) I can get them for about $16 at Costco. And while I am there I grab a few big house reds and ten miles. And maybe a large jar of Atomic Fire Balls, a 4 family size box of Cheerios and the latest Family Guy season out on DVD. Damn you Costco!

I can't go any further without giving a "shout out" to my new friend, the off-brand 8 bottle wine cooler. Leigh bought this for me at Lowes and I tried to mount it in a cabinet but it never would get cool. So that's why you can't cover up the vents. It now lives on the floor under Leighs sewing table and does a wonderful job of keeping my wine at lovely 58 degrees. There's that word again.

I keep the corks from the wine I drink. Not because I have any hording issues but I know one day I will be able to do something with them all like float down the Cahaba River. It IS a little disturbing that the bowl has been filling up and Leigh has not been drinking for at least 8 months. Oh well, I guess she just needs to catch up.

That's all for now. I'll probably keep up this routine for a few months more and at least until Pinot Grigio season gets here. I might even tone it down because newborns don't care if you drank a bottle two hours ago, they want to be changed, NOW!

So, what did you do on your winter vacation?

Shawn