The Dude’s Guide Pt 4: Ordering and Buying Wine

The scenario – You’ve just scored a date with a super hot friend of your co-worker. When you pick her up she is wearing a clingy red low-cut dress. The kind of dress that shows her curves and makes you hope it’s a little breezy. As the evening progresses, all the signs point to success. She laughs at all your jokes, she flings her hair back flirtatiously, and touches your shoulder periodically when she’s talking. You arrive at the restaurant and score the table overlooking the river. The waiter comes over hands you your menu and hands YOU the wine menu. As you open it up, a cold sweat comes over you and your cheeks get flush. What does it all mean? How do you choose? 

The Dude’s Guide to Wine helps demystify and educate the average Joe about wine. 

• In Part One we explained three reasons all guys should know a little about wine – Rated PG
• In Part Two we explored the basics of grapes and their general characteristics – Rated PG-13
• In Part Three we talked about the experience of wine tasting (swirl, smell, sip, savor) – Rated R

Why is there so much anxiety when ordering wine or buying from a store? I think it can be distilled down into one thing; Fear of Failure. We’re afraid of ordering the wrong wine with the food. We’re afraid of paying too much for a bad tasting wine. We’re afraid of looking bad. The dude is comfortable with ordering beer. You’ll always find the same basic beer in every restaurant. A margarita is basically the same wherever you go. Wine, however can cause even the Chuck Norris type dudes to develop Erkle like demeanor.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Directions

The best sex happens when guys aren’t afraid to ask their ladies for a little direction. The same thing is true with the wine experience. Asking directions can lead you to the ‘G Spot’ or pleasure center of food and wine pairings! Some basic tips:

• Ask the wait staff if the restaurant offers small wine flight samples – This is a small two ounce pour of three different wines to help determine a good selection. This is also a great sharing experience between you and your date.
• Ask the diva in the red dress (your date) if she has any particular favorites. If she prefers sweet white Rieslings and you order a big meaty Cabernet Sauvignon, the mood could be ruined. If she really has no preference, she’ll defer back to your manly decision making skills.
• Wait to make your final wine decision until you’ve made your dinner selection. While many opinions exists about proper food / wine pairings, there is some science to the right experience.
• Don’t be afraid to ask the wait staff for a recommendation. This shows care, concern and passion. Your lady won’t be keen to your lack of wine understanding, she’ll be impressed at your discernment to defer to a knowledgeable resource.
• While ordering a bottle is preferable; because as the nectar flows the conversation grows, don’t be afraid to order two different glasses that pair best with each of your meals.

If you choose to go it alone, refer to Part 2 of this series for a basic explanation of grapes and food pairings. The generalizations are RED WINE for big hearty meats and pastas and WHITE WINE for lighter chicken, white sauce, and spice.

The more you experience wine, the more comfortable you will feel at making the decisions. Great wine pairings will come with ease and the lady will be pleased. Similar to sex, you start with a basic knowledge of anatomy and what goes where. The more you experience it, the better moves you make and the passion comes with ease and the lady is pleased.

Tips for Navigating the Store

The scenario: Your successful moves on date one have led to the all important “night in” dinner date. This is the date that is at either one of your residence that migrates from dinner to the couch with potential for second and third base. As a side note, hosting dinner and making it from scratch will score you big points. Also, don’t be too quick to slide into home. Showing restraint shows self-control, builds trust, and grows anticipation for the final scene. For this date you are without the help of the wait staff and must rely on your cunning abilities to navigate the wine store, local winery, or local grocer (I strongly encourage you to BUY LOCAL for good service and informative advice).

• Decide what’s for dinner and follow the same basic principles when ordering at a restaurant
• Determine your budget. While there are a lot of good $10 and under wines out there, nothings says, “let’s get drunk and screw” like a bottle of Two Buck Chuck. Shoot for something between $20-30 and your chances are better that it will be a good wine and if she knows anything about wine, she’ll be a little impressed.

Personally, I would avoid going all out for something more than $25 on a date like this. 1) You don’t want to set the bar too high for future wine purchases. Starting high may set an expectation that your wallet cannot afford. 2) You haven’t yet sealed the deal. At this point you’re still feeling things out (so to speak).

•  Ask the wine steward or shop attendant. Similar to the restaurant, tell them your dinner and your budget and they can be a wealth of information.
• If there isn’t a wine steward available, the store should be grouped by grape varietal. Head to one that fits the general pairings mentioned above and in post 2 and choose one that fits your budget.
• If you’re ambitious you can choose a label that fits the mood of the relationship. Chances are, as you look, you’ll see labels that are sexy and flirty, fun and witty, artistic, and fancy.

Don’t let the size of the selection bother you. As the girls say, it’s not the size that matters, it’s the quality. One final tip, if you think things are going to go well, buy two bottles. As the night progresses, you would hate to find yourself without more wine!

There you have it, four posts to help the average dude venture into the wine world. Would you like to see more? There have been some preliminary conversations about turning this series into a book. What other things should the average guy know about wine? Are you a beer drinking dude? Comment here, let me know.

DRINK.HAPPY!

The Dudes Guide: Part 3 Snort Suck Swish

Tasting wine is a similar experience. Wine is a lover to be enjoyed, caressed, and passionately embraced. This is something that guys need to learn. We’re not used to the delicate intricacies of a woman (or wine). Most of the time we fumble along hoping our bodies connect in the right way. A real man appreciates the arresting aroma, savours the supple style and drinks in delicate drama that is a woman (or wine). Dude’s it is time to move from our slam a shot mentality to the savor the senses experience that is wine. This is a gentle love affair not a one night stand.

In the first two posts we talked about;

• Three reasons all dudes need to know at least a little about wine
• Explained seven wine grapes to help understand the strange new world

Today, we are going to talk about tasting wine. Wine can be described as a symphony with its subtle nuances and bold phrases emphasizing the rise and fall of emotion. As guys, we’re used to a drum solo – bam – it’s loud and fast and it’s over and we’re happy – time to sleep.

Let’s explore the way to taste and enjoy wine (dude style)

The Swirl: Getting Her Ready

Lay her back, rub you hands in a circle letting her get excited. She gets aroused as the friction causes her to breathe. With the motion you take notice of her color, her quality, and her clarity. Her juices run down the…GLASS! We’re talking about wine here guys!

Exploring wine begins with the swirl. People swirl wine to allow oxygen into the wine. A nice crystal glass and the shape of the bowl help the wine to breathe and prepare the next step; the sniff. Don’t over pour your wine. A four or five ounce pour is plenty (remember wine has twice the alcohol as  a normal beer). Leave enough room in the glass so that when you swirl you’re not spilling on your girls new dress. That is a major foul and will probably not lead to the desired outcome of the night.

The Sniff: The Intoxicating Allure

The flurry of motion has released a myriad of aromas that flood the nose. With a deep inhale you allow the smell to penetrate. Your brain becomes excited at the anticipation prompting a heightened awareness of the other senses. Careful not to rush, you enjoy the smells before you dive in to taste…THE WINE. We’re still talking about wine here guys!

Wine, more than any other beverage, offers a variety of aroma (and taste). These tastes vary greatly between region, grape, year, and personal style of the wine maker. Enjoy the smells of the wine. Refer to the second post in this series for a stereotype of the seven common wines you’ll encounter.

The Sip: The Explosion in Your Mouth

Your senses are nearly on overload. The aroma has you transfixed, the anticipation makes you swell with excitement. Your mouth waters as you expectantly take it in. The flavors dance across your tongue. Now more than ever your senses are aroused as the full climax of the experience is revealed…still talking about THE WINE here.

As you drink in the wine, let it sit in your mouth. For the first few sips, let it rinse across all parts of your mouth from front to back. Take note of how it tastes different on the tip of your tongue to the sides of your mouth. Good wine will reveal different secrets even after you swallow it (the finish). Some wine will be smooth and sweet and others will be dry and tart. These different flavor profiles work well with different foods. Like food, you’ll develop a preference for some, but don’t be afraid to experiment.

Enjoying wine may seem as intimidating as talking to a Victoria Secret model (while she’s still in her unmentionables), but the sexiness and complexity is revealed as you pull back the covers of the Swirl, Sniff, and Sip. Keep these basic principles in mind and even the most basic dude will experience the foreplay and climax that is tasting wine.

On a final note, guys; be willing to experiment. We all want our ladies to be playful in bed and open to new experiences. We need to take our own advice. It’s okay to walk into the store and buy 3-4 different bottles just to taste. Even better, take your lady on a day trip to a few winery tasting rooms. This is a fun and affordable way to explore new experiences. Be a man, don’t be a friggin’ sissy. Man up and go wine tasting. You just might have fun and you just might get laid!

In the final post of this four-part series we will attempt to demystify buying wine at the store and ordering at restaurants.

The Dude’s Guide to Wine

• In Part One we explained three reasons all guys should know a little about wine
• In Part Two we explored the basics of grapes and their general characteristics
• In Part Three we talked about the experience of wine tasting (swirl, smell, sip, savor)
• In Part Four we uncover the struggle of ordering wine at restaurants and buying in stores

Drink.Happy

The Dudes Guide: Part 2 of 4 Got Grapes?

The sensuality within each little berry will drive you wild and explode with flavor in your mouth!

“The Dude’s Guide to Wine” is a wine primer for the average guy who tends to reach for a beer in all social situations. This four-part series began with three reasons all guys need to know at least the basics about wine.

1) Success: At some point you’ll experience success in life and wine may seem more appropriate.

2) Stupidity: No guy likes to look stupid and life events will eventually lead you to bring wine to a dinner party or having to order wine at a restaurant.

3) Sex: Girls love wine. Guys love girls and sex. Wine can lead to good sex!

If one or all of these reasons are not enough for you, then you are free to leave this blog and go back to the porn you were looking up.

The Sexy Grape

Like a woman, there are several subtleties and intricacies of wine grapes. They can be coy, sweet and seductive like the girl next door in a private school uniform or they can be bold and brash, oozing sex appeal, like the stripper you met…well…nevermind. The trick is to avoid the skanky cheap tawdry whores while learning which ones you can bring to dinner with your mother.

There are over 10,000 documented grape species (varietals) grown in just about every region of the world. Attempting to understand them all is like trying to understand the hidden meaning behind the statement, “do you think she’s pretty?” Most popular grape varietals can trace their roots to France and Italy. The largest wine-producing states in the U.S. are California, Washington, Oregon and New York.

As a dude, we need to keep it simple. We may be able to tell you the important facts, like who was the MVP of Super Bowl III (Joe Namath), but memorizing hundreds of grapes and their characteristics just aint going to happen. Let’s talk about 7 basic grapes, what food they go with and when you may enjoy them. Much more could be said about each grape discussed below. In the interest of basic understanding, I’ll be offering the stereotype of each. While many experts may weigh in on their opinions and insights, The Dude’s Guide to Wine is just trying to keep it simple for the average guy who may confuse maceration with…you know…

RED WINE: The sultry sexy diva that can fulfill your wildest fantasies. If you’re not careful you’ll wake up in the morning recounting the night vis-a-vis The Hangover. Red wine grapes are described as earthy, spices, dark red fruit (cherry, plum currant, strawberry, blackberry, blueberry), smokey, tobacco, leather, and more. We could spend hours undressing the specifics of each.

Cabernet Sauvignon (cab-ur-nay saw-vin-yawn)  The king of wine grapes. Pairs best with steak, pasta and dark chocolate. Flavors of spice, dark berry, leather and cocoa. This is your strong-willed woman who likes to show she is in charge. She likes it hot and when you get her going she’ll let down her hair and show you her kinky spicy side.

Pinot Noir (pee-no nwar) – If Cab’s are the king then Pinot’s are the queen. Not queen as in a drag queen but because they are of royal decent and require a lot of attention and effort to put out a good wine. Pinots are very versatile and pair well with beef, poultry, fish, lamb, pork, spicy and creamy sauces. Pinot Noirs are like your high maintenance drama queen who likes diamonds, fancy cars, nice clothes and carry their dogs in their purse. At the end of the date you’ll find your wallet a little thin, but the payoff is ‘hot.’

Merlot (Mare-low) Merlot pairs well with red meat, pork and red pasta dishes. A medium bodied wine that is less bold than its blending partner Cabernet Sauvignon. The unappreciated Merlot is like the girl in those teen movies who starts off unassuming, wearing glasses and has bad hair and acne. With a little make up and hairspray she turns into the movie hottie (Ten Things I Hate About You).

Other Red ladies to date after you’ve explored the ones above: Syrah (the current Elvis of wine), Sangiovese (our Italian lover), and Zinfandel (the sexy hussy)

WHITE WINE: Known by many as refreshing, classy and cool, white wine should be treated like a lady. Be careful, although she is cool and refreshing, she can sneak up on you leaving you dazed and confused.

Chardonnay (Shar-don-ay) Chardonnay pairs well with poultry, pork, seafood and heavy cream butter based sauces. Flavors of buttered apple, pear, tropical fruit and melon leave a long impression on the mouth. Chardonnay will remind you of the cute Miami beach hottie wearing the skimpy brazilian cut bikini. Once you talk to her, you find out she has a personality and a brain! Score!

Pinot Grigio (Pee-no Gree-gee-oh) Italian for Pinot Gris this grape pairs well with acidic foods like red pasta roasted chicken and roasted pork. Refreshing flavors of pair, apple, and lemon prevail. Depending on where they are grown they can have light or medium bodies. Imagine sitting on the deck in the summer with your high school sweetheart. She has a glow from the heat, her top is clingy and her short shorts are tight. This is Pinot Grigio.

Riesling (Rees-ling) This German sweetheart is a diverse lady that can pair well with many foods (including spicy and Asian.) She is a great starter with appetizers and can wrap up the evening with dessert. Depending on where she is grown she can be sweet or dry, light or full. Picture the college professor with her hair in a bun and button down white blouse. She’s got the brains to intrigue you and the character to mystify you. Get her behind closed doors and…well I’ll leave that to your imagination.

Champagne (Sham-pain) Champagne, Sparkling Wine, Brut are known as party animals. These ladies often let loose and get wild. Flavors of baked bread, apple sauce, strawberries, cream and vanilla are often experienced. Food pairings are more than just with dessert or for toasts – try Sparkling wines with Asian food, seafood, poultry, and appetizers.

Every dude should know a little about wine. Wine has romance, imagination, character, and beauty that surpasses other adult beverages. Now that you’ve got a basic knowledge of seven types of wine you can begin the process of exploring the new world. Thanks for reading, now go grab your girl and a beer!

The Dude’s Guide to Wine

• In Part One we explained three reasons all guys should know a little about wine
• In Part Two we explored the basics of grapes and their general characteristics
• In Part Three we talked about the experience of wine tasting (swirl, smell, sip, savor)
• In Part Four we uncover the struggle of ordering wine at restaurants and buying in stores

DRINK.HAPPY

*Photo Credits SacreBlue.com and Media.PicFor.Me

The Dude's Guide To Wine Part 1 of 4

“Dude, pass the Pinot.”

This is a statement rarely heard where guys gather across America. Walk into any bar, join any football party, or attend any poker game and you’ll see that the average dude is not consuming wine. Pilsners are preferred over Pinots and talking about NAPA means the auto parts store. This post is for the dudes you know. This series of posts aims to provide the basic wine information to the NASCAR watching, Dale Earnhardt loving, Budweiser swilling, Copenhagen chewing, Hustler reading man! “Why should I know about wine?” Well, dudes, I’ll give you three good reasons.

1) Success

At some point in life you’ll experience some success. You’ll find yourself at a restaurant celebrating your engagement or job promotion. You may even find yourself entertaining work clients at a fancy dinner. These scenarios and more may require you to have a little knowledge of wine. There is nothing wrong with beer but it seems that in certain scenarios, even for dudes, beer just won’t do.

2) Stupidity

No one likes to look stupid, especially dudes. Failing to bench press at least your body weight, not knowing the difference between a carburetor and a manifold, and not understanding how a batter who swings and misses at a third strike can still make it to first base can all make you look stupid. Showing up for Thanksgiving dinner at your in-laws with a bottle of Two Buck Chuck or ordering a White Zinfandel at a fancy dinner party will make you look equally stupid. You don’t need to be a Sommelier (or even know how topronounce it) to order intelligently.

3) Sex

It is no secret, dudes like sex, especially sex with girls. Girls, more often than not, enjoy wine. Nothing says romance like a candle light dinner with two bottles of Bud light! NOT! Romance is home-made chicken parmesan, candles, flowers and a bottle of Sangiovese or a great Cote du Rhone blend. Studies even say that women who enjoy two glasses of wine per night have better sex! Do you need a better reason to learn about wine.

Dude! Listen up! I understand that beer is your best friend. You don’t wait for wine-thirty. The song doesn’t go “God is great and wine is good.” No-one in college plays wine-pong. I’m not saying you should give up your trusty stout. Wine knowledge is only helpful if you think you’ll ever experience success, if you don’t like looking stupid, and if you like girls and sex.  Think about it…if you agree, stay tuned for the next post in this series.

Life is meant to be enjoyed with friends. There is nothing better than sharing a glass of wine, coffee or even beer with a friend.

The Dude’s Guide to Wine

• In Part One we explained three reasons all guys should know a little about wine
• In Part Two we explored the basics of grapes and their general characteristics
• In Part Three we talked about the experience of wine tasting (swirl, smell, sip, savor)
• In Part Four we uncover the struggle of ordering wine at restaurants and buying in stores

DRINK.HAPPY!

My Rock n Roll Wine List PART 2

“You can’t be greater than Elvis, change things as much as The Beatles, or be as original as Led Zeppelin. All you can do is rip them off.” Billy Corgan

As promised, here is part 2 of my rock n roll wine pairing (See Part 1). Thanks to the comments and suggestions from my fellow bloggers (1winedude, vinegeek, weeklywinejournal, rocknrollwine and coffeenate). Part one of this post was viewed more than any other post I’ve contributed to this point.

The rules: These are my pairings from my experience with wine and music. The pairings all come from music that I listen to and wines that I drink. BUT – I would love to hear how you would pair the music you listen to. Would you put Josh Groban with Sauvignon Blanc or Aligote. Would it be Dave Brubeck or Dave Mathews with Grenache? Is Carlos Santana a Tempranillo or is that too cliché?

Malbec – One of the noble Bordeaux varietals that has experienced a resurgence in popularity, even as a stand-alone grape. It is rich, and dark in color and juicy with tannins for structure. Malbec tends to be fickle and doesn’t always produce the highest yield. Young wine drinkers are consuming cases in quantity from Argentina (due to the lower price). This old classic blend is making a comeback tour. MY ROCK-N-ROLL PAIRING: Aerosmith - The bad boys from Boston are rock nobility. Like the Malbec taste, their music is rich, bold, classic, and part of the blend of classic rock from the 70′s. After disappearing from drug abuse in the 80′s, Aerosmith made a comeback in the 90′s and today with the younger generation providing poppy rock jams. The band is still volatile and their latest records don’t produce the consistent high quality yield but still offer some good tracks.

Sauvignon Blanc – I like a good Sauvignon Blanc. This amazingly talented grape is grassy and sometimes sweet and tropical. It’s lighter in color and sometimes lighter in body and structure than wish it was. This Bordeaux / Loire Valley grape for some reason reminds me of California. MY ROCK-N-ROLL PAIRING: One tweep suggested Janis Joplin or Hendrix, but I went with the more modern John Mayer. Mayer’s guitar playing is among the best alive, but under-rated. His records are often a blend of retro earthy sounds and sweet pop. I always come away from a studio record wanting more substance (which is how your high volume Sauvignon Blancs fare). Get John live and he shines! A well-made Sauv Blanc will rock your pants off.

Sangiovese – This Tuscan Italy super-grape, best known for Chianti can range from strawberry and mild cinnamon to very oaky, musky and thick. Sangiovese is Italy’s most planted grape and is quickly becoming popular for superblends in CA. I really like well made Sangiovese. MY ROCK-N-ROLL PAIRING. I’m going to go with the supergroup Cream. With Jack Bruce on Bass, Ginger Baker on Drums and the incomparable Eric Clapton on Guitar, Cream influenced Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Rush, Black Sabbath and more. Their music ranged from the pop, I Feel Free, to the dark White Room. If it’s been a while since you tried a Chianti or listened to some Cream – try them both together and rediscover the appreciation.

Viognier – This once nearly extinct grape is the only approved varietal approved in Condrieu of the Rhone Valley. It’s scent is floral and sweet but the sip is rather dry. I think this is a sexy varietal. It pairs very well with spicy food. I think hot, I think Viognier. The lower alcohol and mid-high acid are great to cut through the spice of Thai or Spicy Tuna Roll. You’ll find this grape planted in WA, VA, CA and Australia. This wine also blends will with other varieties too. MY ROCK-N-ROLL WINE PAIRING is the hot, sexy Alicia Keys. She is smooth and flowery but her amazing talent is hot. She can be dry and raw or silky and sultry. Miss Keys is getting the credit she deserves but, similar to Viognier, I think we’ll see more from her in the future. Lately, she has lent her talent through ‘pairing’ collaboration efforts too!

Zinfandel – My final pairing is my favorite varietal. To me, Zins are floral and fruity in smell, big and bold fruit and spice in taste, high in alcohol, and pair well with the food I like (BBQ, Pizza, Steak – although a good Cab is preferred, and Pasta). I’m not a fan of the White Zin, but always will choose a big red Zin from the wine list if I don’t feel confident in the other choices. MY ROCK-N-ROLL WINE PAIRING: KISS! Bwahahahaha. While Kiss doesn’t get the respect of other bands, they have stood the test of time and with world wide record sales approaching 100 million, they, like Zin, are a household name. They are the kings of commercializing themselves and never believe in overexposure. They are big and bold in everything they do. Like the red production of Zinfandel, they provide just enough sweet and sap but are not overly offensive (okay maybe sometimes). Through their glam phase (especially Paul Stanley), they could be compared to a white Zin. Most importantly, like the Zin, they tend to be the group I can count on to power me through a run, push me through a slow afternoon, and pump me up.

What about you? What wine would Lady Gaga be? Is there a wine that is similar to Michael Jackson? I would love to hear it. Comment below!

Enjoy life with friends and DRINK.HAPPY

My Rock n Roll Wine List

Inspired by mega wine blogger 1WineDude (@1WineDude) and Rock and Roll Wine (I decided to put my Rock-n-Roll perspectives on the wine varietals (types of grapes) that I’ve had the pleasure of ingesting. Wine itself, doesn’t get its due in rock music. The most common reference is to cheap wine (ala Billy Joel and Neil Diamond). True rockers (and hillbilly) go for beer and whiskey references. The best props to wine, at least the Champagne variety, comes from the hip-hop world.

Below are my rock-n-roll reviews of the basic wine grapes from music that is on my Zune (yes, I own a Zune and not an iPod). Feel free to pass this along as a form of reference and awareness to your beer swilling, martini sipping, Jack and Coke slugging friends. (Part 2 is here)

The Regulars

Merlot - The Merlot grape is very palatable and an easy to drink red. Can be paired with lots of foods and rarely is it found offensive. My music pairing is Bon Jovi. Their music is still relevant and tasty, but rarely is there anything memorable from their recent records. They can make a crossover to other genres, their music is rarely bold or offensive and they reach a broad audience.

Chardonnay - Popular and hearty. Grows in a number of climates Can come across mis-understood by some and smooth and buttery by others. Overall, a decent white wine to cut your teeth on and an overall classic. My musical pairing, U2. Making chart topping AND socially conscience music for over 25 years, U2 can be smooth but also abrasive. Wide appeal but losing their former luster.

Cabernet Sauvignon – Rich, bold red that is considered the king of red grapes. Very strong flavor, tannins and acid that cut through food, often overpowering to be consumed without food. Can be offensive to some but to those who understand its brashness is very much appreciated. Music pairing - Was torn on this one, so I chose ACDC and Led Zeppelin. Both bands are kings of their genre. Hard hitting, in your face, and often under appreciated. Can be tough to listen to in their entirety, but very much a delight when a song comes up on shuffle. The bands are huge in sound but still have an amazing appeal. Some are completely turned off by their sound.

Riesling - In some regions this wine provides a dry flavor that is great with fish, chicken and pork. California Riesling tends to be sweet and lacking acidity and balance. Liked by many and a great crossover wine grape that tends to be popular among the female crowd for social drinking. Music pairing – Taylor Swift; While I don’t have any Taylor on my Zune (I swear), you can’t help but notice that her music is sometimes dry, sometimes sweet and sappy, lacks balance and has a hugely wide appeal…just sayin’.

 Pinot Noir - This difficult to grow grape is rarely blended with other varietals. Can range from sweet and fruity to rough and earthy. The Noble Pinot Noir is either loved and cherished for its complexity and terroir specificity or disliked for the same reasons. Musical Pairing – Beatles (specifically the later years). While I have yet to discover a palate for Pinot Noir, I am a huge Beatles fan. In my interactions with people, I find they either are passionate about them or could take them or leave them. Regardless of their like or dislike people always respect their influence in music and popular culture. While their early success was based on hysteria and less substantive music, their best stuff came as they explored the boundaries of music and what was considered ‘popular.’

I think I’ll make this post a two parter. I would love to hear your thoughts. For my wino friends, what musical pairings would you offer to the varietals you enjoy.

DOTD? (Drink of the Day) – Finished of the last of the 2004 Brassfield Estate Bottled Round Mountain Zinfandel. You?

Enjoy life with friends and DRINK.HAPPY

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