Baptist Wine Club

You all know how I love a good boxed wine. And I hate to admit how frequently I resort of tried-and-true standbys without exploring the wide variety on offer. When HEB ran out (how could they possibly run out?) of my usual standby boxed red, I decided to pick up a recommendation from one of you find readers.

Bota Box is produced by Delicato and is surprisingly highly rated for boxed wine. In fact, the deciding factor to pick up this box was not only its availability and price, but the fact that it boasts 94 points in bold print, right on the front of the box. So, I thought, can’t go wrong, why not. So I bought it.

And that’s how I found my new house boxed wine. It’s fruity without being sweet, true to Cabernet character, and highly drinkable all on its own. You’re just gonna love it.

Find it at your grocer for about $15 for a 3L box – that’s roughly $3.75 per bottle. Not bad at all.

I must confess, I enjoyed this Chardonnay this past summer, with the intention of sharing it with you in time for Valentine’s Day. Mostly because of the label – it’s the kind of thing that might help you start a little fire or at least hint to your lover your intentions for the night.

Golden in appearance, this smooth Chard starts with truly lovely aroma of roses, honey, and caramel, which follows through to the first sip with a touch of butter and a hint of oak on the back. It’s truly delightful, and I buy a bottle or two whenever it goes on sale.

But you should pick some up right now for a romantic meal at home. Serve it with pork loin or duck or lobster. You won’t regret it. Or the fire you start.

A few years ago, when we were still north of Austin, a Sprouts Farmer’s Market opened just a couple miles from our house. And their opening month brought a serious collection of wine deals (and steals.)

There was this one Italian red, of which they had acquired maybe four cases, six tops. It was on sale for 3 bottles for $12. So, I bought three bottles. And drank them in record time. (Hi Mom!)

I went back for three more bottles. And, again, they disappeared faster than you can imagine.

And I went back a third time…

There was one dusty bottle left, hiding in the bottom of the rack, sporting a torn label. And I bought that last one, too.

All that remains is a single label I painstakingly removed from one of those precious bottles and the fond memory of those flavors. Had I known it would be such an excellent wine, so lush and delicious, I would have bought the entire lot on first sight.

But I didn’t. And now, the only place I can find Scaranto Corvina wants $19/bottle.

It’s funny, you know. We never regret the great decisions, the enlightened investments, the smart purchases (like stocking up on a fantastic wine at ridiculous prices.)

It’s always, sadly, the missed opportunity that haunts us. The wine that got away…

Earlier this fall, I took Karen Walrond’s Pathfinder e-course, wherein we did a lot of journaling and vision-casting and art. It was during this class (and in the midst of a mid-session breakdown) that I was inspired to create this series of interviews. Karen was the first person to agree to play along.

As I mentioned last time, I’m infinitely curious about people. Their stories, lives, opinions, ideas. What’s been fascinating about Karen is her passion for people and what makes them beautiful and unique. She somehow manages to capture their essence in her portraiture project, and I really admire that she takes time to really see all these individuals. And I’m grateful that she’s offered this little snippet of herself:

BWC: Hello friend! Can you tell us about your favorite adult beverage?

Karen: Trinidadian Rum Punch, hands down. It’s sort of a family tradition.

BWC: And when was the first time you tasted it? What was that like?

Karen: Goodness, I don’t even remember. I’m sure when I was a young girl, my dad gave me a sip of the rum punch he was making at some point. But it’s so sweet and citrusy, I’m sure I loved it from the start.

BWC: How should Trinidadian Rum Punch be served? Is there a secret recipe? And, will you share it with us?

Karen: Well, the recipe is easy, since it’s a rhyme: one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak. Since the “weak” represents ice, it’s a cold drink that packs a wallop.

BWC: Three parts rum! That is a wallop! So, does all this drinking embarrass your mother?

Karen: Please. We’re from the Caribbean. Drinking rum makes my mom proud. (Hi Karen’s Mom!)

BWC: I’m sure she’s proud of you for more than just the rum. But what I’d really like to know is: what’s your favorite brand, and where can we get some?

Karen: My favourite rum for rum punch is really any golden rum — but my favourite sipping rum is Angostura 1919 — it’s a fine rum from my homeland, Trinidad, and it tastes like brandy. You wouldn’t want to mix anything with this — just serve neat or over ice. Lovely.

BWC: If the BWC bought a bottle, would you come over and teach us how to mix up a batch of rum punch? We’ll invite some folks over and turn on some music. It’ll be a party!

Karen: What time should I be over?

BWC: Let’s say sometime this spring. I’ll send out invitations.

And that’s all for today, friends. I’m heading out to celebrate Christmas weekend with my family, and perhaps I can persuade them to join me in some rum punch. Maybe start a new tradition!

And when you get a chance, please share with all of us your favorite drink and why it’s special to you. And recommend a friend for our next edition of BWC Interviews!

Merry Christmas!

Last night, my husband forced me to watch this:

It’s the original 1978 airing, including commercials. Also, no subtitles.

But I was enjoying a glass of wine and had my smartphone in hand, happily tweeting about this unexpected adventure. Some notes:

Me: Did you know Chewbacca has a family?

Husband: I think you need to be on drugs to watch this.

Me (upon seeing the English actor who played Chewbacca): I guess he had a Wookie language coach for the movies. You can hardly tell he’s got an English accent.

Husband: Turns out, ALL the characters in Star Wars are annoying. Not just the wookies. Who knew.

Me: Mrs. Wookie is wearing smeared red lipstick and an apron. She’s covered in hair! Why does she need an apron? Know what I need? More wine.

Husband (singing): Have yourself a wookie little Christmas.

Me: Oh my god. Is that Wookie cyberporn? The cencors let that on TV in 1978? WTF?!?!

Husband (upon the appearance of Jefferson Starship): You haven’t lived till you’ve seen Jefferson Starship sing on a holiday special. For wookies.

And that’s when we shut off the YouTube and called it a night. Because there is only so much of this show one can handle. Without drugs, of course. Fine boxed wine absolutely will not cut it. Be ye forewarned.

Let me tell you a little story.

Nearly two years ago, I submitted myself to allergy testing – mainly because nothing I took helped me breathe better and partly because I wanted to know what in the world I was allergic to ALL YEAR LONG. I’m not even joking about that. I had a perpetual runny nose, sneezed like crazy every day, and was generally miserable.

So, off to the clinic I went for an environmental allergy panel. It looked like this. That, my friends, is what it looks like to be severely allergic to EVERY DAMN THING IN CENTRAL TEXAS.

Anyway, here we are, 23 months later, and I’ve finally completed the “ramp-up” series of allergy shots. If you’re not familiar with allergy shots, these are progressively more powerful shots (in each arm) at least once a week until you reach maximum dosage. Which by the way, is not called maximum dosage. They use the word “maintenance” which cannot possibly describe the pain, irritation, itching, and general exhaustion of being administered the maximum dosage of every single allergen that triggers your histamine reactions.

It’s miserable, is what I’m saying.

But, at the end of the day, there is a soothing balm for all the pain one must endure to desensitize one’s body to all those horrible allergens: there is wine. (Insert chorus of angels here.) (Hi Mom!)

This week, we’ve enjoyed a couple of delightful new finds that I think you’ll enjoy, even if (especially if) you’re not suffering from what is basically self-induced torture. Allow me to introduce:

Bohemian Highway Merlot (California 2009)

Believe it or not, I found this wine on the most ridiculous clearance sale ever. What is normally a $6-7 wine, was on sale for about $1.75! I can’t believe it either! It’s a nice dark russet red in the glass, with an earthy cherry-tobacco fragrance. It actually tastes really fruity with a hint of dark chocolate. It’s not complex by any stretch of the imagination, but by God, it was the best $1.75 wine I’ve ever enjoyed. Try it sometime, I’m sure you’ll like it!

The Little Penguin Pinot Noir (Australia 2010)

This is by far the best non-Washington, non-Oregon Pinot Noir I’ve purchased in ages. And for only $4.20 (heh) at Spec’s, it’s a total steal. It’s dark, dark magenta in the glass, and all fruit in both fragrance and flavor. We enjoyed it with Italian sausage one night and then with pasta & mushrooms another night. It was excellent – you should get some.

Hello friends. We’ve been on a bit of a roller coaster ride the past couple weeks, here at Chez Knighton.

Remember this time of year is cold and flu season, and you should be fortifying yourself against these mean little bugs. Last week, I succumbed to the torments of a really irritating head cold and found myself drinking Emergen-C instead of my preferred red wine. Though I hear from friends that there are several highly recommended cures, such as the famous Hot Toddy or a shot of whisky. Because alcohol kills germs. True story. (Hi Mom!)

We’ve also had a death in the family that sadly coincided with our annual Italian sausage-making party. And because you can’t just let 120 pounds of meat rot, we had to make the sausage, with half the family a hundred miles away dealing with the “arrangements.” Which is a horrible euphemism for an unenviable duty.

But I can tell you this about Italians: whether making sausage or mourning a loss, they mix mean cocktails. Most notably: Mimosas, 7 & 7, Scotch & Soda, and Jack & Coke. Normally there are several open bottles of wine, but not this year. This year we needed something stronger.

I’ll be returning to my regular schedule next week, after we’ve attended the funeral and memorial and when, hopefully, things will be more normal. In the meantime, share with me your favorite beverage to combat a cold. What works for you to chase away a cough and fever?

If ya’ll haven’t met Pam from OutsideVoice, just head on over there right now and get to know her.

Back? Groovy.

Pam and I met virtually about a million years ago when we both first started blogging, and we met for the first time In Real Life at BlogHer in New York City in the summer of 2010. And can I tell you how absolutely wonderful she is? Absolutely. Wonderful.

Beyond being a great friend, she’s an amazing encourager who cheers for you when you stumble upon that one great thing – whether it’s a perfect pair of leopard print flats or that brainstorm of an idea you can’t wait to try.

Which brings us to this new adventure here at the BWC – Interviews!

I’m curious about people, their stories, their lives. And I thought it would be fun to learn a little more about our friends, specifically about how and why they enjoy their favorite beverages. So here we go!

BWC: Tell us, lovely, what is your favorite adult beverage?

Pam: Nostalgia will tell you it’s an amaretto sour. It was the first real drink I ever ordered for myself – and my grandfather introduced me to it.  I still like them.

BWC: Tell me about the first time you tasted that nostalgic amaretto sour.

Pam: I can’t really remember exactly the first time, but I believe it was my senior year of high school or freshman year of college. (Ed. Shocking!) We were at a very upscale restaurant, standing in the bar waiting for our table and he ordered one for me.  I’m not a maraschino cherry fan, but I didn’t let that deter me.  It was delightful – sweet and sour and rich and a little bit decadent.  And I loved the shape of the amaretto bottle!

BWC: How do you like it served? Is there a requirement? And if so, what?

Pam: Oh, ice cold in a gorgeous crystal lowball. The heavier the better.

BWC: Sexy! Now, tell the truth, does all this drinking embarrass your mother?

Pam: Not at all. We’ve giggled tipsily down Bourbon Street together with great class. (Hi Pam’s Mom! You’re cute!)

BWC: Ahem. Back to the topic at hand. What’s your favorite brand, and where can we get some?

Pam: I’m a DiSaronno fan – available everywhere.

BWC: If the BWC bought a bottle, would you come over and teach us how to drink it? You know you wanna!

Pam: You better believe it. Name that time and place and we’ll swap stories. THAT’S A DATE.

BWC: Definitely! Can’t wait to share a story or seven with you. xoxo

And that’s a wrap for now, folks. I’ve gotta run out to by a bottle of DiSaronno for my hot date!

But before you go, if you’ve got a moment, tell us about your favorite drink and why it’s special to you. And recommend a friend for our next edition of BWC Interviews! Mwah!

First, let me say that I’m suspicious of Australian Chardonnays. Not that I’m married to California Chards. To the contrary, I like to try white wine from everywhere. But I just expect the southern latitudes to provide fantastic Sauvignon Blanc and Torrontes, rather than Chardonnay. It’s a ridiculous bias, I know this. Still, in the interest of wine-drinking Baptists everywhere (Hi Mom!) and also for the $5 price tag, I picked up this bottle.

Boy was I surprised! And happily so! Actual excerpt from my wine journal:

That’s how much I liked it!

In the glass, it’s a golden yellow, almost the same color as the label actually. And it smell like Juicy Fruit gum. (Don’t laugh. It’s true!) But it tasted heavenly – all floral and buttery with pineapple and mango, but light on the oak. It was just so good, I want to share it with everyone.

In fact, go out right now and buy some. HEB has it for $5, but I expect you’ll find it everywhere, even Walmart. If I were you, I’d serve it with the pasta you were planning for dinner. Or maybe shift gears and throw a piece of salmon in the grill. Either way, you can’t go wrong!

Note: There is absolutely no way for me to adequately express how much we love this Cab at Chez Knighton. So much so that when it is on sale at our local grocery, we buy several bottles. It is one of the few wines that Mr. BaptistWineClub will specifically request. This week, I found it on sale for $10, so we grabbed a bottle to accompany a fantastic filet mignon with lobster for a belated anniversary celebration. Trust me on this one: you cannot go wrong with Rodney Strong. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. (Hi Mom!)

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this wine before, but it’s one of my favorites though previously outside the Baptist budget. HEB carried Rodney Strong Cab for about $14, maybe $12 on a really good sale, but they recently reduced pricing on a wide variety of wines including this one. Now, at $10.50, this once-occasional bottle is now affordable – especially if you buy 6 bottles and take that extra 10% off.

So, about the wine itself. Starting with a dark, ruby-red color and the aroma of lavender, rosemary, and oak, the first sip tastes of blackberry jam and fresh earth with a hint of tobacco smoke. It has a lush, velvety mouth-feel and is surprisingly juicy for a Sonoma County Cabernet, which are usually extremely dry.

The Rodney Strong is still dry, mind you, but in a less obtrusive way given the succulent plum and berry flavors. The tobacco, oak, and rosemary linger on the palate in a pleasing way, rounding out this powerful red. Delicious in every way, and highly recommended especially at its new, lower price. Get some!