the end of an era

There are fewer things that help us unwind like the weekend, music and (almost) any bottle of wine. After a big Saturday lunch with the family, nothing looked more appetizing to me than a Sunday spent doing absolutely nothing. And that's exactly what we did. A bit of online planning for our upcoming vacation, noshing on yesterday's leftovers for lunch, and much laying around was just what the doctor ordered.

With the upcoming final episode of the Sopranos just around the corner and a tear or two in my eye mourning the finale, I thought it would be a good opportunity to talk about our love of wine.

We'd like to think that we've delved into just about every wine region over the years, but truthfully, we still have a lot of exploring to do in the world of fine wines. Nonetheless, our palates have evolved and we have a definite sense of what we like and what we'd rather leave on the store shelf for the next unaware customer to experiment with. As similar as Dina and I are in terms of our likes and dislikes, we have favorites that reflect our personal tastes and culinary preferences.

Dina loves the full-bodied fruity flavors of the Zinfandel grape and the heavy tannic depth of a complex Cabernet. Meanwhile, I'm partial to the straight-shooting fruitiness of a Tempranillo and would never turn down the charms of a clean and simple Valpolicella Classico. However, somewhere in between we will always agree that every bottle has its own way to seduce both of our senses and we always seem to meet eye-to-eye when it comes to a less-than-stellar bottle.

Tonight's bottle was a Tempranillo-Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Valencia, Spain that made the perfect compromise for this unique couple. It had the fruitiness that I look for in a red, with the complexity and boldness that Dina craves. This Agarena 2005 is high in alcohol so it delivers an extra dry punch and powerful flavors that are ideal paired with a meal, but still great as a stand-alone.

We've also recently sampled a bright Californian white: Frei Brothers Redwood Creek Sauvignon Blanc. For those who love a refreshing, crisp and well-balanced white, this is a good example of a summer wine great paired with grilled foods.

This summer will continue to be one of discovery and gastronomic experimentation. And although it's the end of an era for one (tv) family, it's just the beginning for this growing family who's learning to discover the finer things in life. So now let's raise a glass to one of the most influential families ever to grace the small screen. Chin-chin.