Last night, I was heading over to a friend’s house for a little get-together.
He asked everybody to brink an appetizer and a bottle of wine.
Now…
Some folks stress out about what to bring, but not me.
This is how I roll.
Earlier in the day, I stopped by Trader Joe’s to get some apps and wine.
I got two types of frozen samosas, and tossed ’em in the freezer.
I also got me a bottle of Trader Joe’s Reserve 2009 Lot #72 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, and put it in the fridge.
Now…
Some folks may question why I would put a red wine in the fridge, but it totally makes sense. First, it had been sitting at room temperature for a couple of weeks in a grocery store. That, coupled with the fact that it was pretty hot yesterday, meant that I had to bring the temp of the wine down.
Let’s keep going…
About an hour before the party, I pre-heated the oven…
While the oven was getting to temp, I took my dog for a walk.
After I got back, I was ready to throw the samosas in the oven.
While the samosas were cooking, I took the wine out of the fridge.
By the time I got to the party, the wine was at perfect cellar temperature.
So…
Now let’s talk about the wine…
You know that I’m a fan of the Trader Joe’s Reserve wines. It’s tough to go wrong with quality juice at $10. This Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was produced by Mazzocco Winery (a great Zinfandel-heavy winery in Healdsburg).
Color: Dark ruby.
Nose: Chalky raspberry, blueberry, and plum with hints of leather.
Taste: There are some aggressive (yet chalky) tannins on this wine. Great fruit notes of raspberries and blueberries.
Score: This is a solid, solid wine. I love the fruit to this wine, but there is not a whole lot more to it. Still… at $10, this wine totally over-delivers. 88+
The next time you have to bring apps and wine to a party. Don’t stress… roll like me.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
What’s your wine-of-choice to bring to a dinner party? Leave a comment, and let us know.
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