Got together with some (totally fabulous and old-school) friends recently. About halfway through the night, one of them pulled out a bottle of this Niagara Mist Tangerine Pinot Grigio. The kind of "wine beverage" that gets mixed at a DIY place, where powdered flavour is added to watered-down facsimiles of vitis vinifera varietals. So I thought, in all my wisdom. (Which means, none at all, since I've never been to a place like that in my life.)I will be honest: like many of my fellow wineaux/sommeliers would likely do, I put on a brave face, said "that sounds interesting" and braced myself for the inevitable assault on my palate. But none came.
Truth is, I liked it. A lot.
It was refreshing, ridiculously easy to drink and begging for a patio in 30-degree weather. Created by Vineco, a St. Catharines, Ontario-based company, which uses traditional varietals as a base and add fruit (how, exactly, I'm not sure, as they have neither ingredient lists nor content percentages on their website.)
Add a bit of club soda or Perrier and you've got a spritzer; slice some fruit in it and pour in an ounce or two of liquor (peach schnapps, cointreau, you name it) and you've got a killer white Sangria. That's going on my summer party menu for *sure*. As luck would have it, I can pick up a kit right around the corner at the Wine Station.
So the moral of the story is, where do I get off pooh-poohing something because it's not my style, it's not something I would necessarily consider pulling off the shelf? There it is. The line I give the Doodle to get her to eat gyoza or venison or whatever else that lands outside of her comfort zone: Try it - you just might like it.
Whether it's wine or fashion, political leanings or lifestyle preferences, do what you like. Drink what you like. Enjoy what's enjoyable to you. That's the key.
Thanks for teaching me this time around, friend.
Two roads diverged in a wood and I,
I took the road less travelled by
And that has made all the difference.
- Robert Frost
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