Wine Wednesday: William Chris 2021 Petit Verdot

 

I think I mentioned that I got to try a couple of extra wines at my recent tasting at William Chris, and this was one of the extras. 

I liked this wine quite a lot. But I don't know what the people who wrote the description of it on the WC website were thinking. They claim hints of bubble gum on the nose, which (thankfully) I did not taste AT ALL. 

It had an absolutely lovely scent, IMO; something sweetly floral with hints of caramel. It put me in mind of campfires and summer nights--all honeysuckle and toasted marshmallow, with hints of smoke. The taste was very summery as well--lots of blueberry and blackberry flavors, along with a little salinity. 

This is another medium body/medium tannin wine. Not sure what I'd pair it with. Maybe a charcuterie board, or a lighter pasta dish (something with olives and lemon, perhaps). But I think it would also make a nice wine to simply drink on its own. Particularly outside by a lake or a river.

Which reminds me. I put together a playlist for nights like that. 

Romance Writers Weekly ~ PSL, Yes or No? ~ #LoveChatWrite

This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked, "Okay, let's settle this! Pumpkin Spice - yea or nay?"

Oh, that's an easy one. YEA! Although I admit I take mine half sweet/no whip because NOBODY needs as much sugar as the fully loaded kind comes with. 

Just to be clear, I actually prefer Gingerbread lattes, and Honey Lavender iced lattes probably most of all. 

And I know, I know! Liking Fall and all things PSL is considered very basic. But what can you do? A couple of years ago I actually wrote a piece of flash fiction about PSLs and PSL Season. You can find that here:

 https://rhymeswithforeplay.blogspot.com/2022/09/romance-writers-weekly-fall-flash.html

Now, hop on over to Leslie Hachtel's page to find out which side of the debate she's on. And don't forget to check out her book, Come Back to Me.

Come Back to Me

What would you do if you could go back in time to find your soulmate? For Skye Blaine, the answer is clear: she would do whatever it takes to be with the one she loves. Follow her as she travels through time in search of her heart's desire, finding that the path to true love is never easy, but always worth it. Will she find her happy ending? This page-turning story of love, sacrifice, and courage is sure to captivate and inspire. Don't miss out on this unforgettable journey through time!

https://amzn.to/3thW8BR

Westport Winery Garden Resort in Westport, WA

Saturday, October 4 1to 3 pm!

Authors Kate Davies and PG Forte will be at the Fall Festival from 1 pm to 3 pm. Meet two of the authors of the POUR DECISIONS trilogy with a special Zoom-in with third author Kelly Jamieson!

Yeah, it’s just like in the books. IYKYK.

Grab signed copies of all three books, plus some fun swag! We can't wait to meet you. Mark your calendars now!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CoPemACWf/

Meet the Martinelli sisters: Rosa, Bianca and Allegra. These partners in wine have just inherited a once-storied winery in the heart of Napa Valley. They’re living the dream, right?

 

Not so fast! Because, as it turns out, not everybody is happy for them. And that includes their Uncle Geno who’d assumed the property would come to him.

 

There are hoops to jump through, barrels to get over, and a mountain of regulations they'll have to scale. But the sisters are crushing it—and we don’t just mean the grapes. They’re making wine, falling in love, and working together to restore their inheritance to its former glory, one pour decision at a time.

https://Books2Read.com/Pour-Decisions

Musical Monday: Wake Me Up When September Ends (Green Day)

 So, I didn't know the story behind this song until...well, until I went looking for a good video to post, TBH. I always thought it was about 9/11. Turns out,  Billie Joe Armstrong wrote it about losing his father to cancer.  

Wine Wednesday: William Chris 2022 Enchanté

 

So here's a fun fact for you. About a year ago (September 24, 2024, to be exact) I posted about William Chris's 2021 Enchanté. Here's the link, if you want to see what I had to say about the wine back then:

 https://rhymeswithforeplay.blogspot.com/2024/09/wine-wednesday-william-chris-enchante.html

Even though Enchanté is William Chris' flagship wine, I have to admit that it's not my favorite of their wines. Don't get me wrong. I do like it. But if I may be allowed to quote from The Parent Trap, when it comes to Cabs and Merlots, I too am partial to the softer California grape. 

I've been learning a lot about Texas wine since I moved here, and there are a lot of varietals that are grown here that I was unfamiliar with before but that I like very much. 

When it comes to wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, however, I think California is hard to beat. But, YMMV, so you might want to give it a try and see what you think.

Here's another fun fact for you. The grapes for this wine are sourced from a vineyard located in the Enchanted Rock area outside Fredericksburg. The winemakers were trying to come up with a name that would pay homage both to the location and to the fact that they were using the grapes to make a Bordeaux-style (ie French) wine. Hence Enchanté. 

I found this wine to be a little more fruit forward and acidic than many Cabs, with milder tannins and more of an emphasis on red fruit (berries and cherries) rather than black. 

I'd pair this wine with Texas barbecue, or maybe some Tex-Mex cuisine. 

Romance Writers Weekly ~ Which Would You Rather Read? ~ #LoveChatWrite

This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked, "Would you rather read (or write) about a rekindled flame or a brand-new passion? Is your choice influenced by the age of the characters?"

I've said it before: I really love a good second-chance romance. New relationships are often fun but there's just something about old flames reigniting that I find irresistible. In terms of writing, they both have their challenges, but that's what makes them fun!

I've never thought about whether the age of the characters would make a difference. And I'm not sure now but I think I might feel like the older the characters are, the more I want to see them fall in love with someone new. 

Yeah, that surprised me, too. 

For one thing, it seems more unexpected, which makes it more fun. For another...after a certain age, you might be more likely to feel like you might as well make new mistakes, rather than repeating an old one?

Unless you're a vampire. Vampires play by different rules. 

Now, hop on over to Jenna Da Sie's page to find out which she prefers.

And if you're going to be in the Westport Washington area on October 4, come and make some Pour Decisions!

Westport Winery Garden Resort in Westport, WA

Saturday, October 4 1to 3 pm!

Authors Kate Davies and PG Forte will be at the Fall Festival from 1 pm to 3 pm. Meet two of the authors of the POUR DECISIONS trilogy with a special Zoom-in with third author Kelly Jamieson!

Yeah, it’s just like in the books. IYKYK.

Grab signed copies of all three books, plus some fun swag! We can't wait to meet you. Mark your calendars now!

A New, Multi-Author Series Out Now!

Meet the Martinelli sisters: Rosa, Bianca and Allegra. These partners in wine have just inherited a once-storied winery in the heart of Napa Valley. They’re living the dream, right?

 

Not so fast! Because, as it turns out, not everybody is happy for them. And that includes their Uncle Geno who’d assumed the property would come to him.

 

There are hoops to jump through, barrels to get over, and a mountain of regulations they'll have to scale. But the sisters are crushing it—and we don’t just mean the grapes. They’re making wine, falling in love, and working together to restore their inheritance to its former glory, one pour decision at a time.

https://Books2Read.com/Pour-Decisions

Musical Monday: Maggie May (Rod Stewart)

 

I'm not sure what I think of this version. I generally prefer to watch live performances than static images, but I'm not sure Stewart nails the "I feel I'm being used," or "I really should be back at school," aspects of the lyrics. But what can you do? We all get older--if we're lucky. Although, these days, I find myself wondering if "lucky" is the right word to use. 

These are the days that really bring home the reason WHY the phrase, "May you live in interesting times," is considered a curse. I spent most of my life clueless about that, and I could have happily continued in that vein.  But, C'est la vie, I guess. 

Wine Wednesday: William Chris 2020 Sangiovese

 

So, I think I've mentioned that I grew up with a bottle of Chianti on the dinner table nearly every night. It's not like I was drinking it, or anything, but that's still what informed my earliest perceptions of wine. 

Chianti, of course, is made from primarily Sangiovese grapes, so it's not surprising that I would be drawn to this wine. 

The nose is redolent of spiced fruit--cinnamon, apples, plums, cherries. It's got a medium body and milder tannins. It tastes very bright. Fruit forward, but still dry, with hints of salinity. 

Pairing is tricky...or, rather the reverse. I think this is a wine that would go well with many things. Not chocolate cake, perhaps, but most meats and other savory dishes. This is the wine I brought back from my trip to Willian Chris because it tastes like home.