Diplomacy isn’t too easy after a long week when you know what you want and when you want it. Namely now! I was ready to enjoy my first glass of wine for the weekend and I had a pair of green eyes intimidating me from across the table. Lady Velveeta likes her wines bold and jammy and will barely stray out of Napa to go pluck something from Sonoma let alone from the Old Country. California Zins all the way, morning, noon and night. She “knows what she likes,” and that is the end of discussion entrée choices, pairings and other’s inclination be damned.

Although heavily medicated, I tend to be far less consistent. Sometimes I like my reds flabby, sometimes tight. Sometimes quick and easy, sometimes like turkey gravy. However, what I do not like is having a big face-punching bottle of red first thing especially if know more wine is on the social ticket.

So I hoodwinked her. I pointed to a Cali red in the Zinfandel category that I was completely unfamiliar with in not only name but in region too and deferred to her. Had she heard of it? Did she know this area? Was she feeling adventurous?

No, no and yes! Diplomacy prevailed and more importantly I got my own way.

It was actually a 70/30 blend of Zinfandel and Syrah blend from a teeny tiny vineyard called Green and Red from the far Northeastern corner of Napa. Sobrante from 2001 was described as a radiant red and boasted a 14.5% alcohol content.

Joy, the manager at the Market Avenue Wine Bar, informed us it was a difficult bottle to find and she was extremely pleased when her wholesaler had it available. Taking a sip with us, Joy described it as chewy with a long finish. Joy swished and chomped and gurgled while nodding her head in approval.

I gave it the best mimicry of a swirl this Ohio hilljack could muster and took a thoughtful sip. Hm. It tasted like red wine. I swirled again and half-heartedly imitated Joy’s chomping gesture. Hm. Red wine.

“You like?” she asked while raising her eyebrows and glass.

“Mmm hmmm!” and that was with all I could contribute. Mmm hmm. Hmmm. Poseur.

As the wine became more oxygenated and warm brie and pate was served, I began to enjoy it a lot more. It was nuanced and minerally and even at 14.5% alcohol still a lighter red that drank closer to a Merlot or Pinot than a Zinfandel or Syrah.

The Green and Red Vineyards Sobrante reminded me that the whole world of wine is a lot more complicated than picking red or white. You can be safe by knowing what you like, but I look forward to going to Market Avenue Wine Bar again to try another bottle of Sobrante (if they have it) when I’ve had a little less coffee, a fresher palette and perhaps give it a little more time to breath.

You too can try the Green and Red Vineyards Sobrante 2001 for $34 at the Market Avenue Wine Bar, 2526 Market Avenue in Ohio City right next to the Great Lakes Brewery.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 28th, 2007 at 10:40 pm and is filed under Wine Whine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.