The Joys of Wine

I didn't start drinking alcohol until I was 50.  Why?  Religion. Mormon, that is. Even in my teens...never even tried it.  I wasn't a party girl so there wasn't much opportunity.  Or maybe it was fear of going to hell, I take things very seriously. So seriously that I even had a suitcase full of emergency supplies in the closet when I was a child, just in case the end of the world happened during the night. The suitcase was right next to my Mark Spitz in a speedo poster (hidden in the closet so no one would know I lusted after him).  I hadn't really thought through the fact that I probably wouldn't need supplies for the end of the world, somehow I assumed I would survive it, which was a frightening thought...I would have preferred death.  Now I realize wine would have really helped my anxiety, another wine drinking bonus, relaxer of the socially awkward.  It may have helped my lack of a social life or made me an easier person to live with.  Kidding, I'm super easy to live with, right?

I was definitely missing out.  Now that I've left the religion I was raised in (that's a whole other post that doesn't have much to do with joy), I have fallen head over hills in love with wine.  Seriously, a night alone with wine is a GREAT night!  It's like taking a Xanax or Valium to take the edge off...but better because you get to sip it and it tastes yummy, and it feeeeeeels divine.  Another bonus is that my sweet tooth is satisfied with a glass of wine, no dessert needed.  That may sound strange to those without a sweet tooth or who think dessert is for 'special' occasions but I was raised with dessert with every dinner...I had a Swedish mother...it's hard to get over the need for a sweet at the end of a meal...thus wine is the answer, my friend.

I've also always had a really hard time sitting still, ADD?  Not with wine, I can just sit on my couch and enjoy the beautiful sunset without a care in the world...which is what I'm doing right now!

My wine progression has been interesting.  At first I didn't like it...so why drink it you ask?  I just needed to find the right wine.  Several years ago I got together for a cooking night once a month with co-workers...we didn't drink...or they didn't drink because I didn't drink maybe, I'm not sure. Instead of alcohol I would make everyone a specialty cocktail I created, I called it the Maria Sangria.  It was cranberry juice, diet sprite and frozen mixed berries.  It was delicious.  So I realized I needed to find a sweet wine, a dessert wine for my sweet tooth.  I fell in love with Moscato, specifically Barefoot Wine Moscato (because I love their mission and vision), throw in some berries and it's almost like my Maria Sangria...with a kick.  Since then I've graduated to the drier wines like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, now my favorite is New Zealand's Starborough Sauvignon Blanc, it's more like a tangy grapefruit taste.

So far I prefer the whites but I'm loving trying them all...it takes some time.  It's fun to get together with my adult children and try new wines along with some deep conversation.  I've been to a few wine tastings now...really enjoyable...everyone is always happy at a wine tasting.  I'm no wine connoisseur, I'm happy with cheap wines, World Market has great sales and a huge variety.  I asked my Swedish friend what her favorite was...it's a red Pinot Noir, I'll have to try it.  I asked her how often she drinks wine, because she's really thin and I just wondered what "normal" is for drinking in the secular world because I'm clueless and don't know a lot of wine drinkers other than the ones like me that have recently left religion who are also challenging the biases they were raised with.  Once a day? Once a week? Once a month?  She was funny, she thought about it deeply and said, "Usually just the weekend...oh and hump day (Wednesday) or if there is something special going on (we were at Paint Nite drinking wine on a Tuesday)...well, basically whenever I want, I don't really think about it."  Was I looking for permission or approval?  I'm a grown up, I don't need any one's permission or approval...I'll drink wine whenever I want.