WINE ROULETTE WITH RAIN OVER THE PALM BEACHES

Salud, Kids!

Raining, thundering and just kind of warm and smoky-looking over the southern Atlantic and the coastal area this morning. Cooler weather coming, so time to ponder all things epicurean. Why does dreary weather make me want to cook creatively? Too much Food Network? Well, so be it. Is chocolate pie considered gourmet and would you serve it with red or white wine? Ponder that and get back to me.

You know the best part, for me, about a blog? The participation of others-revolving around hot topics, cool topics or just pointless topics. It's like being together, 'round a lovely dinner table or on a beautiful veranda simply chatting with fabulous and fascinating people you adore. When you guys comment, it's like you're here in The Palm Beaches hangin' out with me. I adore that image.

As a voracious reader of a multitude of blogs, I clearly realize how difficult it is to publicly post an opinion. Easier, by far, to be an invisible reader and simply enjoy the ride, vicariously. Understood.

However, as the creator of this new, and what I hope will become a fun and exciting blog-ride, I want to give a proper Palm Beach curtsy to those commenting in the first few days. Seriously, without you guys dropping in, I'm just chatting to myself and my Cavi-girl in a vapid void. Plus, your comments are valid and insightful. Fun too. Not to mention I'm using them, only slightly edited, in this blog! So, thanks for helping me write this thing.

Grab a beverage and let us cheeply chat a bit more about wine. You in? Excellent!

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Funny thing about wine. It appears to me to be one of those topics...you know what I'm talking about here, don't you? True and absolute wine-snobs loathe the idea of mixing it up with mere sippers of the grape. Oh, there's a difference and it is ridiculous. Maybe not so much in the time of the rich and fake-rich of a few years ago...but, now...come ON!!

Kids, 'round our place we indulge in a finer wine here and there, of course. But, we decided, I believe on a trip to Total Wine one Saturday, to play the game a bit differently for fun AND the faux-designer wallet.

Gaz and I invented a sort of wine-roulette/adult treasure hunt game. Roam the store, independently, and come together later with our fantastic, ten dollar or less wine finds.

Admittedly, some of it is swill and is dumped, which is a waste except for recycling the bottle...but, mostly we have found decent wines, at ridiculously reduced prices. I won't kid you, we toss in a few standard favorites as back-up. Still, most of our go-to varietals can be had for twenty or under. Mostly. Oh, be sure to use your wine store discounts and coupons. We try to make it a habit, and when I say we, it's the "royal". Gaz is much better than I at the whole coupon thing. I'm crap at it, I'll just tell ya.

Amazingly, after we have our tastings...and, only AFTER...we will seek reviews on the internet and are usually in agreement. Speaking of things internet, be sure to become fans and/or friends of your favorites or future favorites on Facebook, if you aren't already. Reason? Many wine makers offer specials on their sites. We only consider this if they offer free shipping. Free shipping is BIG at our place.

READ ON and see what your fellow wine swillers have to say about some of their favorite cheeply chic grape drink...cheers to them...

SABRINA SUGGESTS-A Cabernet from Argentina called Catena is on the list of good, under $20 wines. We picked it up this weekend while at Sigel's (Dallas area)when it was highly recommended by one of the employee's...and it definitely didn't. Add DaVinci Chianti to the list of cheap and fabulous. Heck, they sell it at my local grocery store, in a town of, well you know, not very many! It's fantastic to snatch up a bottle and take into those incredible little family Italian restaurants (the kind where the focus in on food and they let you bring the wine).

GRETCHEN SUGGESTS-Red Tree, Pinot Noir, $7.00, Whole Foods. Definitely would buy it again.

TEDDY-Love Cakebread Wines, but have been enjoying BLACK BOX Wines...equivalent to 4 bottles...Sam's Club or Publix...under $20.00!!!

These are excellent suggestions, so get out there and see what you can find. Keep on dancin' and prancin' and sharin' this good info.

Lastly, from B down in Miami, who is one of those silent reader types...won't comment, but shares fab information such as this link. Oh, when I read it, for me, the very best part was simply the sharing part. Could not agree more. If the link doesn't work for you, it's salon.com.

Bye now!
Pamme
http://www.salon.com