Wine Wednesday: 2005 Bodegas Victoria Pardina

Pardina

2005

Bodegas Victoria

D.O. Cariñena, Spain

$15

(89 points)

The 70% Spanish Tempranillo, 20% Syrah and the 10% Cabernet Sauvignon provides for a complex, spicy and dark fruit bouquette. Spice box, plum, blackberry and currant liquor and a trace of smoke are the aromas for this complex perfume. Aged in French oak barrels for 4 months, the 30 second finish provides the palate with a lingering vanilla note--a very supple and smooth wine with mature tannins.

On The Road Pet Peeves

Here is a list I have compiled of things that bother me while driving:

-When a truck or Uhaul sluggishly saunters in the fast lane.

-On a two lane highway, when two trucks monopolize both lanes so that one cannot pass them.

-Cars/trucks that have hideous smelling exhaust.

-Cars that leave their blinkers on even 2 miles after they orginally switched lanes

-A white mercedes benz

-Drivers who think they are too cool to use a blinker

-Motorcyclists who don't understand the concept of a lane

Wine Wednesday: 2008 Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc

2008

Cupcake Vineyards

Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough, New Zealand

$13

This beautifully bright and clear pale yellow Sauvignon Blanc serves to be a wonderful Summer/Early Fall white wine. It offers an array of well balanced fruits to the palate such as grapefruit, meyer lemon, hints of kiwi as well as having floral components. This wine is very light and refreshing and offers the palate a zesty yet not overly acidic finish. It's best served cold to keep it's acidity and bouquette balance in line. Pairs very well with fish and shellfish.

Can't Get No Satisfaction

I can only speak for myself as an artist and the fact that I can't ever seem to get satisfaction. I sit down with my moleskin notebook, pilot varsity fountain pen, guitar and the hope that I'll connect with a muse to craft a new song. There are times when I connect easily and I'm moved enough to pen a verse, a pre-chorus, a chorus and the more difficult part, the bridge. When this happens,  there is a sense of gratification and elation that surrounds me--but it doesn't last. As soon as the last word is written and the song is learned, I can't hold on to this sensation of fulfillment. The elation deflates and I am left empty handed already moving forward for the next song to fill me back up. There is never a song that leaves me satiated and placid. There is not a moment where I can close my lyric book and walk away with a "my work is done" attitude. But that's fine. If all threads were tied together we'd never get out of bed. It's this treasureless journey that keeps us going--we will search until we find the day that we become introduced to bliss. Search on.

Wine Wednesday: 2005 Caymus Conundrum

Caymus Conundrum

California

2005

$28

Conundrum (noun): a confusing and difficult problem or question. So how exactly does this definition apply to such a wine? It's all in the grape variety. This 2005 Caymus Conundrum white wine brings in grapes from the counties of Napa, Monterey, Santa Barbara and Tulare including: Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Viognier and Chardonnay. Upon first sip this wine is extremely delicate, seemingly fragile and angelic on the palate. With a swish of the golden liquid, the peach/apricot, green melon pear, tropical fruit, honey suckle and a spicy vanilla become apparent, yet all the while remaining lush and delicate, creamy and crisp. 

The Adversaries: Heart and Mind

There are many individuals who listen to their mind over their heart and vice versa. It means that some people choose to listen to a voice rather than live their lives from an insistent feeling. I choose to live by feeling the various impressions my heart leaves with me. One of the significant impressions is what I refer to as "the pit". It is the loudest feeling I feel. It feels as though your heart has depressed itself into the lowest trench present in your body. It comes in time of confusion, sorrow, loss, heartbreak. If you listen with your sense of touch, the heart gives you all you need to know on how to follow the path most satisfying; the path that is full of bliss and joy, love and life.  

So why do I personally choose heart over mind? There is a term called "the ego" associated with the inner being of the mind and is not associated with the heart as the heart is its own entity. The ego is often what drives us to do acts which are proven to make us gain a better sense of self-worth and self confidence. In this sense, it's a false sense of reality, it's not truly us--it's our ego. It is said that the ego favors the id (or the unorganised part of the self which is responsible for our natural and basic drives--hunger, thirst, sex). Because of the ego's predilection towards the Id, the ego is often responsible for passing over reality's finer facets, while in truth, it's pretending to have respect for reality in order to prevent conflicts from arising. It becomes a war in our minds. For the "super-ego" has the upper hand and is constantly watching the ego's actions; it punishes the ego with feelings such as guilt and anxiety. Because of this battle and the consequential feelings, we end up doing things for the wrong reasons. 

To me, it seems more favorable to follow the heart. For our entire lives, the heart never stops beating. Day in and day out, it knows what to do. It is the center of our body and is our greatest life line. The mind, although very important, often plays trick on us, deceives us, has us do things for the wrong reason--seemingly less trustworthy than the heart. The heart constantly has our soul in mind, where as the mind holds hands with the ego. Whatever leads to happiness is the path one should follow, it is to my personal taste to walk in the instinctual footsteps of the heart.