On Sundays if we have no other plans, I pick Mitch up from work, come home and have a late lunch early dinner. I try to fix something nice more dinner like than lunch and of course wine to go with it all. I know it’s a bit early but its Sunday and we have no place to go, so why no unwind earlier? That just means I get longer to drink. The downside is that we can’t drink too much because we still have to walk the dogs. Too much wine and dog walking ends up with a trip to the emergency room. Good thing I have Aflac.

Today the weather cooperated and warmed up enough so that I could grill us a steak. Mitch likes his medium rare and I like mine rare so his goes on first then mine goes on after I turn his over. Steaks are quick and easy and one of Mitch’s favorite meals. The wine today was a California red blend from Sonoma County. Besieged 2012, bottled by Ravenswood and a blend of 35% Carignane, 20% Petite Sirah, 18% Zinfandel, 13% Mourvedre, 9% Alicante Bouschet, 5% Barbera, is a limited release with 14.5% alcohol content.

The wine was a dark rich red color, with blackberry aromas. I could taste black cherry and plum. The wine was dry but not harsh, with a bit of a bite and had a full finish. It went great with the steak and salad. I bought it for under $15 at our favorite wine store.

I am trying to widen my palette and drink more blends. We tend to buy mostly single varietals, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel and mainly because we are pretty sure of what we will get. Blends have a bit of a mystique about them. So much of buying blends is the label and the information or lack of on the label. Every time we go to replenish our wine stock I am going to be sure and throw in a couple of bottles of blends that I haven’t tried before. I know I can’t taste every wine out there, but I’m going to give it my best shot.