Babies at the Vineyard

This weekend was absolutely amazing!  Our friends Dave and J, the ones that got married last year, came over to hang out.  We decided to go to a Vineyard a few minutes away.  Apparently it was "Family Day” there, so it was actually kind of normal to have a baby at the bar.

I get just as excited for wine glasses

Yup, leave it to my baby to love being at a bar around bottles of wine.

Does anyone else notice that she's sitting by herself?

Side note, every time that I think about Addison being at the Vinery, I think about that Sweet Home Alabama movie quote, “Look at you!  You have a baby…in a bar!”

Yes, J and I are wearing a very similar shirt.  We're bff like that.

It was absolutely amazing to have a day out with our friends, especially when it was acceptable to have the baby at the bar (there were at least 5 other infants there!).

Same expression?  J was telling us something awesome.

After the Vineyard, we ventured out to an ice cream place and got soft server with chocolate sprinkles.

Yawn...your old people stories are so boring.

Another side note, in Massachusetts (Boston area, not Western MA…there is a BIG difference) we called them Jimmies.  What do you call them?

J and Peanut and a glass of wine.

Yet another note, does anyone notice Dave walking off into the sunset?

Dave, walking off into the "sunset"

(Yes, I am aware there is no sunset.  But you get the drift).

Dave, coming back from walking off into the "sunset"

Back to our weekend – after ice cream and jimmies, we went back to our place, put Peanut to bed and had some BBQ burgers and hot dogs, followed by a coupe of drinks and some awesome conversation.

Jon is very serious about baby games

Which brings me to my last side story:

When I met Jon’s best friends, Dave and Janelle, they told me lots of stories of their High School and College years.  And every time we got together, there were more stories (some the same, some new) of their years together.

Now, almost 4 years of marriage and 6 years of being together, later, I’m starting to appear in their stories.

It’s pretty darn exciting to be part of their very tight group and I love every single moment of it.

What was your weekend like?
Do you tell stories from the good ol’ days?

I'm going back to this Vineyard on Saturday with my bloggy friends!  Wanna come? Click here for more info.

Cline Zinfandel

Jon and I went out to a local Wine Exchange store and picked up a few bottles of wine to enjoy after Peanut was born.  This was one of the selections recommended to us.

This is Cline Zinfandel - 2008.

First off, we all know that we love a deep red Zin, so this was already right up our valley.

This wine is full of flavor!  You can smell the dark fruit and spices before you even take your first sip.  After opening the bottle, we each poured a glass and let it sit for a couple of minutes.  I love taking the time to just smell the delicious flavor before I take a taste.

The wine tastes as good as it smells.  It's rich in flavor so beware if you're not into that kinda thing.  I love the complexity of the wine, allowing you to almost taste two different flavors - the fruit when you first take a sip, and the oak when the flavor stays with you after you finish. This is definitely a great choice to have with dinner or all on its own.

Louis M Martini Cabernet Sauvignon - Sonoma County

You know what I love?

Well, actually, I love a lot of things...I'm a very loving person.  But that's not the point.

I love sharing wine selections.

In the past couple of years my girl friends and I really got into wine and we get excited to share new finds with one another.  So I was thrilled when one of my besties, Kerry, brought us a new bottle of Cab to try out.  Our taste in wine is extremely similar so I couldn't wait to pop the cork (actually, we opened the bottle that evening even though we already had an open bottle of wine sitting on the counter).

Since I'm a blogger, it's only fair that I also share it with you...although I can't offer a taste.

Louis M Martini Cabernet Sauvignon - Sonoma County (2008) is de-li-cious.  I say this about a lot of wine because, well, I love almost all wine.  But really, this was yummy.

The taste is so fitting to its description - it's full of flavor but goes down easy.  You can definitely taste the dark cherry and blackberry in every sip.  Although it's flavorful, this bottle of wine would probably go well with just about anything and you can enjoy more than a glassful without overwhelming your taste buds.  If you're looking for something to compliment a steak dinner, this is a great choice.

Seven Deadly Zins - Michael David Winery

Guess what I can have again?

Yummy, delicious, smooth wine.

In fact, according to our pediatrician a glass a day is great for nursing the baby.  Who knew?

Jon and I were a little nervous the first couple of days while we were readjusting to our new life as a family of 3 humans.  But after a couple of days we cracked open a bottle of wine that we've saved since last February.

This is a bottle of Seven Deadly Zins from the Michael David Winery.  We purchased it in New Hampshire while on a little getaway for Valentine's day.

We were so excited since Michael David Winery is one of my favorite wineries.  And Zinfandel is one of my favorite flavors.  I just adore the bold taste that stays with you for minutes after you take a sip.

The Seven Deadly Zins is amazing.  It's even better than I remember when I tasted it almost a year ago.

It is a bold wine that isn't for everyone.  If you're into lighter red wines like Pinot Noir, this is probably not for you.  However, if you enjoy a nice thick bold Cabernet or red Zin, this is your guy.

It's fruity, yet spicy.  It's incredibly rich without being overwhelming.  It has a very strong taste but it doesn't leave you wondering if you just ate something bad (I find that with some bold wine).  I think it's aged appropriately and, once it airs for a few minutes, it's unbelievable.

If you're a wine enthusiast and you're into strong, bold red wine, I definitely recommend trying this out.  It retails for about $18 and is worth every single penny.

As for me - I love almost every single wine flavor.  My taste ranges from a fresh Chardonnay to a bold Zinfandel to a strong Petit Shiraz to a fruity Riesling to the light Pinot Noir.  I'm also not a snob - a bottle of Penguin or Barefoot wine is absolutely delicious, although I enjoy a more expensive bottle of wine on occasion (especially when they're gifted or we get them in New Hampshire).  I love trying out new flavors and visiting wineries - local or afar.  If you have any recommendations for me - feel free to post!  I can't wait to try more wines this year!