Road Music: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell
I was curious about exploring the Temecula wine country. Only recently has Temecula become a popular wine tourism region. Temecula has mixed reviews. From friends I had heard both "it's not that bad" and "it is that bad." Since friends of ours were planning on going, we decided to join.
Temecula is way the hell out there. It's a fun drive out there, but its also distressing to see how much of the Southland is developed. I feel great compassion for anyone who commutes into LA from places like Lake Elsinore and Chino.
Once off the freeway, the main road - Rancho California - to the wineries seems to be a part of a typical planned suburban community. Gated neighborhoods and strip malls eventually give way to open farmland and wineries. To me, it seemed as though the wineries were also part of the planned community. They were all spaced apart the same basic distance, and faced the main road in a similar manner. The two wineries that we visited were on this main stretch.
Ponte Family Estate ($20 tasting, wines $23.95-$46)
'09 Viognier, '10 Vermentino, NV Moscato, '08 Dolcetto, '08 Nebbiolo, '08 Tempranillo, '09 Super Tuscan, '10 "Beverino"(dessert wine), NV Late Harvest, '07 Zinfandel Port.
Ponte is winery machine, squeezing in as many tasting bars as possible while still leaving plenty of space to sell random trinkets to patrons. Nothing about the location felt authentic. They offered a number of different wines, but none were very good, and all were overpriced - if one was so inclined to buy. You are given six tastings from a list of fifteen wines. Almost half of the wines on their tasting list were dessert wines, which is a red flag to me. And the place was packed to the gills. Every inch of every bar was patronized. Ponte's motto is "If you like it, it's good wine"™ (yeah, they trademarked that). To their credit people were buying wine by the case - so apparently some folks thought that it was indeed good wine.
Experience: D / Wine: D+
Wiens Family Cellars ($15 tasting, wines $22-$42)
'09 Solace (white blend), '09 Pinot Noir, '09 "Crowded" (Pinot/Zin/Merlot), '07 Meritage (Pinot/Cab/Verdot), '09 Sangiovese, NV Amour De L'Orange Champagne.
We were curious to check out Weins because we noticed a sign that said "Big Reds" out front. We are fans of Italian reds, so we figured that Weins was worth a shot. None of the wines knocked my socks off, though I thought that the Crowded was pretty good. There were lots of people at Weins, but it was not as crowded as Ponte. The guy that attended to our tasting was very nice and helpful. Just like at Ponte, you get to choose six tasting from a list of fifteen.
Experience: C / Wine: C-
I heard a very interesting podcast about Temecula wineries on GrapeRadio. The wineries interviewed discussed a deep interest in creating higher quality wines and raising the wine IQ of the people that visit. The challenge is that there is a greater interest for Almond Champagne rather than well-made wine. So perhaps market demand forces wineries in Temecula to create products and experiences such as they are. In any case, I am not chomping at the bit to go back to Temecula anytime soon.
April '11 Santa Barbara County Trip - Wine Ghetto!!!
After having such a great time on our first Santa Barbara trip, we decided to head back with some wino friends. This time we went with better research, and a long list of places to check out.
Friday (Lompoc Wine Ghetto)
Road Music: Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs Vols. 1-3 (all weekend)
Flying Goat Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $36-$44)
'08 "Goat Bubbles" Blanc de Blancs, '08 Pinot Noir - Dierberg Vineyard, '07 Pinot Noir - Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard, '07 Pinot Noir - Rio Vista Vineyard Clone 2A, '06 "Dijon" Pinot Noir - Rio Vista Vineyard.
None of the wine knocked our socks off. Though the Clone 2A was easily the best. Nice space, cool dogs. The tasting room attendants were fine, though not engaging.
Experience: B- / Wine: C+
Palmina Winery ($10 tasting, wines $18-$32)
'09 Tocai Friulano, '09 Arneis, '09 Dolcetto, '06 Nebbiolo, '08 Lagrein, '10 Botasea.
A very welcoming and relaxed environment. Palmina exhibits talent and confidence in making Italian-style wine while keeping prices in a reasonable range. The staff were all very friendly. One of the most fun tasting rooms that we have visited.
Experience: A- / Wine: B+
Samsara Wines ($10 tasting, wines $18-$44)
'10 Pinot Noir Rosé, '09 Pinot Noir - Sta. Rita Hills, '07 Pinot Noir - Ampelos Vineyard, '07 Syrah - Melville Vineyards.
Samsara is experimental, skilled, and not worried about catering to the mainstream. The tasting room is a no frills warehouse. The gentleman at the tasting room was very informative about the Samsara process. Each wine was unique and had solid characteristics. The Rosé was superb.
Experience: B / Wine: B+
Taste of Sta. Rita Hills ($10 tasting, wines $17-$80)
'10 Moretti Bianchetto, '09 Hilliard Bruce Chardonnay, '07 Ken Brown Pinot Noir - Sta. Rita Hills Cuvee, '08 Hilliard Bruce Pinot Noir, '09 Moretti Syrah.
We didn't originally intend on stopping at Taste of Sta. Rita Hills, but we were drawn in by the list of wineries that were featured there (specifically Ken Brown and Seasmoke). Taste of Sta. Rita Hills is a tasting room for wineries that do not have their own tasting rooms. Antonio is an enchanted and gracious host. He serves complimentary snacks that fit the wines very well. Moretti is Antonio's label. His wines are reasonably priced and solid. Ken Brown is a regional institution - and makes superb Pinots. Hilliard Bruce is a new winery that is putting together a roster of high-quality, high-end wines.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B
Jalama Wines ($10 tasting, wines $28-$36)
'08 Joseph Blair Pinot Noir "Heartbreak" - Cargasacchi/Jalama Vineyard, '08 Pinot Noir - Cargasacchi/Jalama Vineyard, '07 Syrah - Paradise Road Vineyard, '07 Syrah - La Presa Vineyard, '07 El Capitan (red blend).
Our local wine store carried Jalama wines up until recently, so we were familiar with Jalama, and are big fans. So we knew that Jalama was one place that we had to stop at for a tasting. The wines were all fantastic, especially enjoyed the Paradise Road Syrah. The person at the tasting room was helpful and insightful. While there, we found out that Jalama no longer distributes their wine to dealers, so we'll have to revisit the Wine Ghetto when we run out of the wine that we bought there.
Experience: B+ / Wines: A-
Ampelos Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $25-$45)
Chein '09 Grüner Veltliner, '06 "Rho" Pinot Noir, '07 "Lambda" Pinot Noir, '08 Pinot Noir - Fiddlestix Vineyard, '07 "Syrache" Syrah/Grenache, '07 "Gamma" Syrah, '07 "Delta" Grenache.
Our visit to Ampelos was awesome. We were able to chat with the owner Peter Work at length. He is a great dude, and a wealth of knowledge. I was glad to learn in-depth about their sustainable/organic/bio-dynamic process. Ampelos goes to great effort to be an environmental leader in the wine industry, and I think that it makes a difference in the quality of their product. Their wine is fantastic. Great Syrah, Pinot, and Grenache. It was my favorite stop during our trip.
Experience: A / Wines: A-
Saturday (Foxen Canyon Road & Los Olivos)
Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $16-$42)
'10 Z Gris, '09 Viognier, '07 Roussanne, '08 Z-Blanc (Grenache Blanc/Roussanne), '07 Z-Cuvee (Grenache/Mourvedre/Syrah), '07 Syrah, '06 Z-Three (Syrah/Mourvedre/Grenache).
In my limited experience, there is a spectrum of wineries in Santa Barbara County. One end of the spectrum are wineries that we constantly pushing to experiment and develop a unique system. One the other end are wineries that play it safe so that visitors that come to their wineries are reasonably or moderately pleased with their experience, and perhaps buy wine. Zaca Mesa is a "playing it safe" winery. Their wine tastes fine. Their tasting room is nicely decorated. Their staff are perfectly nice. But at no point while I was there did I feel that I was experiencing anything unique. Considering that Zaca Mesa seems to be doing very well there's definitely an audience that appreciate that safeness, but I'd rather explore other avenues.
Experience: C / Wines: C+
Koehler Winery ($10 tasting, wines $14-$30)
'09 Chardonnay, '08 Grenache, '08 Sangiovese, '07 Syrah, '07 Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 Riesling.
Koehler, like Zaca Mesa, has their tasting room on their estate. They have a nice picnic area, and a cool winery cat. Mid-day Saturday seems to be a pretty popular time - it was pretty busy though we were still taken c. The wine was pretty good, but nothing very exciting. I enjoyed their Syrah and Cab most.
Experience: B- / Wines: B-
Carhartt Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $21-$35)
'09 Grenache Blanc, '10 Sauvignon Blanc, '10 Rosé, '09 Sangiovese, '05 Merlot, '07 Syrah.
Carhartt is a fun and relaxing stop in Los Olivos. When we arrived the tiny tasting room was packed with four other folks, so we found seats on the back patio. The attendants will bring the wine out to you for the tasting. You certainly can't hate on hanging outside on a nice shaded patio on a perfect Saturday afternoon while tasting quality wine. Carhartt wine is varies from fine to pretty good. The Syrah was quite nice.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B-
Stolpman Vineyards ($15 tasting, wines $25-$66)
'09 La Coppa Blanc (Roussanne/Viognier), '09 "L'Avoin" Roussanne, '09 La Cuadrilla (Syrah/Grenache), '07 Sangiovese, '09 "Originals" Syrah, '08 "Hilltops" Syrah, '09 "Angeli" Syrah, '08 "La Croce" Syrah, '08 Grenache.
The couple that we joined for this trip are Stolpman members, and were insistent that we must go. They were not wrong. Their wine were fantastic. Each wine that we tried was high caliber and has its own unique approach. The tasting room was busy, but the staff were very capable of taking care of many people at once. All of the Syrahs were excellent and the Grenache was great.
Experience: A- / Wines: A-
Tensley Wines ($10 tasting, wines $28-$38)
'10 Camp 4 Vineyard Blanc (Grenache Blanc/Roussanne), Lea '10 Chardonnay, Lea '09 Pinot Noir, '09 Colson Canyon Syrah.
On our second trip to Tensley we were once again please with the quality of their wine. This time around we were very disappointed with the person who attended to us. She seemed put off by our presence. Thankfully the wine is good, so we weren't affected by her demeanor. The Lea Pinot Noir was the most outstanding wine that we tried.
Experience: C- / Wines: A-
Dragonette ($15 for reserve flight tasting, wines ($18-$54)
'10 Rosé of Pinot Noir, '09 Sauvignon Blanc, '09 Pinot Noir, '09 Pinot Noir - Presidio Vineyard, '08 Syrah, '08 MJM (red blend).
Our first Dragonette trip was so great, we were really looking forward to visiting them again. Sadly, it wasn't nearly as enjoyable. The tasting room was packed and the staff were exasperated. Just the same, Dragonette makes very good wine, especially the Sauvignon Blanc and the Presidio Vineyard Pinot.
Experience: C+ / Wines: B+
Sunday (Highway 246)
Foley Estates
I seem to have misplaced my notes from our Foley stop. I can recall the overall experience though. Foley is bland. None of their wine stands out. The tasting room is attractive, but seems soul-less. The tasting room attendants are competent, but did not exhibit a passion for the wine. The spirit of corporatism emanates from each aspect of Foley's presentation. Since Foley owns other wineries in the area, you can get free tastings at Lincourt and Firestone with a receipt of your tasting from Foley.
Experience: C / Wines: C
Friday (Lompoc Wine Ghetto)
Road Music: Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs Vols. 1-3 (all weekend)
Flying Goat Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $36-$44)
'08 "Goat Bubbles" Blanc de Blancs, '08 Pinot Noir - Dierberg Vineyard, '07 Pinot Noir - Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard, '07 Pinot Noir - Rio Vista Vineyard Clone 2A, '06 "Dijon" Pinot Noir - Rio Vista Vineyard.
None of the wine knocked our socks off. Though the Clone 2A was easily the best. Nice space, cool dogs. The tasting room attendants were fine, though not engaging.
Experience: B- / Wine: C+
Palmina Winery ($10 tasting, wines $18-$32)
'09 Tocai Friulano, '09 Arneis, '09 Dolcetto, '06 Nebbiolo, '08 Lagrein, '10 Botasea.
A very welcoming and relaxed environment. Palmina exhibits talent and confidence in making Italian-style wine while keeping prices in a reasonable range. The staff were all very friendly. One of the most fun tasting rooms that we have visited.
Experience: A- / Wine: B+
Samsara Wines ($10 tasting, wines $18-$44)
'10 Pinot Noir Rosé, '09 Pinot Noir - Sta. Rita Hills, '07 Pinot Noir - Ampelos Vineyard, '07 Syrah - Melville Vineyards.
Samsara is experimental, skilled, and not worried about catering to the mainstream. The tasting room is a no frills warehouse. The gentleman at the tasting room was very informative about the Samsara process. Each wine was unique and had solid characteristics. The Rosé was superb.
Experience: B / Wine: B+
Taste of Sta. Rita Hills ($10 tasting, wines $17-$80)
'10 Moretti Bianchetto, '09 Hilliard Bruce Chardonnay, '07 Ken Brown Pinot Noir - Sta. Rita Hills Cuvee, '08 Hilliard Bruce Pinot Noir, '09 Moretti Syrah.
We didn't originally intend on stopping at Taste of Sta. Rita Hills, but we were drawn in by the list of wineries that were featured there (specifically Ken Brown and Seasmoke). Taste of Sta. Rita Hills is a tasting room for wineries that do not have their own tasting rooms. Antonio is an enchanted and gracious host. He serves complimentary snacks that fit the wines very well. Moretti is Antonio's label. His wines are reasonably priced and solid. Ken Brown is a regional institution - and makes superb Pinots. Hilliard Bruce is a new winery that is putting together a roster of high-quality, high-end wines.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B
Jalama Wines ($10 tasting, wines $28-$36)
'08 Joseph Blair Pinot Noir "Heartbreak" - Cargasacchi/Jalama Vineyard, '08 Pinot Noir - Cargasacchi/Jalama Vineyard, '07 Syrah - Paradise Road Vineyard, '07 Syrah - La Presa Vineyard, '07 El Capitan (red blend).
Our local wine store carried Jalama wines up until recently, so we were familiar with Jalama, and are big fans. So we knew that Jalama was one place that we had to stop at for a tasting. The wines were all fantastic, especially enjoyed the Paradise Road Syrah. The person at the tasting room was helpful and insightful. While there, we found out that Jalama no longer distributes their wine to dealers, so we'll have to revisit the Wine Ghetto when we run out of the wine that we bought there.
Experience: B+ / Wines: A-
Ampelos Cellars ($10 tasting, wines $25-$45)
Chein '09 Grüner Veltliner, '06 "Rho" Pinot Noir, '07 "Lambda" Pinot Noir, '08 Pinot Noir - Fiddlestix Vineyard, '07 "Syrache" Syrah/Grenache, '07 "Gamma" Syrah, '07 "Delta" Grenache.
Our visit to Ampelos was awesome. We were able to chat with the owner Peter Work at length. He is a great dude, and a wealth of knowledge. I was glad to learn in-depth about their sustainable/organic/bio-dynamic process. Ampelos goes to great effort to be an environmental leader in the wine industry, and I think that it makes a difference in the quality of their product. Their wine is fantastic. Great Syrah, Pinot, and Grenache. It was my favorite stop during our trip.
Experience: A / Wines: A-
Saturday (Foxen Canyon Road & Los Olivos)
Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $16-$42)
'10 Z Gris, '09 Viognier, '07 Roussanne, '08 Z-Blanc (Grenache Blanc/Roussanne), '07 Z-Cuvee (Grenache/Mourvedre/Syrah), '07 Syrah, '06 Z-Three (Syrah/Mourvedre/Grenache).
In my limited experience, there is a spectrum of wineries in Santa Barbara County. One end of the spectrum are wineries that we constantly pushing to experiment and develop a unique system. One the other end are wineries that play it safe so that visitors that come to their wineries are reasonably or moderately pleased with their experience, and perhaps buy wine. Zaca Mesa is a "playing it safe" winery. Their wine tastes fine. Their tasting room is nicely decorated. Their staff are perfectly nice. But at no point while I was there did I feel that I was experiencing anything unique. Considering that Zaca Mesa seems to be doing very well there's definitely an audience that appreciate that safeness, but I'd rather explore other avenues.
Experience: C / Wines: C+
Koehler Winery ($10 tasting, wines $14-$30)
'09 Chardonnay, '08 Grenache, '08 Sangiovese, '07 Syrah, '07 Cabernet Sauvignon, '09 Riesling.
Koehler, like Zaca Mesa, has their tasting room on their estate. They have a nice picnic area, and a cool winery cat. Mid-day Saturday seems to be a pretty popular time - it was pretty busy though we were still taken c. The wine was pretty good, but nothing very exciting. I enjoyed their Syrah and Cab most.
Experience: B- / Wines: B-
Carhartt Vineyard ($10 tasting, wines $21-$35)
'09 Grenache Blanc, '10 Sauvignon Blanc, '10 Rosé, '09 Sangiovese, '05 Merlot, '07 Syrah.
Carhartt is a fun and relaxing stop in Los Olivos. When we arrived the tiny tasting room was packed with four other folks, so we found seats on the back patio. The attendants will bring the wine out to you for the tasting. You certainly can't hate on hanging outside on a nice shaded patio on a perfect Saturday afternoon while tasting quality wine. Carhartt wine is varies from fine to pretty good. The Syrah was quite nice.
Experience: B+ / Wines: B-
Stolpman Vineyards ($15 tasting, wines $25-$66)
'09 La Coppa Blanc (Roussanne/Viognier), '09 "L'Avoin" Roussanne, '09 La Cuadrilla (Syrah/Grenache), '07 Sangiovese, '09 "Originals" Syrah, '08 "Hilltops" Syrah, '09 "Angeli" Syrah, '08 "La Croce" Syrah, '08 Grenache.
The couple that we joined for this trip are Stolpman members, and were insistent that we must go. They were not wrong. Their wine were fantastic. Each wine that we tried was high caliber and has its own unique approach. The tasting room was busy, but the staff were very capable of taking care of many people at once. All of the Syrahs were excellent and the Grenache was great.
Experience: A- / Wines: A-
Tensley Wines ($10 tasting, wines $28-$38)
'10 Camp 4 Vineyard Blanc (Grenache Blanc/Roussanne), Lea '10 Chardonnay, Lea '09 Pinot Noir, '09 Colson Canyon Syrah.
On our second trip to Tensley we were once again please with the quality of their wine. This time around we were very disappointed with the person who attended to us. She seemed put off by our presence. Thankfully the wine is good, so we weren't affected by her demeanor. The Lea Pinot Noir was the most outstanding wine that we tried.
Experience: C- / Wines: A-
Dragonette ($15 for reserve flight tasting, wines ($18-$54)
'10 Rosé of Pinot Noir, '09 Sauvignon Blanc, '09 Pinot Noir, '09 Pinot Noir - Presidio Vineyard, '08 Syrah, '08 MJM (red blend).
Our first Dragonette trip was so great, we were really looking forward to visiting them again. Sadly, it wasn't nearly as enjoyable. The tasting room was packed and the staff were exasperated. Just the same, Dragonette makes very good wine, especially the Sauvignon Blanc and the Presidio Vineyard Pinot.
Experience: C+ / Wines: B+
Sunday (Highway 246)
Foley Estates
I seem to have misplaced my notes from our Foley stop. I can recall the overall experience though. Foley is bland. None of their wine stands out. The tasting room is attractive, but seems soul-less. The tasting room attendants are competent, but did not exhibit a passion for the wine. The spirit of corporatism emanates from each aspect of Foley's presentation. Since Foley owns other wineries in the area, you can get free tastings at Lincourt and Firestone with a receipt of your tasting from Foley.
Experience: C / Wines: C
August '10 Santa Barbara County - And So It Begins
Over one year ago now we met up with friends from the Bay Area for a weekend trip. We had heard good things about the wine country in Santa Barbara County - and decided to give it a shot. We had a little bit of advice from friends about wineries to check out, but in general we were flying blind.
Saturday (Los Olivos & Solvang)
Road Music: DJ Shadow - Endtroducing
Epiphany Cellars
Right on the main drag in Los Olivos. It's the place with a big "E" sculpture out front. Nice tasting room cat. We thought the wine was okay - but did not experience any epiphanies while we were there. Experience: B- / Wine: C+.
Tensley Wines
Just around the corner from Epiphany. Tensley shares their room with Carina and it can be crowded. Lea, one of the owners was pouring. She was very helpful and friendly. The wine was tasty - especially the Pinot Noir.
Experience: B- / Wine: B+.
Dragonette Cellars
Further down street from Tensley. Luckily we were the only ones here, and John Dragonette was working behind the counter. He took great pride in sharing the wine, which was all awesome.
Experience: A- / Wine: A-.
Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards
The Lucas & Lewellen experience was the exact opposite of Dragonette. The place was packed with people, the tasting room attendees were more about getting people out as quickly as possible. The wine was subpar.
Experience: D+ / Wine: D+.
D'Alfonso-Curran Wines
Modern space right on the main road in Solvang. Tasting room attendants were nice and enthusiastic about the wine. Wine was very good. We really enjoyed the Gewurztraminer.
Experience: B+ / Wine: B+.
(April 2012 update - D'Alfonso-Curran have closed their Solvang tasting room, and are now hosting tastings at their winery on Santa Rosa Rd.)
Sunday (Highway 246)
Road Music: TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
Melville Vineyards
On our way back home we decided to swing by one more place. After spending the previous day at in-town tasting rooms, it was nice to experience a tasting room located in a vineyard. Parking is right next to grape trellises. The tasting room is in a beautiful building. Though the overall space is sterile. The tasting room attendant was knowledgeable. All of the wine was top-notch.
Experience: B- / Wine: A-
Overall an excellent first trip. We were very happy with almost all of the wineries that we visited - which may explain why we are now committed visitors to this area. I'd recommend checking out the La Purisima Mission if you're up there. Its a huge complex and it is well-curated.
Saturday (Los Olivos & Solvang)
Road Music: DJ Shadow - Endtroducing
Epiphany Cellars
Right on the main drag in Los Olivos. It's the place with a big "E" sculpture out front. Nice tasting room cat. We thought the wine was okay - but did not experience any epiphanies while we were there. Experience: B- / Wine: C+.
Tensley Wines
Just around the corner from Epiphany. Tensley shares their room with Carina and it can be crowded. Lea, one of the owners was pouring. She was very helpful and friendly. The wine was tasty - especially the Pinot Noir.
Experience: B- / Wine: B+.
Dragonette Cellars
Further down street from Tensley. Luckily we were the only ones here, and John Dragonette was working behind the counter. He took great pride in sharing the wine, which was all awesome.
Experience: A- / Wine: A-.
Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards
The Lucas & Lewellen experience was the exact opposite of Dragonette. The place was packed with people, the tasting room attendees were more about getting people out as quickly as possible. The wine was subpar.
Experience: D+ / Wine: D+.
D'Alfonso-Curran Wines
Modern space right on the main road in Solvang. Tasting room attendants were nice and enthusiastic about the wine. Wine was very good. We really enjoyed the Gewurztraminer.
Experience: B+ / Wine: B+.
(April 2012 update - D'Alfonso-Curran have closed their Solvang tasting room, and are now hosting tastings at their winery on Santa Rosa Rd.)
Sunday (Highway 246)
Road Music: TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
Melville Vineyards
On our way back home we decided to swing by one more place. After spending the previous day at in-town tasting rooms, it was nice to experience a tasting room located in a vineyard. Parking is right next to grape trellises. The tasting room is in a beautiful building. Though the overall space is sterile. The tasting room attendant was knowledgeable. All of the wine was top-notch.
Experience: B- / Wine: A-
Overall an excellent first trip. We were very happy with almost all of the wineries that we visited - which may explain why we are now committed visitors to this area. I'd recommend checking out the La Purisima Mission if you're up there. Its a huge complex and it is well-curated.
Why Wine is Better than Fantasy Football
Recently I decided to give up playing fantasy football. I had really enjoyed it for a long time, but my enjoyment had decreased significantly. Being a dork, I needed a new hobby. Somehow wine became that new hobby. So with about one year of wine hobbying under my belt, I can see a handful of reasons why I prefer being a wine dork over a fantasy football dork.
Reason #1: Wine is less about luck
Without going into detail - I'll simply state that fantasy football is largely about luck. The person that wins at the end of the year is the person that had the most good things happen for their team and the least bad things. Which means that all of the preparation that one puts into putting together a team can be wasted when one player gets hurt.
The worst piece of bad luck with wine is paying good money for wine that turned out to be corked. Which I guess can be pretty upsetting, but that happens rarely. I'd much rather spend my time on something that doesn't make me have wild mood swings.
#2: Wine stories are not insufferable
Easily the second worst thing about fantasy football are the stories that people tell about their teams and the crazy things that have happened. It goes something like this:
"Oh man it was so nuts, my team was down 30 points going into the Monday night game. The only player that I had starting that night was Antonio Gates - and he came in huge for me! It was awesome!"
These stories are not worth telling, and horrible to listen to - but let me tell you: it's impossible to not get exciting and tell these horrible stories when they happen to you. It cannot be avoided. You get swept up, and tell these boring-ass stories.
A wine story, of any kind, can never be worse.
#3 Wine encourages traveling
Fantasy football encourages people to sit at home, or at best at a sports bar, all Sunday, while continually checking stats on a computer or phone. Friends may come together to watch the games, but even then it's a pretty solitary activity. Crappy food is consumed - day-drinking occurs. Evening hangovers ensue.
Wine encourages exploration. It's fun to check out new wine bars and wine stores in town. Its great to take a weekend trip to a nearby wine region. Exploring wine country is a great time. It's also a good opportunity to kick it with friends. Day-drinking may ensue as well, but the quality is likely going to be better.
So that's that. I've persuaded myself. Perhaps next year I'll be pitting wine against exotic big game hunting, or debating the pros and cons of stamp-collecting. Until then - wine it is.
Reason #1: Wine is less about luck
Without going into detail - I'll simply state that fantasy football is largely about luck. The person that wins at the end of the year is the person that had the most good things happen for their team and the least bad things. Which means that all of the preparation that one puts into putting together a team can be wasted when one player gets hurt.
The worst piece of bad luck with wine is paying good money for wine that turned out to be corked. Which I guess can be pretty upsetting, but that happens rarely. I'd much rather spend my time on something that doesn't make me have wild mood swings.
#2: Wine stories are not insufferable
Easily the second worst thing about fantasy football are the stories that people tell about their teams and the crazy things that have happened. It goes something like this:
"Oh man it was so nuts, my team was down 30 points going into the Monday night game. The only player that I had starting that night was Antonio Gates - and he came in huge for me! It was awesome!"
These stories are not worth telling, and horrible to listen to - but let me tell you: it's impossible to not get exciting and tell these horrible stories when they happen to you. It cannot be avoided. You get swept up, and tell these boring-ass stories.
A wine story, of any kind, can never be worse.
#3 Wine encourages traveling
Fantasy football encourages people to sit at home, or at best at a sports bar, all Sunday, while continually checking stats on a computer or phone. Friends may come together to watch the games, but even then it's a pretty solitary activity. Crappy food is consumed - day-drinking occurs. Evening hangovers ensue.
Wine encourages exploration. It's fun to check out new wine bars and wine stores in town. Its great to take a weekend trip to a nearby wine region. Exploring wine country is a great time. It's also a good opportunity to kick it with friends. Day-drinking may ensue as well, but the quality is likely going to be better.
So that's that. I've persuaded myself. Perhaps next year I'll be pitting wine against exotic big game hunting, or debating the pros and cons of stamp-collecting. Until then - wine it is.
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