Comfort in a bottle

:: Indaba Chenin Blanc 2006, produced by Cafe Classics (South Africa), $8.99 ::

My friend Fred brought this wine to my "Around the World in Food and Drink" dinner party. Though I encouraged people to be more creative with the international drinks they were bringing, I forgive Fred for bringing the wine, because I love the label :) Plus (and perhaps more importantly), I don't think I had ever tried a South African white wine before.

I really enjoyed it. It's not very complex or interesting wine, but it's well-rounded and easy to drink. It's crisp, light and citrusy. It has some ripe fruit on the bouquet, particularly bananas... but not in a way that evokes warmth. I actually remember thinking it almost smelled like rain!

All in all, great wine for under $10. I think I've been a little stressed lately (between work, class and personal life), and it was the perfect thing to comfort me. Well, it was either the wine or my new kitten Andy (short for Ampersand)... or maybe a combination of the two made for the ultimate relaxing evening :)

In other wine news, I watched the movie Bottle Shock a few weeks ago. It's no Sideways, but you'll probably enjoy it if you're a wine aficionado. The preview makes it look funnier than it really is, and it may be a little too long, but I liked it okay. It's about California winemakers setting out to produce better wines than the French in the 1960s (and succeeding!). Based on a true story, apparently. Makes me feel better about California red Zinfandels being my preferred kind of wine, haha. Actually it's really funny I've consistently said red zins are my favorite considering the francophile I am! Guess I'm a true American at heart.

Speaking of being American, I'm going to my first professional baseball game tomorrow. Super-excited!