Spirit in a bottle

egend has it . . . long ago, a farmer befriended a dragon using the creature to guard his crops from raiding poachers. Flying overhead, the dragon would snap its jaws, causing thieves to flee empty handed. Upon the dragon’s demise, the farmer planted a vine over its majestic body, which in time grew into a vineyard. Each harvest, the spirit of the dragon lives on, inspiring the creation of these delicious wines!

:: Snap Dragon 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon • California • $8 ::

I thought the story on the wine bottle was a nice touch, so I shared. I kind of want to know what caused the dragon's demise, but that's ok. I guess it leaves something to the imagination.

This is a really lovely red wine (at least by my taste). So lovely that it inspired me to get writing again, even though I had given up for over six months! It's sweeter than your average Cabernet Sauvignon and extremely fruit forward. Tasted like a mixed-berry jam with slight spice... it's got a little earth and some tannins, but it goes down quite smoothly and is wonderful to drink on its own. Very well-balanced. You'll be reaching for another glass.

I titled this one "spirit" in a bottle to honor the dragon's spirit, but also I think it's appropriate because I feel like my spirit has been bottled up lately. I feel kind of lost. I seem to go through this kind of thing every few months lately, so maybe it's just the ongoing quarter-life crisis; I'm not sure. I have a plan, I seem to be heading on a path to get things under control, but ultimately I still feel a little helpless.

(Dropcap by typographer Jessica Hische)