There are a few things that make it happen.  Getting your car washed.  NOT mowing the lawn.  Buying tickets for an outdoor sporting event.  Holding a golf tournament. . . just to name a few.  Earlier this week, our cars had been covered with leaves and we’re not sure what the granular stuff was coming from the elm tree – bottom line is that both cars were disgusting.  We mean it was a MESS.  Every morning opening the garage door to find out another night of debris dropped from the trees that hang over the driveway.  It was time to break down and get the car washed.  Inside and out, they were filled with leaves and leaf by-products.  What a mess.  A car wash – just one of the things that is almost guaranteed to make it happen.

Monday night we ran (actually we drove, but ‘ran’ sounds better) to Houston to catch a baseball game between the Cardinals and the Astros – the roof of the stadium was closed so no matter what the weather was or could have been, it really didn’t matter.  Today, the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce held its very first Grip It & Rip It Golf Classic.  Last night about 9 p.m. the skies opened up around here and for the next two plus hours, we received in excess of 3 inches of rain.  A lot of water to be sure and it added to the mess on the cars in the driveway at home brought down by the rain from the trees (reference the above mentioned comments).  The effects of the rain were painfully evident today, both on the cars and at the golf course – no standing water, but muddy areas that until yesterday were dry patches.  Today, we also had some showers before the start at Noon.  The golf tournament was never in danger of it being cancelled, but you have to admit it’s kind of funny that we go months without rain, and the ONE day you hold an outdoor venue tournament, it rains.  No complaints here.

There is something magical about listening to rain.  It’s a soothing, mellow sound even when it’s coming down  hard – it’s rain!  Our wine tonight is also smooth and mellow and as a higher production Cabernet, the nose and the taste are in perfect harmony with each other.  It’s a 2007 Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon and it’s got body and flavor that leaves others in its’ path.  In fact, the 2007 Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon combines a suave structure with fruit and incredible appeal, pairing vibrant aromas of blackberry and vanilla with deeper notes of roasted coffee and toast on the nose. Full-bodied and forward on the palate, the wine offers well-integrated flavors of black fruits, plum, mocha and clove spice before a long, mouth-filling finish that wraps up with cassis and toast.  We couldn’t agree more!

We just plain liked this Cab – and at less than $20 a bottle, you get taste, value and depth for a great price.  The 2007 is the one you want as subsequent years haven’t quite lived up to the quality of the 2007 vintage.  We’ve seen this wine at most establishments for $17-$19 a bottle and when it goes on special, it’s a real treat.  Having a wine like this on a rainy night is the perfect way to wrap up another work week.  With a successful golf tournament under our belt and a projected weekend of rain, we’re glad to have found such a great value wine.  As your weekend unfolds, give this wine a shot – you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Please remember to enjoy these wines responsibly and recycle whenever possible.