Being products of the 70’s, we still remember Homecoming dances and others that always—repeat—always ended with Stairway to Heaven.  By the mid-70’s, Led Zeppelin was at the forefront of rock in America.  Even though Stairway to Heaven debuted in late 1971, it was the mid-to-late 70’s before it really caught on with the ‘disco’ generation!  And, with all due respect to the composers, it was one of the most difficult songs to dance to–especially if you’re a high school senior!  The song, running eight minutes and two seconds, is composed of several sections which increase in tempo and volume as the song progresses. The song begins as a slow acoustic-based folk song accompanied by recorders before electric instrumentation is introduced.  As rock-n-roll songs go, it’s one of the classics.  What is remembered most about this song is that you’d start out slow dancing–shoes were checked at the entrance so it was socks and stockings–but the tempo ramped up and you’re left hanging there like–OKAY, what am I supposed to do now???  Since it was usually the LAST song of the night, we were caught in a crossfire of dancing. . .fast? slow? close? apart?  C’mon man, this isn’t easy when you’re geeky teenagers!!  BUT, if you stop—and listen to the music, listen to the lyrics, it’s an amazing song.  Often referred to as one of the greatest rock songs of all time, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and company put this song in the stratosphere of music legend.  To this day, we can’t hear this song and stop to reminisce about days gone by. . .it’s that GOOD!

Looking back over the years, who would have thought that a song first introduced by Neil Sedaka would become an anthem for classic rock?  It’s really not the stuff legends are made of–unless the music rocks and the lyrics kick butt.  Thanks to the guys in Led Zeppelin, this song does BOTH!  The problem with a song like this is that it’s IMPOSSIBLE to dance to!  We love the tune, but from slow to fast to an amazing guitar crescendo…we remember dancing to the music but it really wasn’t dancing to the music!!  Ahhh, the past, it’s a wonderful excuse to talk about the things we were a part of but didn’t quite see eye to eye!!

Which is why tonight we opened a really nice bottle of Slow Dancer Cabernet Sauvignon…we bought this at our local H-E-B and while we thought it was going to be a cheap; lousy tasting wine–we were surprised!  Think about this—-close your eyes—Slow dancing in the moonlight, that’s what this Cab is all about. Put on the soft music and let this tango of cassis, plum and vanilla-caramel flavors sway you.  Yeah, it’s got a really nice nose and a really nice taste, but the finish–oh, the finish is really amazing.  Lots of fruit–lots of oak–lots of mellow goodness that should be reserved for a wine much more expensive than this.  We really enjoyed Slow Dancer.

Led Zeppelin defined a generation of rock – n – roll lovers.  Stairway to Heaven defined a generation of rock – n – roll lovers that loved Led Zeppelin!  We still remember the lights coming on in the gymnasium after school dances because this song was the LAST SONG of the night.  BUT, more importantly, we know that whether it’s wine or music or both—when you let your senses take control—anything is possible!

Thanks for reading our blog and remember to enjoy your favorite wine responsibly and recycle whenever possible!