Mondays. . .immortalized by the Mamas and The Papas in March 1966 and the lyrics are as true today as they were almost 50 years ago. . .“Monday Monday, can’t trust that day, Monday Monday, sometimes it just turns out that way — Oh Monday morning, you gave me no warning of what was to be — Oh Monday Monday, how could you leave and not take me.”  Okay, so we’re not sure what that means other than a). you can’t trust Mondays; b). you get NO warning of what’s coming your way and c). It always helps to keep those you love in the loop. . .corny?  Yeah, we thought so!

On a sadder note, we pause in writing tonight to pray for the families of those who have lost loved ones in the State of Oklahoma.  The tornadoes that have carved huge paths of destruction across the southern parts of Oklahoma City have scarred the landscape and families for years to come–even on the heels of the 1999 tornadoes that devastated the exact same areas of the state, today’s twisters affected more children than recent memory.  It’s a clear reminder that no matter how much we think that we’re in control, the reality is — we aren’t.  Call it a force of nature or a reckoning with The Almighty, but make no bones about it–we don’t really know when it’s “our time”.  May those who lost their lives today rest in peace and may the families and friends of those taken find comfort in having known, loved and been together with them.

We aren’t huge fans of Pinot Noir.  We tend to like the bigger, bolder wines, but this one was a recommended wine from Crystal at H-E-B out in West Austin after a recent trip there. . .we’ve had it laying down and really hadn’t had the opportunity to open and try it until tonight.  Okay, so the blog wine rack is looking pretty barren and we had this one sitting there and decided–let’s give it a try.  Oh my–the first thing we noticed was its’ beautiful dark, purple color. . .we’re talking inky purple–not filtered so it’s cloudy and dark in the glass.  It’s the kind of dark reserved for Sirah or Petite Syrah wines.  The nose was typical Pinot Noir–a little fruity; somewhat non-descript; an interesting aroma, but in a good way.  The taste–wow, the taste blew us away.  SO smooth and full of delicious fruits, anise, caramel and vanilla and a finish of raspberries.  We were really excited about this wine— young but full of flavor and one of those wines that you could easily lay down for 5-8 years and enjoy in that time frame and the wine would be even better!  It’s not very often that we recommend a Pinot Noir, but for less than $18 a bottle at H-E-B, you are going to be really happy with your purchase.  The wine is magnificent for the price, and the experience is worth the price.  What makes the wine really special is that it blends grapes from three of California’s premier grape growing coastal regions–Sonoma, Santa Barbara and Monterrey Counties.  While this wine is rated at 92 points by Wine Spectator, it still has value written into the price point.  Watch for it to go on sale at H-E-B, but look for the 2011 vintage.  Very good wine.

Mondays can be pains in the butt, and the best part about Monday nights is that they give way to Tuesday mornings.  We hope that you’ll continue to enjoy your favorite wine–on this Monday–responsibly and remember to recycle whenever possible.