On this day in 1947, Kon-Tiki, a balsa wood raft captained by Norwegian anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl, completes a 4,300-mile, 101-day journey from Peru to Raroia in the Tuamotu Archipelago, near Tahiti. Heyerdahl wanted to prove his theory that prehistoric South Americans could have colonized the Polynesian islands by drifting on ocean currents.  Heyerdahl and his five-person crew set sail from Callao, Peru, on the 40-square-foot Kon-Tiki on April 28, 1947. The Kon-Tiki, named for a mythical white chieftain, was made of indigenous materials and designed to resemble rafts of early South American Indians.  While crossing the Pacific, the sailors encountered storms, sharks and whales, before finally washing ashore at Raroia.

WHAT?!?!?  Are you serious?  A Balsa Wood raft?  Today’s explorers ain’t got nuttin’ on those from yesteryear!  Before there was carbon fiber . . . before there was even fiberglass . . . before there was GPS, and so much more – there were explorers who literally risked their lives on the open water.  Think about it . . . Peru to Tahiti.  Daunting even in a Carnival Cruise Ship – hopefully the power stays on, but imagine the trek in a raft.  Amazing . . . heroic . . . and CRAZY!  We understand that Hollywood has latched on to this story and will be bringing another version of the story to the big screen.  While we’re skeptical, we’re looking forward to the story they tell – Jean likes to collect old books and has a first printing of the novel recording these historic events and has been a huge fan of this story for years.

With 25 days left in our blog goal of trying 365 different wines in 365 days, tonight we’ve locked into a wine that brings out the sweetness in life.  A birthday gift from Misty at Jean’s office – who like us, sometimes picks wines for their names.

A non-vintage moscato from Southeastern Australia called Heart & Soul.  Think of fresh grapes and that’s what Moscato tastes like. The color is pale yellow and there are very fine bubbles. The palate is fruity with a crisp finish.  We enjoyed it as a ‘before dinner’ wine . . . and after a day of 104 degrees, we thought that it was delicious.  Priced at less than $12 a bottle, this crisp, smooth wine will be a perfect welcome for guests dropping by or sitting out back — preferably when the temperature is much lower.  This wine could equally be served with light fruit and dessert.  One of the things about this wine is its crispness in the finish.  Very clean and little or no aftertaste.  All this being said, we’re not totally sold on the varietal; however, if they are starting to make wines like this, we’re going to sit up and start noticing them.

Imagine for a moment that you and four of your friends have just started out on a deep sea adventure on only a raft crafted from balsa wood.  All you have at your disposal are your navigation skills, a compass, some rations and water and the moon to be your guide.  Even the most salty veterans of the ocean will tell you that the voyage of Mr. Heyerdahl is beyond legendary – it’s historical!  So tonight . . . as we continue to enjoy – not Malbec Week, but Shark Week, think about a true explorer, a true adventurous spirit who 66 years ago today landed — for the most part — where he wanted to, just to prove a point.

Kind of like trying 365 different wines  in 365 days–sometimes we have to do things to prove a point!  Enjoy your favorite wine responsibly and remember to recycle whenever possible.