The nice thing about a Saturday is the fact that you don’t necessarily have to get up at the crack of dawn.  You know, Monday through Friday it’s the same old thing .  .  . get up early, fight the traffic, work, fight the traffic and come home. BUT, Saturdays represent the last bastion of relaxation – more so if your kids are off at college and you don’t have yard work to do!  Today was one of those days, our oldest – as previously noted – arrived safely from college late last evening and there were NO time constraints on getting going this morning.  That is probably why we were awake at 6 a.m. this morning – that and the fact that the front door was WIDE open, which with less than 45 degree weather made for a very cold house this morning! (Yup, there is a story – good news is that no one escaped out the door and no uninvited guests came in!)

Anyway, the day was spent in preparation for a visit from Brian’s older sister and her husband from The Woodlands.  It turned out to be a beautiful day with lots of blue sky, a few fluffy clouds and some wind out of the Northwest.  By the time they arrived in our neck of the woods, it was early afternoon and we were ready for just about anything.  Off we went to Driftwood Estates Winery in Driftwood, Texas to enjoy sampling some of their best wines and feel the warmth of the sunshine!  At the tasting room, we met a great couple who are currently living in the Fort Worth area, but who originate from the Kansas City, Missouri area.  As former residents of St. Louis, we always enjoy meeting people from Missouri and having a conversation about the Chiefs and Rams or Royals and Cardinals – and barbecue.  It seems folks from KC love their barbecue – with sauce! YIKES!!!  Here in Texas, we know that the only way to truly enjoy great barbecue is without sauce so you can taste and enjoy the flavor of what real smoked meat tastes like.

We really enjoyed the wines from Driftwood, so much that we decided to enjoy a bottle on their patio – sitting in the sun, with some cheese and crackers – a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.  So, when we got back to the house it was time to sample something new and thanks to Brian’s sister, tonight we tried a 2011 Rabbit Trick Syrah from Trader Joe’s and vinted in Healdsburg, California.  Rabbit Trick California Syrah is a 100% Syrah blend from several different California appellations – that’s why it’s labeled “California,” rather than a particular geographic appellation. By blending specific amounts from specific regions that impart specific characteristics, they created a wine that’s a specifically spectacular sipper.   Lots of fruit on both the nose and the taste .  .  . we enjoyed this wine sitting on the back deck with a fire in the pit this afternoon and really enjoyed it.  The combination of great weather, a warm fire and a tasty bottle of wine was the perfect backdrop to enjoy this little gem, and the best part is that it’s available for less than $6 a bottle!  Yep, just when you thought it was impossible to enjoy a wine from California for less than $10, we’ve found a winner!

As you continue to enjoy your weekend and you have access to a Trader Joe’s .  .  . now would be a great time to stock up on this value wine, and take a little time to enjoy what remains of it!  Until tomorrow, please enjoy your favorite wine responsibly and remember to recycle whenever possible.