I also brought a bottle of wine, suggested by Cork & Barrel as a splendid compliment for a turkey dinner: the Chateau Montfaucon Cotes du Rhone 2009. This wine was a gorgeous blood red color, which was a nice surprise after all of the deep purples I've been drinking lately. It has a tart finish, pleasantly heavy on the tongue. And true to their word, it did offset the turkey perfectly. I was worried it might be too dry to stand on its own, but it went down smoothly even after the meal was over.
Unfortunately, I felt a little uncomfortable bringing it. I enjoyed it very much, as did Dad and his girlfriend, Diane, however it made me feel a bit like a lush. Nobody else drank any. I realized after the fact that it might have been in poor taste to bring it. My aunt, my Dad's sister (and Grandpa's daughter), was an alcoholic, and it was her disease that finally took her from us. It was a few years ago, but it's still a sensitive situation. I don't think I will make the same mistake again. It was insensitive of me. Wine will be reserved for gatherings outside of the extended family in the future, maybe when I host my own Thanksgiving dinner someday.
The other unfortunate occurrence was that I revealed my wine ignorance. My uncle asked about what grapes it had been made from, and I couldn't remember. I knew it came from a number of different grapes, so he said it was a blend. Well, yes, of course it is, but in my ignorance I tried to argue the fact. Thankfully I am taking it as a learning experience, and I plan on being better educated about the wine I bring to a gathering next time.
This bottle of wine has certainly been a learning experience, both in matters of wine and family.
Not all stories have a happy ending, and neither do wine stories, apparently.
Still a damn fine bottle of wine, though.
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