A while back I wrote about my dad’s wine club. I discussed whereas I loved the 2003 Cantina Zaccagnini, I really felt that the 2004 had missed the mark. A few days ago I bought the 2005 – Cantina Zaccagnini, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva, ($15). Even after the poor 2004 showing I wanted to give it another shot.
I never watched so much of the Olympics ever before in my entire life. In fact I sometimes in the past have paid no attention to the games at all. This Olympiad, I watched it from the opening ceremony, to the close. I recorded two channels at once around the clock. When I’d come home from work I’d skim through to things that I found interesting. I would have watched it all if I could. I found myself cheering on Michael Phelps, a person I never heard of, to win gold in several categories of swimming, a sport I never watched. It’s always nice to beat the French.
I found a new tribal streak deep within myself, rooting on the USA in any sport, no matter how mundane, including badminton. Isn’t badminton is a game that you play for twenty minutes when you go to your cousins house, giving up to go inside and watch TV? It’s hardly an Olympic sport. Next thing you know they’ll let Ping Pong into the Olympics. Oh, wait…
Finally July 20th arrived and it was time for the wine tasting at my parent’s wine club. They live in South New Jersey, not too far from Atlantic City in a very nice retirement community. When I write retirement community I do not mean a “home” or assisted living facility. It’s just a suburban development of houses where you have to be 55 or older to live. Being that folks are living longer and are healthier at older ages, other than the gray hair they mostly seam pretty spry and fun to be around. I especially like their friend Tony who has mad wine knowledge.
Okay, it doesn’t rhyme but you get the point. Not good. Not good at all.
My parents are having a blind tasting with their wine club on July 20th. The theme is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Everyone brings a bottle that’s under $20. The reason the theme is such is that I brought a great Montepulciano last time I visited and they really liked it. It was the 2003 – Cantina Zaccagnini, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ($15) (I’ll give notes on it soon). I would bring that down myself, I have a case in my cellar, but my dad bought a bottle for the tasting. This leaves me trying Montepulcianos randomly. Tonight I bought the 2005 – Spino, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ($10).
On July 4th Ting, my friends Oliver and Leslie and I trekked out to Flushing to go to Spa Castle. Spa Castle is a huge Korean Spa with four floors of a variety of hot and cold rooms, pools, various kinds of massage, other spa like treatments and some killer Korean food.
We spent six hours lounging and eating and then came back to the City to grill some steaks and corn rubbed with salt and olive oil. On the side a little potato salad with dill. We all got back to my apartment just in time for the Macy’s fireworks that can be seen from my roof. We stood on the roof for ten minutes and the rain and clouds took the fun out of it. Besides we were hungry and I hadn’t yet opened the wine.
