First Blush

I realize that drinking wine is a fun pastime (or addiction), not cooking. But I'd like to give a special nod to the Cosme Palacio y Hermanos Rioja from the Bodegas Palacio in Spain.

Back when I used to live in Montreal, I once had an apartment located above an SAQ (the Quebec liquor board) store. I didn't earn as much back then, so I was on the lookout for affordable, quality wines. The curly gold typeface of the Palacio label caught my eye, and the under-$25 price was equally attractive. That was a foundational moment in my existence as an oenophile. The Hermanos Rioja is the reason why Riojas are my favorite budget varietal. It is full-bodied and ripe with berry notes. You can feel gluttonous without breaking the bank.

I couldn't find it on LCBO shelves when I first moved to Toronto. For one brief summer it appeared, then disappeared again. I was resigned to the idea of having it only when I went back to Montreal for a visit.

The past month was a grueling one in terms of work: I did overtime every evening and every weekend, promptly breaking my new year's resolution to maintain a better work/life balance. When the work was over, I decided to celebrate with some wine.

To my amazement, not only did I stumble across my beloved Rioja, it was a 2004 Reserva. "Reserva" generally denotes a higher quality wine that has been "reserved" (i.e. aged) for a period before being sold. 2004 also happens to be a pretty good year for Riojas.

The excitement of finding that bottle in Toronto, and the building anticipation as I brought it home was as intoxicating as the wine itself. Cheers to the simple pleasures in life.