Do You Believe in Wine Rescues?

The title of this blog entry is actually a question recently posed to me by one of my favorite oenophiles. Jeff heads up the wine department at Cost Plus-World Market in Palm Springs and is a valued resource for all things vino. He always finds a way to cut me a break on wines that are already fabulously priced, and I rarely walk out of the store without having nabbed a screaming deal on an exciting label.

This most recent visit was no different. After selecting both a Chianti and a Syrah that Jeff suggested, I started to make my way to the register. "Not so fast," he said as he pointed to a nearby display of an Australian Bordeaux-style red called Thistle Dew. Apparently Jeff had sliced the label of one particular bottle when opening the box that this wine had been shipped in. "Its dead to me now so I have to get rid of it," he smirked. "Do you believe in wine rescues?"

Now, I really like Jeff but I thought he knew me better than to ask such a question. Needless to say, I walked out of the store with three bottles for the price of two. Naturally, I had to try the poor, defenseless injured one first!! Despite its in-store struggles, this 2009 blend of Cabernet and Petit Verdot is hearty while smooth and chocolatey, with strong aromas of raspberry and black cherry that just sang out to me from within the glass. I also detected grape taffy, the kind I used to get at the bank as a kid if I behaved well...which wasn't too often, so I was surprised I remembered the taste.

I matched it up with some barbecued pulled pork courtesy of Trader Joe's, which was full of cinnamon and molasses. The earthiness of the wine went well with the spices in the meat, and I felt good having saved this  bottle of deliciousness from certain demise. Cheers to Jeff and his overzealous box slicing...let's hope it happens again soon, this time with a shipment of Barolo...

Special thanks to:
http://www.worldmarket.com/