Red wine

Red wine

My “introduction” to wine began with Bartles and James and Franzia wine coolers—I bet they were your intro, too. At least lie to me and say they were. Anyway, although I thought I was so cool, I decided it was time to venture out and try an actual bottle…of white zinfandel. And that’s where my wine consumption and “appreciation” stayed, comfortably, in all its pink, super sweet, cheap glory. That is until one day at an art showing.

I saw the table of cheese, crackers and wine. Lots of wine, but it was red, every single bottle, and well, there was no way I was going to drink it! So, innocently, I asked if they had any white zin and I heard gasps at my request. I was clearly the laughing stock of the wine drinking and art communities. The horror! One woman was kind enough to conduct “Red Wine 101” right there in the gallery and suggested that I just try it (she chose a pinot noir). And it was tasty.

So, thank you, shame and embarrassment—and those snotty art people—because if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have any idea of what I was missing out on, namely, non-pink zinfandel, shiraz, pinot noir, cabernet, antioxidants and heart health benefits.

Red wine. It’s this girl’s best friend.