Wine for a Rainy Tuesday Night

You know how sometimes when you get home from work later than you want to on a rainy night and you're mentally and physically exhausted, you just want to decompress on the couch with a glass of something soothing and delicious?

It rained basically all day today in NYC and I was soaked when I got home a little after 9 PM. I was hungry and cranky, and I wanted a glass of wine that would make me feel better. Of all the wines that I know, the type that most reminds me of home made chicken soup is red Burgundy. That is a strange thing to say, yes. But home made chicken soup is always deeply satisfying, no matter what style it happens to be. I feel the same way about red Burgundy wine.

I opened a bottle of 2004 Marechal Savigny-les-Beaune and stretched out on the couch, sipping the wine while the Cardinals loaded the bases against Glavine and the Mets. I swirled the glass and the aromas of wet earth and dried cranberries, menthol, and high notes of cherries wafted out, as did my stress, leaving me with a smile for the first time in a few hours.

Actually, although the wine smells great, it is probably more wonderful BrooklynLady's sweet hugs and kisses that brought my smile and relaxation.

The Mets are down by 2 and I get up off the couch to have something to eat. The wine is developing beautifully - there is a little spice in the mid-palate, and a pleasant bitterness mingles with the fruity, sweet finish. I am always so impressed with the grace and balance of these Burgundy wines, so different from my beloved Oregon pinots.

I'm almost too tired to eat, so I have a cold taste of the beef and turnips I braised last night and wow - it's gonna be good when heated up. And the wine is even more animated with food. Lively and fresh, vibrant acidity, fruit and earth flavors mingling seamlessly. I'm really impressed with this wine, and its a humble wine, no premier cru status or anything, just a good village wine from a good producer for $34.

The Mets are done for the night (and as a fan of New York's other baseball team, I can't say that I'm sorry). It's late and I could stay up drinking this wine looking out the window as it keeps raining and let the events of the day wander through me. But instead I will put it in the fridge and crawl into bed with the now sleeping BrooklynLady and give her an earth and cherry pinot kiss before sleep. Maybe she will dream about Burgundy.