Hey, how are you, insomnia?
‘Twas the night before I had to write a wine column, and I’m still up. I have this fun thing nowadays where if I drink more than one glass of wine, it keeps me awake? Whee?
So tonight’s experiment is, if I drink wine, then stay up super late, will I still fall asleep?
Also if you’re super tired, will the wine still taste good?
These are the questions that consume my thoughts. That, and the fact we’re heading into the one year anniversary of living in a pandemic.
But mostly the tired wine question.
Luckily the wine is not tired at all. As I continue to empty my wine cellar to make my somewhat impending house move slightly easier, I took William Heritage’s 2018 H-Block Vineyard Chenin Blanc out of the fridge. Chenin blanc originated in the Loire Valley, but more than half of the vineyards in the world today are in South Africa. In the U.S., it's mostly planted in California. And we've got some here in New Jersey too!
This wine has honeysuckle on the nose, and apple on the palate with a hint of iced tea on the end. It’s got a meringue-like texture that became rounder the warmer the wine got. (Definitely give yourself a little time before enjoying if you're taking it straight out of the fridge.) Not only would I like to drink this with some pork tenderloin or sautéed chicken breast, it’d make a very pretty white wine pan sauce. (Here’s a recipe for one from Cook’s Illustrated.)
So yes, I am tired, and yes, the wine still tastes great. Now to see how it affects my sleep. What I won’t do for science!