So, Hiiiiii...

So sorry about blowing all y’all off last week. Things around the Casa de Wiz have been unusually crazy. I've decided in the midst of a pandemic would be the perfect time to buy a new house. My house went on the market on the evening of Jan. 7. The following morning, I was setting up a showing for a potential buyer, answering 47,000 text messages for other requests, lining up my catsitter to take my very cute but not at all buyer-friendly cats on Saturday, and then I looked up and realized I had nothing to send out for you all.

The good news is, after one roller-coaster weekend with 17 showings, I signed a contract this past Monday night. The bad news is, that means I have to find a new house to move into. And did I mention it was a seller's market. So I have to shift gears and hope a great house I actually like magically appears. Because the person who bought my house, funnily enough, would like to take possession of it at some point.

So anyway. Anyone want to see my attempt at house staging?

Is that not an inviting tableau? Who wouldn't want to settle in the cozy living room in the middle of a bright sunny morning and share a bottle of wine. (I guess it worked. Eleven different offers, folks. This seller's market is crazeballs.) Naturally, I had to use a New Jersey wine, and I went with this 2017 syrah from my buds at William Heritage Winery in south Jersey.

I like all kinds of syrah, both cooler and warmer climate styles. But for just relaxing in my completely convincing and inviting tableau living room, I prefer the cooler climate kind for a wider variety of food pairing. The grape originates in the Rhone region of France, and I've even had some great syrah from the Finger Lakes of New York.

Jersey is a cooler climate, which I'm sure is a shock to any of you who've sweltered down the shore on a 95ºF day. According to Wine Folly, a cool climate usually has all four seasons and a shorter growing season. So we definitely count. This syrah has a bit of cranberry and tea on the palate, and very little tannin. Even at 13% alcohol, it's still pretty balanced. It'd pair well with some lean red meat, or maybe an earthy mushroom dish.

Prayers, chants, and dances for the intention of my finding a new house soon would be most appreciated. This wine collection of mine and I need a home!

Thanks for your patience, and if you'd like to take the work off of me for a week and suggest something to talk about, I'd be eternally grateful! Constant Reader A. has asked for a deeper dive on prosecco, which I hope to have for you soon. Otherwise, let me know what you'd like to read about!