Because that’s what we do in Dallas every February
Feb. 4 update: So far, so good. We got through Thursday with a surprisingly few number of power outages reported in the Dallas area. If we can make it through today, the forecast is favorable for the weekend and early next week.
The Wine Curmudgeon is writing this on Monday, since I don’t expect to have electricity on Thursday and Friday. That’s because we’re expecting our annual February ice storm.
If nothing else, the company that distributes power told us not to worry. And we know what comes after that, don’t we, Gov. Abbott?
So the WC has filled the car up with gas, charged all the battery packs, phones, and laptops, baked bread, and laid in the requite supplies. That means lots of batteries; an extra hoodie for Churro, the blog’s associate editor; a couple of battery-powered lanterns; and, of course, cheap wine. Hopefully, I won’t regret not buying a generator.
Interestingly, I’m not the only one who has pondered cheap wine during an ice storm and blackout. Lauren Daniels, the food editor at the Dallas Observer (for whom I write an occasional wine piece) emailed me yesterday asking for a suggestion to run on the weekly’s website.
So here are three wines I stocked up on that I didn’t tell Lauren about:
• Umani Ronchi Podere 2020 ($11, purchased, 13%): This Italian red, from the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo region, is a long-time WC favorite. This vintage is a touch more tart than usual, but still has what it should – cherry fruit, some earth, and spice on the finish. Needs food, but that’s not a problem during a power failure. Imported by Vineyard Brands
• Domaine de Pajot Les Quatre Cépages 2020 ($12, purchased, 11.5%): What would a crisis at WC World Headquarters be without a Gascon white wine to fall back on? This one uses all four gapes – sauvignon blanc, ugni blanc, colombard, and gros manseng – in the blend. There’s lots of citrus fruit, though not as much white grapiness as I like, and it’s fresh through and through. So simple but not stupid. Imported by Polaner Selections
• Marqués de Cáceres Rosado 2020 ($9, purchased, 13.5%): This supermarket Spanish rose is almost always a fine value. It’s a little softer and more fruity than I would have thought, with what almost seems like a dollop of strawberry in the middle. But that’s hardly a problem – crisp, fresh and ready to drink. And yes, rose in in the middle of an ice storm – I won’t have to chill it ahead of time, will I? Imported by Vineyard Brands
Photo: “Abandoned streetcars after ice storm in December, 1942.” by Ross Dunn
More wine for bad weather:
• Wine to drink during rolling power blackouts
• Wine to drink when the power goes out, 2014 edition
• Jerry Jones, wine, and bad weather