Thread Drift

[Trek420]

fishdr sez "Have fun on the hike. I envy those of you that are near retirement."

Hey, I'm nowhere near close, I think I posted here unless I win the Lotto it'll be 10 years, 5 months, 16 days...who'se counting?

What surprises me is how many of those I work with do not participate in the 401K. Aw c'mon, the company will MATCH 80% of your first 6 %, it's like throwing money away if you don't do it.

And Icewine...several years ago I was on vacation in the Toronto/Niagra Falls area and it looked like wonderful cycling country. Relatively flat, lots of wineries, beautiful roads and quaint towns.....road trip!

[DrBee]

I'm somewhere in the realm of 25 years from retirement. Gov't makes you wait 30 years.

I now have all 3 of my references in line and I'm still working on the application.

Told the postdoc about my applying for the job. She took it really well. Whew! Major relief. She said she really understood. THEN she tells me about some major family stress that she had this past weekend and she broke down in tears. Lovely. I felt really lousy for dumping this info on her at such a lousy time for her. But I needed to tell her now before she heard it through the grapevine.

Speaking of grapevine - this icewine sounds really intereseting. I'll have to try to find some. The next time I'm near civilization, I'll have to look.

[KnottedYet]

Cheap wino review:

I have a very uneducated palate. I had a cool conversation with someone at work who said I should just buy wine that I can afford, and drink as broad a range as I can. Keep track of what I like and don't like.

So, I can safely say that I really like red wines. Dark ones. My all time favorite was a Barbera (?) that cost $9. I like Shiraz and Merlot. Two Buck Chuck at Trader Joe's ($2.99 Charles Shaw) shiraz is ok, but I like Purple Moon ($3.99) shiraz better because it seems to be richer or thicker or more levels of flavor or something like that.

I read a description once of red wine that was "smooth as oil and strong as beef" and I've been looking for one like that ever since.

Anyone have a favorite cheap (under $10) red wine that I could try? Or can anyone tell me what a Barbera is, and how to find it again?

[snapdragen]

Rex Goliath - it has a picture of a rooster on the label. At Cost Plus World Market it is usually under $10, more expensive at the local grocery store.

47 pound rooster

[Nanci]

OOh, yeah, the Rex Goliath Pinot Noir is great!! I just listened to a Podcast about how they came up with that whole marketing campaign- it was one of the first "animal" labels.

These I have rated "Like a Lot:"

Columbia Crest Syrah or Shiraz- same grape. $9.

Sutter Home Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, but not Merlot. VERY cheap. $5.

Rosemount Grenache-Shiraz. $6.

Lindemans Merlot and Shiraz. $5.

Ironstone Cabernet Franc and Petit Syrah. $9.

These I have rated "Love:"

Beaulieu Vineyard 2002 Pinot Noir $10. Impossible to find.

Bodega Norton Malbec. $7.

Bogle Petite Sirah. $10

[Nanci]

Barbera:

This noble (term reserved to describe the grapes that produce the world's greatest wines) red grape is used to make a wine of the same name that is a hearty, dark red, astingent but full-bodied, fruity wine high in tannin. Produced in the Piedmont region in northwestern Italy and in California, this wine ages well and is sometimes called "the people's wine" for its versatility and high production.

I have this book at home that has a section about if you like ________ then try_____. I'll look up Barera later.

[Brina]

I read a description once of red wine that was "smooth as oil and strong as beef" and I've been looking for one like that ever since.

Anyone have a favorite cheap (under $10) red wine that I could try? Or can anyone tell me what a Barbera is, and how to find it again?

It is a little more expensive at about $15 a bottle, but try Sin Zin, a really yummy zinfindel from Alexander Valley.

[Nanci]

Zinfandel was the first red wine I liked.

[DrBee]

I did not know that zinfandel was considered a red wine. I know it's sort-of red, but I guess I figured it was in it's own category. I learn something new every day

[Nanci]

No, fishdr, zinfandel is a red grape, sometimes used to make _white_ zinfandel, which is pink, which gets its color from the grape skins. You can also find white merlot, which is redder than white zin. After you like real wine, though, it's hard to get back into white zin.