A couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, I noticed that the ice coming from my freezer’s ice maker was unusually shiny — and that the ice cream I was looking forward to was the texture of styrofoam. It turns out my fancy new fridge has a slow leak. In a year’s time, it will break down again and have to be replaced, which is a big fat bummer.
Next, a couple weeks before Christmas, I noticed that my new dishwasher was having some issues and the dishes weren’t getting clean. According to the service tech, my year-old dishwasher was beyond repair and would need to be replaced.
A few weeks ago, I was craving a pot roast dinner with roasted Brussels sprouts. After three hours, I checked the roast and was surprised to find that it wasn’t its usual tender self. When the roast was (finally) done to my liking, I cranked the heat and threw the Brussels into the oven. An hour later, when the Brussels were still tough and inedible, I realized my oven had stopped working. That was the last straw.
So … what do appliances and wine have to do with one another? Funny you should ask.
With this trifecta of appliance woes, any notion I had of celebrating Dry January went right down the (clogged?) drain. I can listen to my wheezing fridge, hand wash my dishes and just use my stove top, but I am not going dry under these conditions. No way. If I was going to have a pity party for myself, it was going to include a comforting red wine.
In the dark days of winter, I tend to favor red wines, and I wanted something that I could rely on. Something that wouldn’t let me down. Something that made me appreciate a well-crafted product. My desires led me to Bordeaux. (All of these wines can be found at Haggen in Fairhaven; prices listed are at the four-pack, 10% off price.)
To kick off my woe-is-me party, I tried the 2020 Chateau Buisson-Redon ($11.69). This soft and easy-drinking red is a blend of merlot and cabernet franc. Even without the discount, this is a good deal and a nice way to ease into a Bordeaux rouge. The cab franc provides lovely floral notes.
Next up: a 2020 Les Carrelets Bordeaux Rouge ($10.99). I got halfway through a glass and told my guy, “We need a case of this.” The sweet berry aromas enveloped me like a much-needed hug making the Carrelets a friendly red with flavors of vanilla, plums and a hint of graphite.
When it came to mourning the slow death of my fridge, I decided to kick it up a notch and tried the 2015 Chateau Fontestau Haut-Medoc ($19.79). This classic Bordeaux is a blend of cabernet, merlot and cab franc and stands out in a crowd due to its Cru Bourgeois designation — an award going to left-bank Bordeaux deemed of superior quality for that vintage.
To put an end to my party, I tried the 2020 Chateau La Haute Claymore Lussac Saint-Emilion ($15.29). Of all the wines, this is the one you can really sink your teeth into. This is a muscular and bold red full of spice, dark cherries and vanilla. The finish opens up as the wine does, allowing you to linger in its beauty.
As we approach the downhill slope of Dry January, I recommend you prepare for Damp February and stock up on all of the above. The only alarming thing about them is how good they are.
Katie Bechkowiak owned Vinostrology wine bar in downtown Bellingham from 2013–19. If you have wine suggestions for her monthly column, contact vinostrology@gmail.com.
