ARMS AROUND CHAOS AND TWITTER TASTE LIVE

So last Thursday, I decided last minute to participate in Twitter Taste Live, which featured the subject Washington Merlots. Cool, I thought, I have really become a fanatic about Washington Merlots; they are far superior (in my humble opinion) to most California Merlot. I was already sold on the idea, but obviously (oh shit here he goes again) the fact I had traveled to Washington State for last year’s Washington Wine Road Trip (big shout out to Shayn Bjornholm and the gang at the WWC) only solidified my stance on the matter.

So I grabbed three bottles (an ambitious man I am) and headed home from a long, frenetic day at the store. The Novelty Hill Merlot Columbia Valley 2006, the Terra Blanca Arch Terrace Merlot Red Mountain 2005, and the Gordon Brothers Merlot Columbia Valley 2007 were my choices, and I was thinking of cooking a bit of pasta and meat sauce (just something simple) for the wife and I to dive into while I “tweeted”.

File under the nothing ever goes as planned dept.: My wife was feeling pretty crappy, and decided she did not want pasta and meat sauce. She was pretty nauseous so she ate a piece of Coconut Pie I picked up from Bone Fish Grill down the street, and I went ahead and made the stuff and cracked open the Novelty Hill.

My first tweet started well-intentioned enough:

#WAMerlot Just got home. Opening up Novelty Hill Merlot 2006. @noveltyhillwine. Whipping up pasta and meat sauce. 4:57 PM Mar 25th via TweetDeck.

All systems go. Wife was busy watching her DVR’d shows (American Idol, Dancing With The Stars, etc.). I was cooking and tasting.

#WAMerlot Novelty Hill Merlot 2006 - big monster Merlot. Lots of red & black fruit notes n nose. Firm tannic grip. Great way 2 unwind. 5:03 PM Mar 25th via TweetDeck

Funny though, when you start the day at 4:30 or 5 in the morning, and you’re moving boxes around – not to mention that your tolerance for alcohol has become next to nil after turning 40 – a glass of wine can start making you a bit fuzzy.

#WAMerlot Novelty Hill Merlot 2006 going great with my pasta. 5:07 PM Mar 25th via OpenBeak

I finished the glass, had another and then moved on to the Terra Blanca.

#WAMerlot, opening the Terra Blanca Arch Terrace Merlot 2005. @TerraBlanca. Just got into the store today. 5:15 PM Mar 25th via TweetDeck

Wasn’t as big as the Novelty Hill; I probably should’ve started with this one. But I was really excited to try this again, having just got in the Terra Blanca wines for the state of Kentucky. Always fun when I can do that.

#WAMerlot The Terra Blanca Merlot is more bright cherry and plum. Less tannins than the Novelty Hill. Juicier fruit. 5:19 PM Mar 25th via OpenBeak

And after three glasses, I was starting to feel the effects…

#WAMerlot figures. Doesn’t take much for a buzz anymore. I am so unprofessional. 5:27 PM Mar 25th via OpenBeak

Twitter friend @WoodwardCanyon gave a shout and my reply was thus:

@WoodwardCanyon Absolutely. But being the lightweight I am these days, I am headed for bed three minutes after this #TTL #WAMerlot is over. 5:40 PM Mar 25th via TweetDeck in reply to WoodwardCanyon

I had another glass of the Terra Blanca, finished my pasta, and found myself devolving into a passionate, symbiotic relationship with my couch.

My first foray into #TTL #wamerlot turns out to be a bust. Great wines, but long day+booze=one tired old man. 8:35 PM Mar 25th via TweetDeck

Twitter friend @TerraBlanca gave a holler and I replied thusly:

@TerraBlanca It was great stuff. Had half a bottle tonight. 8:40 PM Mar 25th via TweetDeck in reply to TerraBlanca

And I was done. Ready for bed, yet I found myself just staring blankly into the TV screen, thoughts drifting on some grape wave in some ocean of juice as my wife herself was nodding off, hypnotized by my narcoleptic state. Inevitably, she went upstairs, and I settled in for mindless channel surfing and a quiet state of wine-satiated bliss.

All-in-all, I probably didn’t execute my minor part in the Twitter Taste Live Washington Merlot event very well. My humble apologies to the Twitter masses for my less-than-professional state, but hey, I was home, on my time, with some wine and amongst my loved ones. It ever there was a glimmer of heaven to be seen, #TTL last Thursday was as close as I could hope. Just hope next time, I can join in the conversation, and maybe last a little longer.