Making a list and checking it twice

• Château de Fesles Anjou 2002


• Baron Philippe de Rothschild Pauillac 2000


• Corcovo Crianza Valdepenas 1997


• Luis Felipe Edwards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2003


• Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

This festive time of year is turning out to be great for tasting wine. In my school days, the ubiquitous wine and cheese party was more of an excuse to imbibe than to socialize and I had to learn that people who behave well tend not to put the drink before the chit-chat. Now wine presents to me the allures of the gourmand, and while I am admittedly eager to try new bottles at recent social gatherings, I still feel a bit of pressure not to misplace its importance. An enthusiast can be enthusiastic but there is a limit. When I get together with friends, I don't take notes on wine, mental or otherwise. The primary emphasis is on a good time. If a nice wine acts as a catalyst to that, then so much the better! And on the other hand, if someone uncorks something you would never open yourself -- something that's served at the wrong temperature or in the wrong order, or whatever -- you can graciously accept it and continue to enjoy the company and the sharing of food. In this way, focusing the right things at social events is kind of key to everyone's good time. Bottom line is that the priority is to interact with the people, not with the wine. Got that?

While I don't think these moments are given to wine research, they can still provide much fodder for future research. And that happened a lot this past weekend. Above are five red wines that started the weekend off with a bang at a bring-your-own-wine restaurant. I can't be sure of all the vintage years or if I even tasted them all, but I savoured everything I drank. It was a great evening of food and friends.

The remainder of the weekend was spent hosting/grazing with other friends. Below are the seven dead soldiers to prove it. I didn't jot down a list on the spot like a wine-fiend. I just tried to make a mental note of the name and year for the next time I'm at the wine store. When you are in the mood to explore, it's fun to open a bottle of something you haven't taken home before. And since we were quite spoiled at this get-together, take home any of these prestigious names whenever you get the chance. Unlike the first list, which always rose to complement our gourmet dinner in a way that didn't make any of the bottles stand out, the second list of full of fantastic products that will steal attention away from any food, especially if the wine is on the help-yourself table at a buffet.

• Monmousseau Touraine 2000


• Antique Senimaros Cairanne 2000


• Château Roquebrun Coteaux du Languedoc 2004


• Etchart Torrontes Cafayate 2005


• Domaine la Moussière Sancerre 2004


• Casa Ferreirinha Vinha Grande 2002


• Vila Regia Douro 2003