"Talked" into a Malbec

The other day at the grocery store, I did something I rarely do -- I bought a bottle of wine off a display near the checkout. It was a simple display with just the wine and a "shelf talker" touting the score it received from the Guru of Wine Review, Robert Parker. I read Bob's review and thought, "Hmm, I betcha this wine is a smooth talkin', Marlboro smoking cowboy, a little John Wayne-ish." Since the wine was at the hell-why-not price of $9.99, I decided to take a risk and buy a bottle.

I didn't open the bottle right away, but kept looking at it sitting on my kitchen counter wondering who I had brought home and would I like him or her. What if Bob's review was way off and I had just been duped by the low price and good score? What if the wine wasn't anyone nearly as cool as John Wayne? What if it was like an off-beat blend of Sonny and Cher? Or worse yet, Pee Wee Herman and Burt Reynolds?

As a person who sells wine, I am very familiar with shelf talkers and the value they can add to a wine. It is my sincere hope that my wine talkers will actually talk people into buying a bottle or two. When composing my own point-of-sale materials, I try to keep things simple and not to get too wordy, you know, something like, "Drinking this wine will make you happy." Or, "This wine is guaranteed to make PMS enjoyable!" Frankly, if I saw a wine displayed with a talker like that, I might just buy a case -- that, added to a box of something with "wings" and I'm good to go.

Even though today is too hot for a red wine (no, I'm not complaining), I've decided to take one for the team and open my high scoring Malbec. Even if I didn't have a clue about who the wine was, I was going to at least test the talker to see if it was all it claimed to be. A ninety-pointer for ten bucks? How bad could it be.

As it turned out, not bad, not bad at all, but it wasn't John Wayne...it was Mr. Grant, you know, LOU??

As a kid, I loved Mary Tyler Moore. I loved how she could "turn the world on with her smile, and suddenly make it all seem worth while." I wanted to be just like Mary when I grew-up and I have the never-been-used degree in Broadcast Communications to prove it. After Mary, my favorite person on the show was Mr. Grant. He was just a sweetheart of a guy, like a big bald teddy bear with an ear-to-ear grin. Even when he was hollering at that knucklehead Ted, you knew he was harmless. Just like the 2007 Goulart Clasico Malbec (Argentina), Mr. Grant was big on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside.

Unlike some wines that are shy in introducing themselves, the Goulart is very direct. Like Mr. Grant stomping out of his office, this Malbec doesn't pussy-foot around. From the bold, ripe aromas that grab you by the nose hairs to the chewy, dark cherry flavors, this wine lets you know who's boss without fearing for your job. After a little time in the glass, the wine begins to soften and lose its bossy edge, much like Mr. Grant when Mary says, "Mr. Graaant," and flashes him her quirky smile.

Recently, I have discovered Hulu TV and been able to recapture moments of my youth by watching some of my old favorites. Only now, I'm old enough to relax and enjoy the show with a glass of somebody(?) and Miss Puff by my side. With a little luck, maybe she'll be the Mary I never was -- Lord knows, I don't want her to be anything like Jeannie.

xoxox,

VinoMama