One of the benefits of being vocal about wine as a hobby is that people always know what to get you for a gift. One of the downsides is that sometimes those same people get you something that you would never have picked for yourself.
We received a bottle of sparkling peach-flavored wine from a former co-worker of Tina. Looking at it, I dreaded the idea of uncorking it. A cheap label, with "Product of France" called out and missing the "DOC" accreditation we look for, I envisioned some sort of fruity, sugary mess would be hidden in the bottle. Even so, I thought it might work well with some sort of cocktail, as even the sweetest sparkling wine can make a good base for the right ingredients.
Tina regularly suggested we try the wine. Her coworker had wholeheartedly recommended it, and she thought why not try it first before adding other ingredients to it? I continued to resist. Eventually though, I was forced to make a decision. Our supplies had run low, and it looked like a evening without a glass of wine, unless I broke down and opened the bottle.
As it turns out, my prejudice was unjustified. While the peach flavor was pronounced, it was well balanced with some other interesting layers of flavor, cutting the over-sweet edge of some fruit wines.
I still hold that my fears were not unfounded, but it's nice to be reminded that you can find a good wine in even the most unexpected locations. Of course, the threat of having nothing at all might make the taste buds that much more appreciative, but it worked out well ... this time around.
