January is vacation time in the “A Glass After Work” household not only because it’s one of the two times of the year where I can count on being able to escape my day job without the risk of having to cancel our plans, but also because it’s Hubby’s and my wedding anniversary.  We had a destination wedding, and as this year was the big 5-Year Anniversary, we decided to go back to the scene of the crime…Jamaica.  We actually decided to vacation in Negril, even though we were married in Ocho Rios, but it still seemed romantic to head back to the island for this milestone in our relationship.  We left on a Friday morning, and unfortunately for Hubby, he had to do a day trip to New York for work that Thursday.  That left me home by myself, double-checking that our travel documents were together and opening a bottle of bubbly to make sure the vacation got off to the right start.

The Bagrationi Classic sparkling wine (winery) is actually from the country Georgia, and it was a traditional blend of Chinebuli, Tsitska, and Mtsvane grapes.  The sparkler had a golden yellow color with a small amount of big bubbles.  On the nose, there was the slightest hint of butter mixed with lemons.  In the mouth, there was orange Tang powder mixed with granny smith apples and a hint of honeydew melon.  The wine fizzed on the tongue, had a medium body, and had high acidity.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely!  If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $19, this sparkler offered something that was a little different, but still very pleasant and very drinkable.  It was this uniqueness that really moved the wine from 3 corks to 3.5 corks.  It’s a sparkler that is better on its own or combined with some orange juice rather than pairing it with food.  And, it was definitely a great way to start off our vacation!

Question of the Day: Do you do anything special to kick-off your vacation?

Price: $19
Purchased at Barclay’s Wine
Overall: 3.5 Corks