View of Lake Tahoe from Heavenly
While I love what I do for a living, the reality of my job is that the schedule only allows for long vacations twice a year—December/January and August. There are times in between where a long weekend or even a week away might be possible, but those dates are unreliable, so planning vacations during those times always includes the possibility of having to cancel last minute.
With that in mind, Hubby and I decided to spend 10 days in South Lake Tahoe, California at the end of August. We alternated between a day of hiking and a day of relaxing at the beach, both of which were usually followed by a delicious dinner at one of the local restaurants. By the time the evenings rolled around, I was always ready to head out to the balcony of our room at The Deerfield Lodge at Heavenly with a glass of wine in one hand and my book in the other.
On our first full day in the Tahoe area, after a half-day of walking around Taylor Creek and a half-day on Pope Beach, Hubby and I headed to Safeway for some essentials, which included wine, of course. While picking the wines, I tried to stick with bottles I hadn’t seen in Virginia or DC. That’s how I ended up with the 2007 Byron Pinot Noir.
2009 Byron Pinot Noir
The 2007 Byron Pinot Noir (winery, snooth) was a deep, clear ruby. On the nose, there were dark cherries, roses, and plums with a hint of smokiness. In the mouth, there was a rose bouquet, pomegranates, and cherries followed by cedar and smoke with a hint of vanilla and anise. The wine had a light-to-medium body, tannins, and 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 $17, this wine is perfect for spending the evening drinking outside while breathing the fresh air and listening to the nighttime sounds. It’s food-friendly and light enough to go with some grilled chicken and vegetables, but pairing it with food isn’t a necessity. I think because of the cooler weather in Tahoe, I was ready for a lighter red to help me prepare for Fall, and this wine was a wonderful start to the red wine season.
Question of the Day: Do your drinking habits change when you’re on vacation?
Price: $17
Purchased at Safeway
Overall: 3.5 Corks
I’m all too familiar with the December/January or August vacation schedule. Your Lake Tahoe August vacation sounds very similar to our St. Michaels one except we alternated days kayaking with days by the pool. 🙂
My wine drinking habits don’t change much on vacation other than I may have a glass or two at lunch and not feel guilty about it.
Amanda–St. Michaels is on our list of places we want to go, so you’ll be hearing from me when I finally get that off the ground. Spending the vacation kayaking and relaxing at the pool sounds perfect!
And I LOVE the lunch time/afternoon wine drinking aspect of vacation. That, and depending on where we are, the morning sparkly or mimosa 😉