**I received this wine as a sample**

When Hubby and I started talking about the details of our wedding, I joined The Knot.  At the time, we were still deciding on where to get married, although we were certain it would be a destination wedding (DW) and confident it would be somewhere warm and tropical.  I lurked on the DW message board, gathering information and learning about the plans of other engaged couples.  Somewhere along the way, I decided to stop lurking and join the conversation, and the next thing I knew, I was an active DW board member.  Instead of getting to personal on a public board, though, I started emailing with some of the women privately, and soon friendships blossomed.

Five years later, I keep in touch with a surprising number of these women, sometimes in small groups and sometimes individually.  We’ve been through a lot together—wedding planning, marriages, divorces, family drama, difficulties trying to get pregnant, miscarriages, births, career changes, house hunting, first marathons, etc.  Some of the life events were relatively minor, while others have been life changing, but we’ve been through it all together…and often sharing the joys and sorrows from distance.

Two weeks ago, I got together with one of these small groups of women —Courtney, Kaitlin, KS, Jenni, Skye, and Shelby—for a virtual baby shower.  Since we all live in various parts of the US and Canada, meeting online was the only way we could all celebrate together.  So, at 9:30pm, we all dialed into a conference phone line and those of us with computer access hoped on line for video conference.

2007 Flor de Lasierpe

For the occasion, I opened a 2007 Flor de Lasierpe (winery).  The wine is made with 100% old vine Garnacha grapes and had a deep ruby color with flecks of purple.  On the nose, there were blackberries and blackcurrant followed by a touch of baking spices.  In the mouth, there were smoked blackberries, baking spices, and a touch of raisin.  The wine had a medium body and acidity, with medium tannins that lingered.

Is this wine worth a glass after work? It’s worth more than one! What are you waiting for?  At a suggested retail price of $22, this wine is worth every penny.  It’s well-balanced and food-friendly, but also is easy to drink on its own.  I enjoyed a glass with the burger and roasted potatoes that Hubby made for dinner before I had to get online.  I continued to enjoy the wine as my girlfriends and I talked for over an hour, laughing, chatting, and watching baby presents be opened.  Of course, there was a conversation about the Flor de Lasierpe, as everyone could see the wine on the video conference and several of the girls are wine drinkers themselves.  Admittedly, I don’t know if it was the festive atmosphere, the joy of catching up with friends, or the wine itself, but the Garnacha definitely was the perfect pairing for virtual baby shower.

Price: $22
Received as a sample
Overall: 4.5 Corks