The package I received for the yarn & wine swap
I admit it…I’m a knitter, or at least I’m an aspiring knitter. Most of the time when I tell people I knit, they make some sort of joke about how I’m not old enough or how only grandmother’s knit. It’s true that my Nana knit, and I am sadden that I didn’t decide to knit until after she passed away, but knitting isn’t what it used to be. In fact, I’m part of a wonderful online knitting community (Ravelry) that indulges me in my desire to talk about squishy yarn or difficult patterns, as dorky as it is, and I just don’t see Nana being part of an online knitting group. What’s particularly nice about this community is that there is a smaller group of us that not only likes to talk about yarn, but also likes to talk about (and drink) wine—the Winos!
The group moderator organizes a quarterly wine and yarn swap, which gives us all the chance to share our two loves even though we’re spread all over the world. Each participant has to spend a minimum of $35 and each package has to include at least one skein of yarn and one bottle of wine. Most people also send a pattern to go with the yarn, wine or knitting gadgets, something regional like food, and other goodies.
The package I sent for the wine & yarn swap
Mid-October was our fall swap, and my package just arrived! I’m so excited that I wanted to share, even though I haven’t tasted the wine yet. The weather is now pretty cold in the DC area, so I’m sure this Malbec won’t be on my wine rack for long.
As for my swapee, I found some beautiful Neighborhood Fiber Co. yarn at my local yarn store, Fiber Space. So, I shipped that along with a pattern for the yarn, some chocolates, a Wine Shield kit to preserve any leftover wine, and a of bottle of 2009 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Mayacamas Range Zinfandel. Storybook is one of my favorite Zin producers and is the only winery wine club I belong to, so I sent this bottle knowing it was going to be perfect for an evening of wine drinking and knitting needle clicking…and I’m so glad I did. I opened my own bottle last night.
2009 Storybook Mountain Vineyard Mayacamas Range Zinfandel
The 2009 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Mayacamas Range Zinfandel (winery) was made with 100% organically grown Zinfandel grapes. On the nose, there were blackberries, pomegranates, cherries, and nutmeg. In the mouth, there were cherries, pomegranates, baking spices, and a hint of eucalyptus, earth, and boysenberry. The wine had a medium body, medium tannins, and low-to-medium acidity.
Is this worth a glass after work? It’s worth more than one! What are you waiting for? At $35, this wine is nicely balanced and full of flavor. It has some aging potential, which will likely enhance some of the non-fruity characteristics, but it’s also a nice wine to enjoy now. It’s food-friendly, pairing particularly well with a steak or some lamb chops, but also is really enjoyable on it’s own. I spent the evening drinking mine while watching a new TV show—Once Upon A Time—and working on my latest knitting project—a cable scarf.
Question of the Day: Do you have any hobbies that you like to pair with wine (knitting, running, blogging, etc)?
Price: $35
Purchased at Storybook Mountain Vineyards website
Overall: 4.5 Corks
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