*** I received this wine as a sample. ***

Last Tuesday was a snow-day, which extended the three-day holiday weekend into a four-day weekend for me.  And, while I’d hoped last Wednesday was going to turn into 5 days off, the leftover snow and ice storm in the DC area only left me with a two-hour delay.  As I decided to not check-in on either the holiday or the snow day, by the time I got to the office on Wednesday, work had piled up.   I spent most of the day responding to emails, making phone calls, and setting up meetings…and procrastinating on the biggest thing I had to get done—my annual review document.

My organization has a 6-page document that has to be completed for each employee.  Each question has a “Performance Checkbox” and a comment section that must include examples illustrating why that performance box was checked.  Not to mention, there are sections to write a lengthy “Performance Overview,” outline goals for the next 12 months, and describe what professional development activities will be done during the year.

The review document isn’t all that unique, but it’s detailed and long.  And, in my department, each of us completes our own document and submits it to The Boss 24 hours before our review meeting.  It’s really the meeting that is where we get the feedback on our performance.  But, for me, the preparation for that meeting is just a difficult process.  I find that there are few things more awkward than writing about my “superior performance” in taking “proactive steps to capitalize on opportunities that advance the interest of the department” or my association or my “above expected performance” in meeting or exceeding the expectations of our customers.  Don’t get me wrong… I’ve been working on education and labor policy for 13 years, and I’m good and what I do.  But, I’m the type of person that just goes out and does my job.  I don’t pat myself on the back for doing what I’m supposed to do, and I feel like that’s what I’m supposed to be doing as I complete the document.  Plus, I know that I can always be better.  So, striking that balance of showing my value while acknowledging where I still can grow and improve, all why not sounding egotistical is just…awkward.  By the time I finished the document, I was burnt out and ready for a quiet night at home with Hubby and a glass of wine.

The 2011 Villa San-Juliette Zinfandel (winery) is from Paso Robles, California.  The wine was a dark, purplish ruby.  On the nose, there was a bit of heat coming off the wine, mixed with raspberries, blueberries, and a bit of smoke and violets.  In the mouth, there were raspberries, pomegranates, and blueberries mixed with a bit of tobacco, pepper, cedar, and smoke.  The wine had a medium body, high acidity, and medium-to-high tannins.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll have a decent, reliable glass of wine.  At an SRP of $25, this VSJ Zin is a little on the pricey side for an everyday wine, but it was an enjoyable wine.  The key for this red is to give it a chance to breathe a little, this way the booziness can burn off, and pair it with some food.  This wine is undoubtedly a food wine.  Hubby made sauteed garlic chicken and couscous for dinner, and the acidity of the wine went nicely with the fattiness of the sautee sauce.  It also would have paired nicely with a meatball and pepperoni pizza or some Tennessee-style BBQ.

Question of the Day:  Does your job have an official review process? How do you feel about how reviews are handled?

Suggested Retail Price: $25
Received as a sample.
Overall: 3 Corks