What wine to drink at a Hurricane party?
What wine goes with Hurricane Ike? Do you go for the cheap shots like Windy Oaks wine or maybe Rainy Crick, or do you go for the more subtle pairing like Rain Riesling from Alois? These are not questions that you get to ask yourself everyday, even if you do live in Texas like we do.
Fortunately, I am asking the question about 200 miles from the coast, where the question would more properly be phrased “What wine goes with a tropical depression?” I am not trying to make light of the situation on the Gulf Coast, but let’s face it, people have been throwing hurricane parties for a long time. If they are a good idea is another question. I know from experience that sometimes you don’t have much choice.
Several years ago my wife and I along with a couple of friends were on a driving trip in the Yucatan. For the last couple of days of our trip, we headed back to the coast to Porto Morales. When we got there we found most of the hotels empty and a hurricane on the way. We had no place to retreat to, so we went to town and got what food we could find and a bottle of tequila. We then took shelter in the only hotel that was taking guests.
For the next two days we ate potatoes, eggs, and chips and drank tequila. Hurricane Dolly blew through and we survived, although the beach and palapa huts did not fair as well. The point is that because of logistics we might have had our last meal with cheap tequila rather than a nice bottle of wine. So this time, I have a plan: better food and a bottle of hurricane appropriate wine.
Which brings me back to the question of what wine goes with a hurricane or tropical depression? I think the best option is to follow the advice of my brother to “open something that’s worth a damn.” I think that Champagne will do just fine — something like a bottle of Ruinart Blanc de Blanc. If the weather permits we will follow that with 2002 Clos des Moches from Drouhin.
As the forecasted path of Hurricane Ike continues to change, it looks like I will get to enjoy my wine with a few intermittent showers, but we will press on with our plan. Whatever wine you select, enjoy it and we hope you stay safe.
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