Wine for Writers Block

By Maureen Petrosky

…Or any old block for that matter. I sat down today to tell you something hilarious, something inspiring, something informative, and all of a sudden, STALL. Here’s what I got: Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing…blah blah blah- argh give me something!

Each week I hope the wine blog acts as a little pick me up for your day. If nothing else, it is a perfect reason to procrastinate just a little longer. But deadlines can be scary, so much so, in fact, that they invoke stage fright, or in my case today, writer’s block. This time of year, with the amount of additional items swimming in our heads, it’s a wonder anyone can be productive let alone creative. The luxury in my line of work is that it’s completely acceptable to crack open a bottle any time of day to get the juices flowing. So that’s just what I did. Luckily for you, this is what I found: “Cuvee Syrah, Conference de Presse” Faillenc, ’06.

This may sound totally obscure and something that won’t be available, but I am thrilled to debunk the naysayers amongst you. Corbieres is a region in the south of France that I fell in love with during my visit last summer. I knew this wine, just being from that sun-struck place, would inspire me. Maybe you couldn’t take that vacay this year, or perhaps you’re giving up your holiday bonus and won’t be able to take one next year either. The great thing is you can visit the south of France from the comfort of your couch. This wine is on Balthazar’s wine list (one of my favorite restaurants in NYC) for a mere $37 a bottle. Translation: we can buy it at the wine shop for about $15. Hands down a crowd pleaser full of fruit, earth, and a hint of spice. If your local shop doesn’t carry this exact bottle, look for these other amazing wine places to buy from: Saint-Chinian, Minervois, Corbières, Fitou, or any from the Coteaux du Languedoc or sporting the red and blue emblem and the swords Sud du France. They are “wow” wines with even more unbelievably low price tags, making them perfect for your next holiday party, or maybe to just help you get over that hump! Cheers.