Savage Cabernet Sauvignon (not TJ's) $37.99 ****

So maybe you heard, we had a hurricane.  It was in the news. Mother Nature and I are on pretty good terms -  I respect her, and in turn, she hasn't swept me away or crushed me with falling debris (so far); but I had to evacuate anyway.  And when you are packing up all of your belongings and heading to non offensive ground (in my case, Kate's house), it important to take all of your good wine. I may have not packed any of my work clothing, but I remembered my wine and my vinegar barrel.  (a girl has to have her priorities straight)

As I wrote a year and a half ago, this Savage Cabernet Sauvignon is for a special occasion.  And what better occasion than being with friends in a hurricane. (after all, when surviving, it is all about who you share your foxhole with)

Right next to Chateau Montelena, is Savage Estate Wine. A family owned and operated, small producer (150 cases a year) of some fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon. If I had my way, one of those cases each year would be mine.

On a blustery afternoon, we had this `04.  It came out of the bottle with a fruity power then mellowed into a subtle, smooth and sublime wine that paired perfectly with our cheese and crackers.  As it opened up, it changed.  I didn't decant it, because room air did that for us.  A swirl in the glass and the wine woke up.  Ten minutes in the glass and it became delicate and delicious.

Elegant and nuanced, this was the perfect foil for a hurricane that turned into a tropical storm. 

This really was a wine for a special occasion.  It reminded me that we should drink the good stuff while we are alive and able to enjoy it.   Thank you Michael Savage, I'll be buying more.  You never know when you'll need to pop a cork and celebrate being alive.