Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! Wine! Wine! Wine! Bitch Grenache 2008

Last Friday, when I was presented with the opportunity to go out to dinner with a good friend and no children, I pounced. I love my family, but it isn't often that I get to leave the children behind, so I take advantage of these rare moments whenever they present themselves. One thing I always splurge on when out without the family in tow is an alcoholic beverage. Last week was no exception.

It was decided that this "Mom's Night Out" would take place in Springboro so we could enjoy the summer's "First Friday" event and taste the foods of Heather's Coffee & Cafe. It was immediately decided that the wine of the evening would be a bottle of "Bitch 2008". Bitch is a grenache wine from the Barossa Valley of South Australia. (The Grateful Palate Imports) A grenache wine is red wine that is characteristically low in tannins with a dark, fruity flavor that pairs well with most foods. (Wikipedia) I am not a wine expert, so I will not even try to go into the details that the professionals do. I know what I like and don't like and can tell you why.

Most people will probably grab a bottle of Bitch when they see it as a gag gift for a woman in their life. I am no exception. I find humor in silly things like oddly inappropriate names. Just as I chose a bottle of Fat Bastard merlot earlier this year, I also chose Bitch. I can honestly say that I was not let down with either of my choices. Those amusing names sometimes lead us to discover great things.

Upon opening the bottle, I was immediately struck by the beautiful deep red color of the wine and the scent of berries with a touch of cinnamon. The taste of this wine was pleasant-fruity and sweet. I could taste the flavor of strawberry and a light earthiness. Unlike other red wines I have tried, Bitch was not dry, in fact I found it quite smooth. I sipped on my glass while waiting for our food to arrive and found myself getting lightheaded much faster than I anticipated. Come to find out, Bitch has an alcohol content of 15.5%, which is at the high end of the scale for wines. Sip slowly and be sure you have food on your stomach! Everything I have read about grenache wines says that they are quite versatile when pairing with food and Bitch is certainly that. I nibbled on creamy spinach and artichoke dip, tangy white pizza and salty chicken, bacon and cheese quesadillas and the wine never once clashed with the flavors of my food. This is definitely a wine I can see myself purchasing again, for myself and for gift giving.