Favorite Beverages Vol.1

My wife and I have recently gotten into wine. Myself probably more so than her, and she can't partake for a year or so. But, I think my reviews on beverages will be less about knowledge (as I'm just getting started on learning about the complexities of wine) and more about what I simpy like..and why. But it's not just about wine, it's about any beverage that makes me smile so, hopefully you 1) agree with me 2) find something new you like or 3) never talk to me again...(OK, just kidding...I love you all)

RABBIT RIDGE 2003 California Cabernet Sauvignon (Barrel Cuvee)

Ok, so what I gather about "Barrel Cuvee" is that instead of the grapes of this particular wine coming from one vineyard...they come from all around California, so as to take advantage of each regions positive traits.

Overall, I really like this wine. I'm a huge Cabernet fan, and honestly haven't found too many "Cabs" that have left me sorely dissapointed. However, this one was somewhere above average. It smells fantastic, and drinks really well. I enjoyed drinking it more than tasting it actually (but most people do. Swishing it around, etc makes it so strong in your mouth and takes some getting used to) because it was really smooth, and the cherry smells permiated the room (Kristine could smell it from the other side of the couch! I'm not sure of the price because it was given to us, but I believe it's a very affordable bottle. I'd give it a B+

COKE ZERO

Alright...I know..."Coke Zero Stephen? First you're talkin wine, and then you pull this zero calorie drink out your rear end to talk about? you smokin crack?"....Well, the answer is "No, I have never smoked crack, but I am addicted to caffeine...which is supposively more addictive than crack, so STOP judging me (insert weeping here)" Seriously though, as much as I try to stay away from Cokes, the reality of Stevo's world is that I drink them. And each one is like 100 calories, because I prefer to not touch Diet Coke with a 10 FT pole. Then I had Coke Zero...other than a minimal aftertaste (that comes well after taking a sip), it tastes almost identical to Coke. I'd say the only downside to Coke Zero is that it's not populating enough coke machines yet, so I'm still forced to make a tough decision :)

Check out www.cocacolazero.com for some fun stuff, and a visual example of why I love the advertising industry. Not only does Coke Zero taste good, but if their website had "taste"...it would be yummy.

DUNKIN DONUTS COFFEE

Dunkin make the best cut of coffee, period. Yeah, I said it...plus it's cheaper than a cup at Starbucks. I will agree that Starbucks has the whole "flavored" thing going for them, but who has $4/day for a Grande Mocha when you can get a XL Coffee with Cream + Sugar for around $2 (or something crazy like that). Kristine and I buy the bags and grind the beans ourselves at the house to save a bit more cash, but it's still great coffee and sacrifices nothing. If you've never had a cup, go try it...you won't be dissapointed.

Peace out gangstas!