Good Cheap Wine Guide

Being educated in the Catholic school environment creates unique images about the Pope. At 6 or 7 years old you think of the Pope as somewhat mystical surrounded by clouds and floating inches above the floor from place to place. There is just such a reverence and aura that comes with the job. When the Pope celebrates a mass in the US, it’s on TV! That’s how big a deal this man is!  In some nations he’s better known than Oprah!

Growing up Catholic you attend a lot of daily mass celebrations. When you become old enough to be an altar boy, (yes the wine oaf was an altar boy, no I don’t have issues.) you start to associate the ceremony of the mass with things more temporal as well. Serving a mass was cool because of the candles, (can’t light those at home) the incense, (don’t have that at home) and …the wine (pour for the priests but don’t partake!) In honor of Pope Benedict’s visit I wanted to write about my wife’s, and admittedly my, favorite white wine.
The “Moscato D’Asti” wine Saracco is Italian, properly so since we are writing about the Vatican. It is estate bottled by Azienda Agricola Paola Sarocco, Castiglione Tinella, Italy. That could say “Paolo’s farm” for all I know but in Italian, it just sounds cooler.

What Others say:Winemaker’s notes:”Paolo Saracco is known as “The Maestro of Moscato” and for good reason. His Moscato is perfumed with fresh peach, pear and white flowers. A gentle sparkle brightens the fruit and a tingle of sweetness hints of candied fruits.
Moscato d’ Asti is a unique wine where the beautiful aromas of the grapes are enhanced by a crisp, nice acidity, a light fizziness and the sweetness of the natural residual sugar. The low alcohol content makes this wine a very easy, pleasant wine - perfect for finishing a meal with dessert or without food as a nice mid-day break.”

RATING: Serve Proudly to Guests!

My Thoughts: I never thought I would use this phrase, but this wine is absolutely delightful. Serve it cold on a hot evening or by a warm fire and you will get the question you crave as a host, “What is this wine!” Modestly effervescent, somewhat sweet but not too heavy and really pleasant on the tongue. You feel like you are celebrating every time you open a bottle yet at around $18.00 a bottle, it’s a pretty cheap party. I know, I know it’s not ten bucks but still definitely serve to guests!

Catholic Coffee?

Which brings me to another topic. Good coffee and in honor of the Pope’s visit what is better to write about than…Catholic Coffee. Yes, there is such a thing. I should start a GoodCheapCoffeeGuide as well. I enjoy coffee as much as wine with the obvious benefit…I can drink it in more settings, like morning staff meetings. You don’t show up to a budget review meeting with a corkscrew. (They might use it on you!) But a pleasant cup of coffee always is welcome. Besides, if everyone in the meeting is drinking coffee then you are certain to get a break really soon. So, what is Catholic Coffee? Catholic Coffee, again in honor of this post’s theme, is roasted and sold by real monks, mystic monks, yes Mystic Monk Coffee.
Mystic Monk Coffee Reading from their website,”
The Carmelite Monks are a Roman Catholic Monastery that has a great passion for Coffee as an incredible fruit of the earth as well as a way to help Catholic culture.”

So how is their coffee? I have no idea but I will let you know after my order arrives. I’ll brew it on a Sunday Morning (instead of attending church maybe?) and enjoy it on the deck reading the paper and listening to chants. Well maybe not listening to chants. That would really creep out the neighbors. Perfect for First Communion Parties though right? I’ll let you know.

Cheers from the Wine Oaf.