Warning: This blog post might bore the heck out of you. But it’s one I want to post for me. It’s a passion of mine and I am currently living in a place that just lives, breathes, and “sips” my passion. WINE!
I love wine. I am a wanna-be wino. Not because I want to know what to pair with wine and what wine is the best, etc. No, I love he science behind it. I guess you could say I am wino science geek.
Back in college I took a wine making course. I fell in love with the process. How it ages, how you pick the right grape, the right climate/region, etc. It’s an art form. I love wine because it describes culture. It’s full of life and it’s always enjoyed in good company.
I’m a wanna-be wino because I get giddy when trying new wines and exploring new wineries/vineyards. I study the region, look at how they make the wine, and read their story about how the vineyard was started. And trust me, there’s always a story.
I’m a wanna-be wino because I drink a glass of wine a night. Red or white? Depends on my mood, not what I’m cooking. But yes, there will be wine while cooking.
I’m a wanna-be wino because I look at Food and Wine Magazines to read the articles. I want to learn more. I want to know how they are rated. It’s gotta be a SCIENCE, right?
I’m a wanna-be wino because I married a man from New Zealand just so I could drink good wine, just kidding. Although that is a perk! 
Some people collect nut butters, protein powder, etc. but I collect wine bottles. I like pretty ones with cool labels or names.
Yes, my name is Lindsay Windsay and I’m a Wanna-be Wino.
Sorry Lou, I just had to include you! 
Cheers!
Windsay (LC)
p.s.
For more fun NZ wine facts, check out this site. You know you want to.
http://www.nzwine.com/wine-talk/#news
um…drool….
I really should not have read this post before 5 pm.
Now I am at work thinking about wine!
— Hi! Catching up on your blog…I had a “detox week” <—highly recommended except I am compulsive and must read every entree of my favorites anyways. (0:
i need you here, by my side, wino windsay needs another wino. You game?
p.s.
how was your detox?
Fun post! Loved hearing more of your passions and liked the photos too…let’s share a glass of wine together someday! 😀
hope that day is sooner versus later! cheers.
CUTE!! fun post friend 🙂
thanks Jules. My love for wine is like your love for Froyo, right?
haha… wine is a must while cooking… it’s makes the whole process more enjoyable =)
agreed! lisa, we are so alike in our thinking.
love that you are a wannabe wino! the sad thing is that we’ve never even had a glass of wine together! let’s change that asap.
i know! we are so behind. How about you fly over to NZ and have a glass. or better yet, a wine tour?! I’m calling you today. K?
You are sooososo cute. In my book you are definitely a wino! The passion and love are there my friend. I hope one day I will develop a love for wine so I can pretend to be classy and drink with my pinky out, but for now my beverage of choice is water. I am such a rebel.
no pinky needed, just a smile. hehe. For now, enjoy the kombucha passion. It’s just as good! xoxo
I know exactly how you feel. I was no science major, but I’m fascinated with the beer brewing process. Of course, whenever I tour a winery I get sucked into that too just the same.
oh yes! i wish i could drink beer but not many GF ones are that good. My brother brews beer too. Love the process!
DANG 🙂
the first thing we dont have in common 🙂
Bummer. Well you’ll be the first person I call to go get coffee with. That i know! 😉
I enjoy learning about the process as well. While I’ve never been to a winery I’ve been to a couple bourbon distilleries and it’s cool to see the product from start to finish!
Glad youre enjoying the wine in NZ. Cute pics as always!
<3
oh thats cool! i want to go check out those with you some time!
Linds, You are just too dang cute. That’s all. 😉 xoxoxo
oh meg, you are too cute! so glad to hear from you. How’s your sis?
I am jealous of your wine-making class in college! I have read books, done tours, etc… but have never lived in a place where wine making was offered as a class. Hmm… maybe there’s an online course I can sign up for? This might have to go on my bucket list!
i bet there is!! I want to get a sommelier cerftication. Maybe we can do it together!
You know, I’ve never been to a winery, but I think that’d be a really cool experience!
you’ve never been?? Oh rach, lets change that soon!
And that’s one thing that drew me to your blog months ago…you talked about wine. I love wine, though I don’t know much about it. Just that it is amazing and I love pairing it with what I’m cooking. Wino…nothing wrong with that. Here in Eastern Idaho, us wine-lovers are looked down upon and we are closet-ed. But it keeps the heart healthy. And thanks for your encouraging words!
oh that awesome! i think you need to move closer to me then! yes?
There’s absolutely NOTHING wrong with marrying someone from new zealand, just so that you can eventually move there and drink to your pretty little heart’s content. 😉
hehe, good. I needed that affirmation.
I’m pretty committed to a good pinot noir; I actually don’t like white wines at all – but maybe that’s because I just need more exposure! I think a vineyard global tour is definitely in order!
okay, go buy a NZ sauvignon blanc. That will change you. Their pinots are good too! In fact, just fly down.
😉
YAY! Just the post I needed to read to get me in the spirit! I’m goig to a wine festival Saturday night!! I’ll be thinking of you, girl!
oh yes!! have fun, take pictures, and post them. Can’t wait!
love this about you! i too love wine and drink white or red depedning on my mood. not so much into the science thing though 😉 jsut like to sip it down!
i ‘ll be sipping it down with you sometime. No science needed there. It’s the perfect euqation. That i know!
Later today I am posting about Napa and Sonoma and great memories Scott and I have…so yes, I can totally understand about your passion for wine and I think that’s fabulous!
oh i can’t wait to read that! great memories indeed. Cheers friend!
I believe I fall into your camp – I can’t tell you the way it hits my palette, but I can tell you which regions, years, wineries interest me and the unknown is just so intriguing that I rarely buy the same bottle twice (unless it is THAT good). I am so jealous you are right in the heart of some delicious wines!! I am heading back to Sonoma in April, so very excited about that!
oh yea! we are wino twins. Have fun in Sonoma. Gosh its so pretty!
I am not a big wine drinker but I did learn a lot about wine while I was in Napa. Oh my goodness those wineries are absolutely gorgeous and running through them was simply amazing. I agree that there is something about the culture of wine that is incredibly intriguing.
don’t you just love the air there?! SO crisp ad fresh and beautiful! I could run for hours there. Miss it.
Back when I drank, I wanted to be a wino, but instead I’d usually just guzzle a whole bottle or two and be sloshed off my ass… um, part of the reason I don’t drink anymore! 😉
wine making is kind of like kombucha making. Takes time and effort and lots of testing. I think thats another reason i love it. And i am glad I learned to appreciate it first. I know your drinking days are over and you are amazing for it!! So cheers to a good kombucha. Yes?
Hell yes! I’ll raise my glass of kombucha to toast your glass of wine every time, my friend! 🙂
Ooooo I love wine too!!! I wanna be a wino!!!
I actually wish {this might sound silly} that i had more wine in the house so I could drink it more often…LOL!!!
xxoo
well stock up friend! Thats the fun part! exploring the wine section. hehe
Haha! Cute post. I started exploring wine more since it’s a “safe” gf drink. If there are any I just havvve to try, please let me know!
me too! I am so glad its naturally GF! Phew! and i have a list of wines for you to try. Like Kim Crawford Sauvingnon Blanc. Like red too?
Girrrrl you know I am right there with you!
Shane’s favorite wines come from south America and new Zealand. He loves the Shiraz and malbecs. We both really want to take another wine class this season!
oh i love a good South African Malbec. So lush! We all need to go a wine class together. Blogger retreat. haha.
Hi I’m Jessica and I wanna be a wino TOO! Heck, I already am one, who am I kidding?? I love this post!! The science behind it is so freakin’ cool isn’t it? I always like that part of the wine tour process when visiting wine country. I even like trying the freshly pressed wine that hasn’t been aged yet. Tastes sorta like apple cider to me, so cool!!
So uh, you’re coming to wine country with us this year then, right??
Lets open a WINO SOUL SISTER vineyard?! Yes?? Oh please please!!
“This blog post might bore the heck out of you.” are you kidding LC? Add some talk about chocolate, and this is the perfect post for me!
and maybe some cheese? heck, those are good staples for me! CHeers Kim! miss you.
confession, i like to pick out my wines based on how much i like the label or the name 🙂 you guys should make your own wine! my hubby makes beer and he LOVES all the science involved
haha, thats a great confession cause i do the same sometimes! its fun!
My brother makes beer too. I wish i could drink more of it but its not GF friendly. Although his beer is awesome!
I love this! Not boring at all, my friend, none of your posts are either ;- )I wanna be a wino for the very same reasons! I love how it’s made, exploring vineyards, the behind the scenes, trying new wines, blends, etc. I think we are wine soul sisters 😉
you know i wrote this post for you, jess, and heather. Love you ladies! and wine soul sisters indeed!
I get intimidated by the huge breadth of knowledge when it comes to wines. I feel like I can never possibly have a grasp on different tastes, how they pair well, what flavors shine through etc. But I want to! Wine is definitely my drink of choice and I go through 1-2 smaller bottles a week hah!
i think it takes a LONG time to really know the difference in the wines. Thats why i love it too. Its process that can’t be rushed. So no stressin, k?
😛
I love you and I am jealous you are living in land of the wine!!!!
<3
i’ll try to steal some Zin for you and bring it back to the states k?
<3
Not bored at all! 😀 I love wine and happily admit to be a member of the wine-at-night club as well. 🙂 I sometimes have winetastings (private with wines from a good wine store, or sometimes even organized) with one of my best friends and whoever wants to join in, and we enjoy it (and the wine) a lot. NZ must be a paradise for a wine lover! 😀
oh i hope we get to do that together someday. It would bring me such Joy Kath!
From this post, I’d say you ARE a Wino….definitely not a “wanna be”. 😉
Have you ever thought about getting a Sommelier certification, or training, or whatever it is they do? You’d be perfect for it!
i really want to look into that SOmmelier certification. I guess it just depends on where to do it! hmmm, good thinking Heather.
Lol love this and I agree it’s gotta be science ;)) Red wine in my opinion is much better than white, I just don’t like the sweetness of them!
try sauvignon blanc. its a super dry white and i love it cause its not sweet. I am a red fan too though.
😉
I’ll have to request next time I go out with the co-workers, seeing I’m 18 and can’t buy myself 😉
Red is totes the best, accompanied by some dark chocolate!
Oh….. I wanna-be a wanna-be wino with you! 🙂 You are just too cute! I only like red wine and sweet wines. I wish I was intrigued by the region, etc. but I usually just go for what is tasty and cheap. Maybe I need to educate myself a little more. 🙂 Wine hugs!!!
cheap can still be good! trust me, i’ve investigated!! so yes, wine hugs all around.
*sigh* Wine. <3
oh i know, but soon… like how many months? I’ll count for you.
we want to be a wino with you 🙂
we wish we knew more about wine, we just know the basics and what we like. but we know there is so much more to learn! maybe one day you can teach us and we can all be wino for the day!!
i’m coming to NC and we will road trip it to vineyards! K? I want to be your wino for sure. Love you ladies.
Even though you cheat on red (the only one worth drinking if you ask me), I still love you.
Wine is my constant companion. I really didn’t know about New Zealand wine until you started posting about it, but I love an evening glass of wine. I used to feel snooty ordering it at a pub, but now I have the gluten “excuse” so that helps. 😉
I worked in Georgia banding birds one summer and we got to catch them at a winery north of Atlanta. They gave us all the wine we could drink and some for the road. best 3 days of that summer by far!
yes, the gluten excuse does help. haha. Man Katie, i think we just might need a wine trip together. hiking, wine, and lots of laughter. Sound good?
I would say you are more than a wannabe! I went to a vineyard outside of Houston over the weekend and had a blast. I loved the nerdy tour where they showed the bottling machine and the fermentation vessels.
which one? I love the texas hill country wine tour! its fun. Have you done that? its actually really pretty.
Yeah! Winos forever!
Have you tried Catalina Sounds SavB yet? It’s a goodie.
Oh NZ wine, so awesome! They do a damn fine SavB + Pinot Noir for sure, Aussie does a wicked riesling + cab merlot – it’s a pretty sweet part of the globe down under, no?
xx
catalina sounds? um no!! I will get that next! i need my wino friend and vegan friend here. Miss you.
TRY IT!! and you are familiar with my friend Kim Crawford, no? Her Pinot Grigio is lovely. Miss you too beautiful lady… we WILL drink wine again someday… in Austin perhaps?! OR maybe in Aussie?
Me too!! Whenever we travel, looking for wineries (or breweries or distilleries) is high on the list. I love sharing stories of where a wine is from, why it’s special, how we found it, etc when we open a new bottle – it adds to the experience! My 50K next weekend is in Sacramento, which is about 40 minutes from Napa/Sonoma – what do you think my post-race plan includes? 😉
oh my gosh thats awesome! we do Vineman every year near Napa and LOVE IT!! I am so excited for you and this post race fun! Heather, i think we’re destined to be training buddies and winos together!
I’ve always thought Vineman would be great – just wish it was at a cooler time of year (I’m not a good athlete in the heat). I think you guys need to move somewhere close when you get back from NZ. 😉 Or we at least need to pick a race together!
ah, i sincerely hope you join the hubs for wildflower! there are SO MANY great wineries (i used to work at one) here in the san luis obispo area! 🙂
oh i drove through that area in 2008 too! I didn’t “know” you then. WIsh I did! I sure hope i get to come!
“Whittle Windsay the Wino” – so glad we found a way to work whittle back into your name, your brothers will be so happy
it was that or Lindsay the Lush. haha. I like the whittle wino. Man, i miss our wine times. Remember our grape stomp? haha!!!
Girl we were so destined to be friends! Happy Winesday 😉
thats for sure! wine tour 2012 here we come, yes?
I love wine too—-the same kind of love, learning about it and admiring the bottles. I have a friend who is a little snooty about wine, and I just laugh–it’s not so serious to me, but it sure is enjoyable!
i think we are more alike than we think. Cheers!
I grew up in a family that doesn’t drink alcohol (same for my husband), so wine has been such a great discovery now that I’m a “grown up”. And I totally agree about the science behind it. The relationship between food and wine is amazing! I could easily drink a glass of wine every night…maybe that should have been new year’s resolution. J/k. 🙂 Loved this post. Thanks.
Oh friend, i’d join you every night. We could sip and savor. Keep me posted on all the new wines you discover, k?
Wine makes great metaphors! My friend in Seattle is writing music for this one of mine:
Riesling Kiss
http://www.sonnettics.com/?p=1758
oh thats beautiful wendy! I LOVE IT!
hehehe I LOVE LOVE LOVED this post because my Sister is a Wine and Viticulture major!! she LOVES wine, and through her I am learning to love it from the science perspective as well as drinking perspective…delicious!!! I’ve got to show her this post…and if she knew New Zealand was so fabulous for wine=there would be 2 of us running around sipping the juice of the grape with you!!
xoxo!
oh you both need to come. Training and wine touring! Now thats a good deal, eh?
I love your wine love!
hehe, thanks friend. I know I tried to convert you into a wine lover. Did it work?
😉
Every so often I crave a glass of red but that’s about it.
We are in wine country as well! I live about a half-hour from a great winery, King estates, but there are several small wineries just in the 15 minutes around my house. Too bad I don’t drink it anymore…I used to love a good merlot! Enjoy a glass for me. 🙂
oh i know! i need to come visit. I love oregon wine. Will definitely enjoy a glass for you.
I love this about you. We buy wine most of the time just for the design and labels. Tony is the real wine lover here though. I can only drink the sweeter stuff…I’m such a chick sometimes.
thats okay. At least you try them! I’ll have a glass with tony, hehe.
It’s a huge freaking “perk”!
😉
So awesome.
Ya…I might be looking into tickets. How can I wait until June??
oh burr, its cold n June. But still so PRETTY! COme now, its warm!