Vial #7 is a 2016 red wine from the Gaillac region of France. This wine is from the Duras grape varietal, one of the older grape varietals grown in France. I liked this wine. Who am I kidding, I like all wines. However, here are the reasons I like this wine. It was relatively bold with hints of cherry, cinnamon, and maybe a bit of pepper. I paired it with prime rib and it truly complemented it rather than overpowering it. Since this is an experiment and I’m a nerd, I thought I’d throw in a couple of elements…of the periodic table that is. NaCl – aka salt. Sodium (Na) has a single electron in its outer shell that it readily donates to create a positively charged ion. It is highly reactive. Chlorine (Cl), in its purest form, can be fatal but is more often combined with other elements and compounds for cleaning and disinfecting. However, it is one electron short of a full eight electrons in its outer shell, so it reacts with many elements to complete its outer shell. Na and Cl latch onto each other in harmony – much like this wine and prime rib. I might be one electron short of a full eight, but it does make this journey interesting, doesn’t it? Have a great night!
