What’s In My Glass Today?

Every year, in February, the overcast winter skies above the Willamette Valley suddenly go from grey to blue. Just when I think to myself, “one more gray day, I’m jet setting it to the islands,” the skies turn blue, the sun beams down and the temperatures rise. Although these days are few and far between, today was one of those gorgeous sunshiny Oregon days.

In light of the blue skies and warmer temperatures, I grabbed my sunglasses and headed out the door bright and early this morning. I met a friend at Cafe du Hall for coffee to start the day off right. Cafe du Hall is located on 5th Street in downtown Eugene, and the Parisian decor with a black and white motif were welcoming and comfortable. Although I was there for a sugar-free vanilla latte, I couldn’t help but notice their selection of unique local wines, some of which I hadn’t heard of.  Too early for wine, I made a mental note to return in the near future.

So, what was in my glass today? Well, a latte was at 9 am, but when I met a friend for lunch at Pegasus Pizza a few hours later, it was an Italian Pinot Grigio: Gaetano D’Aquino 2010 Pinot Grigo. Citrus flavors dominated this vibrant and acidic wine, and the finish was a bit bitter, or, “sour” as my friend described. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t like it, it was actually pretty good with our salads, and as the warmth from the sun shone down on our faces as we enjoyed lunch at one of Pegasus’s outdoor tables, it was a great wine for a sunny February day in the Willamette Valley.

The Gaetano D’Aquino Pinot Grigio can be found at Trader Joe’s for a mere $3.99 a bottle. Now that’s a bargain.