Pink Elephants, or What Would Sarah Palin Drink?

Yes, it's convention season, and here at Wine Giques Headquarters, that produces a frothy, heady, combination of our favorite things:  wine and politics.  (I left out boys, but hey, they're always around.  And we like them when they're frothy and heady, as well.)

Given that we spent a few nights watching the Dem's do their show, and that we long ago selected wine picks for various candidates, we decided that it was time to give the Repub's their due.  So we sat down in front of the telly to watch the elephant dance. 

First up was Fred Thompson, whom this Wine Gique firmly believes is an animatronic Disney creation, possibly made up of remnants from the Hall of Presidents.  After the fourth or fifth corn-pone-slathered platitude about McCain, I discovered I needed a drink -- preferably strong bourbon.  We didn't have any, but I did locate a bottle of 2007 Chateau Guiot Rosé, perfect for the hot evening and all the hot air streaming from the teevee (not to mention the delicious Greek salad whipped up by one of those aforementioned boys). 

My, my, that Rosé was a revelation.  Lots of fruit (we noted that they hide those in the back in the Log Cabin section at the Republican Convention -- that joint is definitely not "fruit-forward"), honey overtones, and a crisp, slightly acidic finish that leaves you feeling refreshed:  the perfect antidote for all that political blather.  And a lovely dark rose color, to boot.

"Why," I thought, "This is what Sarah Palin was supposed to be!  A rosy-colored refresher for the Repubs, someone who brings a clean slate, a new point of view, who wakes you and makes you feel like you just had a cool bath!" 

Alas, I fear that it is not to be.  As much as we at Wine Giques support our distaff political contenders, I fear that Sarah is more of the same, if not worse:  a politician picked for her gender, and a single sound bite, and not for her real value to the country.

So, I'm headed out for more of that Chateau Guiot.  I can get it just down the street.  At $10 a pop, I might actually buy a couple of bottles, and enjoy one during Sarah's speech tonight.  I'm saving the second for after November 4th, when I'll invite Sarah over for a sit-down, where we'll talk about parenting teenagers and trussing moose, and I'll say "Girl, this wine is awesome.  So much better than your candidacy.  Next time you get a phone call asking you to be Veep, go tell those crazy boys to jump in a lake, kick back and pop open a bottle of this, then laugh at them on the teevee.  It will be much more fulfilling." 

Then we'll chuckle, talk about shoes, and make prank phone calls to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.