There’s this romanticism that is associated with the wine bottle. A candlelit room, a little mood music , the warmth of the fireplace, and a good bottle of wine is tough to beat when you’re feeling amorous. Would it be the same if the wine was poured from a box? I’m not so sure.

Boxed wines have gotten a bad reputation over the years because, well..(I wanted to say they deserve it, but in boxed wine’s defense, I’ve never actually tried any. I understand that they’re really bad.) It’s not even just the bottle, it’s the entire protocol involved. I’m just now coming to terms with twist caps in place of corks. I love the sound of a cork popping, and even beer cans and bottles sound out when opened. It’s such an inviting sound, I can’t help but smile.

But there’s still hope for the box. The wine is actually kept in an airtight bag. As it deflates no air is let in, so the wine retains its freshness for up to six weeks as opposed to a couple days. There’s not much chance of wine lasting that long in my house, but it’s good to know I won’t be pouring any old wine down the drain. “Chateau Cardboard” also costs 50% less to package and ship, so guess what? It makes the wine less expensive for us. Three liters will set you back less than $20, which sounds too good to be true. This roughly translates to four $5 bottles. I never shy away from $10 magnums (even though I probably should). How bad can they be?

I intend to answer that question this weekend. Taylor Eason recommends Hardy’s (Southeast Australia) and Black Box (California). She suggests you steer clear of Wine Cube and Bota Box. I’ll probably go with a Pinot Grigio for starters. If it’s any good I’ll try a red, they’re a little less forgiving. I can usually get through an iffy Pinot, but crappy red wine really sucks.

Will there be a day when boxed wines rule the market and you can buy single servings in Capri Sun-like pouches? I seriously doubt it. However, half of the wine Australians drink is boxed. Europeans, including the French, are on board and sales in the US have risen in recent years. I’ve decided that I will call it a cask while I’m drinking mine this weekend. After all, a cask is much cooler than a box.

Last weekend when I went out for wine, I grabbed what I like. I didn’t feel like trying something new; I didn’t care how it paired with what I was eating, or what others thought about the wine I chose. I just wanted to sit down with a glass in my hand and enjoy. Since I began this blog, I’ve been going out of my way to expand my knowledge and palate. It’s been nice, but I think I’m going to settle into a routine that’s a little more…me.

I drank the same beer for close to twenty years. I never really felt the need to change. I’m a very pragmatic person. It was nice to walk into Spec’s and pick out exactly what I wanted and leave. I didn’t need any help; I didn’t wander around aimlessly for a half-hour second guessing my decisions; I didn’t buy something I didn’t really care for and have to drink it anyway. I was in and out. I spent my night conversing with my wife and listening to music. Relaxed.

Don’t worry, this is not the end of JohnnyWino by any means. Quite the opposite. I began this journey a little over two months ago. We’ve been through a few twists and turns, along with several bottles of wine. In the process, I’ve learned a few things about wine, but even more about myself. I’ve rediscovered my love for writing, something that had eluded me for several years. I’ve reaffirmed my fondness for wine. I’ve reexamined the social contexts that are associated with drinking wine. I’ve reevaluated my direction as a wine drinker.

To those who have been with me from the beginning, thank you for sticking with me while I created and developed a persona for this JohnnyWino character. He will continue to be there to inform and entertain in his own special way. However, he will become less of the folktale legend I originally envisioned, and more of the everyday guy that I am. For those who have recently found JohnnyWino. Stay tuned. JohnnyWino will never change the world, but he’ll do his best to put a smile on your face and keep you thinking.

The number of people who prefer to drink beer is rising, according to the results of the latest Gallup Poll. The yearly poll determined that 42% of US drinkers will usually grab a beer, while 31% cited wine as their preferred drink. This marks the first time since 2002 that beer has gained a 10 point lead over wine. In 2005, wine actually surpassed beer as the American drink of choice (39%-36%). However, beer has made a steady comeback since then.

There are several possible reasons for the return to pilsner prominence. One writer contributes the spike in ‘02 to the movie Sideways. A friend who worked for Glacier said that they could not keep Pinot Noir on the shelves, while practically having to give away Merlot. Personally I feel this angle is weak, but I did enjoy the movie. I was already drinking wine by then, but it did help solidify my preference.

Americans love food, and wine gave them another aspect to their meals. Pairing food and wine became a sport to many, and beer was left behind. Even Flavor Flav was in, “White wine is for fish, and red wine goes with salads.” Brewers noticed, and have now begun to market varieties that can be paired with foods also.

I hate to get all political on my readers, but I think the biggest factor has to be the economy. Alcohol is a luxury item. The poll shows that frequency of consumption decreases as income drops. With the dollar being weak and gas prices soaring, there’s just not enough left to throw down $25 a bottle. Especially when you can buy a case of beer for the same price. Age is also a factor. In the under 30 crowd, wine came in a distant third at 19%, compared with beer’s 45% and liquor’s 33%.

What does all this mean? Not much. Beer has and most likely always will be tops in America. It is immediately associated with all our favorite pastimes: barbeque, football, the beach… I think wine has done a fine job of establishing itself in the market recently, and will continue to grow among the more mature crowd. To me, it’s a lifestyle thing. I wasn’t ready for wine when I was 25 or even 30. But today, it has become a part of me.

I received this balloon as gift wrapping for my birthday present from the Boyds on June 27. Today is July 26, which means it has been flying in my dining room for almost a month. I’m no helium expert, but I’ve never had a balloon last anywhere near this long. I find it truly amazing. It shows no signs of ever coming down either. The best part is that it celebrates me, and my birthday will never end until it descends.

There is one thing that worries me. I have nothing better to do than take pictures of a balloon and write about it on the internet. I still have three weeks of summer left, and I’m resigned to this. Someone please help!!! Barney is sick of me being in his face all day, This morning, he decided that sitting outside by himself was a step up from hanging with me.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve had a great summer. We went to Austin and Florida. We’ve hit several events around town that we would have skipped if I had been working. I spent several days fishing. I’ve had fun, but it’s time to get back to work. I know that when November rolls around I’ll be yearning for some time off, but today I’m bored. But please, don’t feel sorry for me. I can do that all by myself.

We decided to have some wine Tuesday, so I headed out to Spec’s. Since it was a spontaneous trip, I really didn’t have time to consider what to buy. I picked up a bottle of Chateau Bonnet-a really nice White Bordeaux for under $10, and really couldn’t decide where to go from there. I remembered an article I read the other day that suggested heading to the chilled wines. The author made the assertion that the wine stewards usually keep their favorites chilled, and that the cooler was a great place to find good, reasonably priced wines.

They have a big cooler at Spec’s, so I still had some deciding to do. I picked up Chateau Cadillac (also a Bordeaux) White. As many of you know, Cadillac’s red has been my standby since late January. I’ve stayed away from the white because of it’s color, urine. I know you won’t find that one in a Crayola 64 pack, but that’s the best way to describe it. I really didn’t see anything else that jumped out at me, so I decided to give it a try.  After all, their red is awesome, they couldn’t possibly be too far behind on their white. It was even a 2005. After tasting it, I decided the color wasn’t urine, it was apple juice. Because that’s exactly what it tasted like. Except not as sweet. It tasted like the juice of unripened apples. It wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t great either. At least now I know.