Milagro Wine

Northern New Mexico escaped the terrible bomb cyclone storm that devastated the country before Christmas. But just barely. The polar winds came down along the Rockies, and tore along the east side of the Sangre de Cristos. Nestled just over the peaks on the west side of the range, Santa Fe was protected.

It was cold, but seasonable, and we got a dusting of snow this week, which was a bit icy. Now it's time to take down the tree, store the decorations, and get on with things.

For us the end of the year is always a definite marking point because New Year's Eve is Jim's birthday: December 31. In past years we have gone to a big neighborhood New Year's Eve party, which is always fun, but his birthday gets lost in the celebration.

This year the hostess has some health issues and isn't hosting, but we are invited to a very small get together with other neighbors up the hill. We won't make much of his birthday there, but on our own, the next day, just the two of us will celebrate.

We're having oven barbecue ribs and a bottle of local wine. New Mexico has vineyards in the high mountain desert, there are several.

The Milagro vineyard is in Corrales, a bit south of here in a small farming community. The area has gentrified from the old truck farms along the Rio Grande, but the town still has the rustic, dusty, old New Mexico vibe to it, along with some funky upscale restaurants, nice homes, and vineyards and orchards. It's an odd mix.

We picked a bottle of Milagro zinfandel that "displays white pepper spice and red berries", which sounds about right for bbq ribs. Milagro means miracle in Spanish, and that sounds about right in these times too.

We're ready to end 2022 and see Jim off into his next year. Happy New Year to you and Happy Birthday to him! Yes, there will be balloons.

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