Winey Tasting Notes: Moving Forward with Forward by Herzog Chenin Blanc

There I was on a Friday morning. Driving to work, singing (rather brilliantly, if I do say so myself) along to my tunes when…..BAM. A lethal piece of construction equipment (I live in Ohio, aka The Land of Orange Barrels) comes sailing toward my little car. It had been lying on the road, halfway in the lane, halfway on the berm, when the vehicle in front of me hit it in just the right way to send it flying towards me.

Thankfully, at the last minute, this thing took a dive under my car and instead of smashing my windshield, proceeded to rip apart an entire tire and wheel well. (I didn’t even know a wheel well was a thing.) I was able to make it to the side of the construction nightmare road safely. I was also able to cross “hear the sound of a tire exploding while you are riding in the car” off my bucket list.

But then I got a little righteously indignant. Who the heck was in charge of cleaning up after themselves on that road? I wouldn’t call myself a stellar housekeeper or anything, but this was NOT your run-of-the-mill household clutter. It’s one thing to step on a wayward Lego when you are barefoot. Or to set off the dog’s squeaky toy on your way to a midnight potty run. Or to leave the laundry basket on the stairs and just cherry pick your way through the clothes until the basket’s empty. (ahem) But c’mon. This was a huge thing-y with very large, nasty, metal hooks on its ends. Not your everyday piece of debris. A tarp or a garbage bag I can understand. But this was an epic failure to clean up that cost me an entire day at work, many, many dollars and my faith in my husband’s ability to realize that he should answer the phone at work when I call 6 times in a row (conference call, smonference call….I needed a ride).

How very ironic then, that I am reviewing a wine called “Forward”. Because I definitely wasn’t going “forward” without a big old tow truck that day.

Forward by Herzog Chenin Blanc (2014, 13.5%) can be summed up in one word: lovely. The wine is translucent pale gold with a nose of apricot, nectarine and peach. The flavors are full and crisp: flowers, white peach and a touch of minerals. The way it felt in the mouth was wonderful – as if you’re drinking a silky ribbon. If you want a white wine that is slightly sweet, but not at the expense of some lively flavor, you’ll love this Chenin Blanc. I got it as a sample from the California Wine Club.

So with the help of some vino, I have moved forward (get it?) and put the whole exploding tire thing behind me. I must move on, because construction season in Ohio is almost over.

Just in time “for lake effect snow” season.

Cheers!