Giveaway – MommyJuice Wines. You need this.

Posted on May 3, 2011 by FoBaM-Jamie

Sorry!  This Giveaway is now closed.

More than anyone, moms need a break once in a while. I mean – let’s be honest – once you’ve entered the hallowed halls of motherhood, you can kiss peace and quiet goodbye. Calm, Zen-like moments are a thing of the past. Relaxation is a concept that is interesting in a gee-I-wonder-what-that-would-be-like way. It’s sad really. Well, have no fear – MommyJuice Wines are here. When you’re feeling frazzled and slightly-less-than-sane, pour yourself a glass and let the bliss begin. Don’t miss the GIVEAWAY below, but first – today’s guest post from the founder and creator of MommyJuice Wines, Cheryl Durzy, you’ll learn how to pair certain wines with everyday mom events. Take it away, Cheryl!

I have been in the wine industry for over 13 years. The only other area where I have even remotely considerable experience in is parenting—7.5 years. Over 8 if you count pregnancy.  In many circumstances, I have discovered that these two passions of mine overlap. Wine is a regular part of my post-parenting regime – after I’ve put the kiddos to bed for the night, I relax with a glass (or two).

Chefs and sommeliers like to pair wine and food.  I like to pair wine and parenting situations.  All wines have unique personalities and traits, just like kids and their little quirks.

Parenting Situation #2567: Homemade “Paint” on the Walls or Crib

Homemade paint = poo. Poo on the walls, the crib, the floor. Sooner or later, most babies/toddlers stick their hands down a diaper and come up with a finger full. And wow, it looks fun to paint with!  When the unsuspecting mom comes in to check on her peaceful, supposedly napping babe, the scent and sight can be very disconcerting.

It’s stinky and a pain to clean up. But it will be okay. Probably cleaner then before—which means it’s time to celebrate and embrace the “poo.”

Many Syrahs, especially those from the “Old World” winegrowing regions (anywhere in Europe) have a scent to them that wine experts describe as “barnyard.” Translation: it smells a little like poo. But that is not a bad thing. Combined with other characteristics like dark berries, smoke, and maybe a little bacon, the wine becomes interesting, complex and really tasty. Relax – your baby was just trying to express his artistic side. Maybe he will be the next Poo-casso.

Wine Pairing: French Syrah from the Northern Rhône Valley (it will not say Syrah on the label because French wines are sold by the region, not the varietal/grape type. For the best value look for red wine from St. Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage)

Parenting Situation #4546: The first day of daycare/preschool

As a working mom, I brought my oldest child to daycare for the first time when he was about 4 months old.  I love my job, so I was excited to go back to work.  However, I had finally found a good routine with the little bugger and was really enjoying my time with him. I had serious doubts about returning to work, but that was not a financially viable option for me. So, off to daycare he went.

My son was fine. He slept through the entire drop off. I was a mess. I cried when I left. I cried in the car. I cried on my way to work. I cried at work. I called the center three times in the first hour to see if he was okay. The director of the center told me politely that she would call me with anything and to PLEASE STOP CALLING. It was horrible. When picked up my baby at the end of the day I was so happy to see him. We had a lovely evening at home and then he went to sleep. Though we had to do it all over again in the morning,  the next day I only cried until the first stoplight. I called only once. The day after that, I teared up. Then, I was okay.

I chose Viognier that first night. I was overwhelmed with the return to work and leaving my baby with people I did not really know all that well personally (although I had many excellent references). Why Viognier?  For a white wine, it has quite a kick…and by kick I mean alcohol – typically over 14-15% in California Viogniers. And after bugger went to bed, I needed some “down” time. And fast. I had two glasses of Viognier, got a little happy and went to sleep. Plus Viognier has great stone fruit (apricot, peach) flavors with aromas of honeysuckle. Seems delicate, but there is some muscle in there. It does the job efficiently. Which is what every working mom strives for: efficiency!!

Wine Pairing: Viognier (pronounced Vee-Oh-Nay): Look for a California Viognier. Try and find one  grown in the Central Coast region of the state where the grapes really showcase the floral aromas and flavors the varietal is famous for.

As moms, we learn to handle all kinds of crazy situations. Each time we get through another chaotic day or traumatic crisis, we get a little stronger. Still, there’s nothing wrong with a little help when it comes to unwinding and recuperating from the day’s “adventure.” After all – we’ll have to do it all over again tomorrow; may as well kick back while we can!

GIVEAWAY: Enter to win one of 10 MommyJuice Wines gift certificates worth $25 each. Just leave a comment below (by midnight tonight, Tuesday, May 3) telling us why you need a little MommyJuice and we’ll enter you into the random drawing. Good luck!  (Click here for rules and regulations for our Week of Mother’s Day Giveaways)

MommyJuice Wines – Made for mommys by a mommy

MommyJuice Wines was founded by Cheryl Durzy, a mom of 2 and 10+ year veteran of the wine industry in Sales and Marketing at Clos LaChance Wines. These wines were inspired by her young children that point to wine glasses everywhere claiming “That’s Mommy’s Juice!” Her vision includes balanced, fruit-forward wines that bring just a bit of peace after the chaos of everyday life as a parent.

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