Cupcake Vineyards - Red Velvet @@@@ (4 corks)

Retails: $8.99 (Total Wine)

Life has a *charming* way of throwing gas on the fire just when the flame has smoldered to coals, doesn't it?

Luckily, we have wine.

As rich as a mouthful of caramel centered milk chocolates, Cupcake Vineyard's "Red Velvet" wine delivers on decadence. I do find it a bit too overpowering for everyday drinking or when accompanying a meal, but it is delicious all on its own.

For people (like me) who are not particularly keen on sweet dessert wine, this is a welcome substitute. It holds up well on its own, with rich berry and cherry flavors and very little dryness. I would consider pairing it with a dessert or with light appetizers. I could absolutely see this being served at a wine bar to welcoming palates.

The last six months have proven that you can never be certain what's around the bend. I'm a tried and true over-analyzer and no matter how hard I try and predict the outcome of different situations, I'm always pretty surprised. I'm an "organizer" by career and mentality, and it drives me crazy when things don't go according to plan. It's not that I'm uptight per se, but I do enjoy a certain amount of predictability in the assorted variables that can transpire from day to day. In my moments of shear frustration, my husband will quip, "Well, isn't this life?"

Nothing has prepared me for what life has thrown my way as of late -- kids, marriage, new career, custody battles, merging career, additional work, financial woes, a move, a new pet, significant weight loss, unexpected blessings, a million weddings and babies to celebrate...

To provide each individual variable with the appropriate amount of attention and response has proved mind numbing. Maybe it's just me, but I'm not accustomed to change all at one time. I'm someone who almost requires a waiting period between significant events, but, as life has shown, that isn't always an option or possibility.

It also doesn't help that when I get my mind wrapped around a particular endeavor I can't help but try and accomplish it immediately (see: moving), thankfully my husband is exactly the same way. We may not have the majority of things in common, but we can absolutely agree on accomplishing a common goal as soon as is humanly possible. (re: neurosis).

After all of this, all I can say is, THANK GOD for wine!