It has been a loooong week for me. Filled with excitement, and a tonne of hard work as I get closer to launching my new business. At the end of it I find myself exhausted, and my mind spinning with a million and one different ideas. With all of that spinning I recognize the need to take a time out. A pause to calm my mind, and rest a little. It’s at times like this that a bubble bath is just what the doctor ordered.
It’s pretty rare that I take the time to have a bubble bath. I think like most busy women, it gets pushed off. But really, I should do it more. There is something about taking a pause, lighting some candles, breathing deeply, closing your eyes and soaking in a sea of scented bubbles that helps create calm and clarity. Some people meditate, some exercise, if I can… I bathe. No truly relaxing bubble bath experience is complete without a glass of wine.
The whole point of this experience is to stop, savor, and let your mind drift away as you relax. Couple the experience with some floral scented bath products, and I feel that what you put in your glass should be a choice that helps to enhance the entire experience.
For me, that means a beautiful aromatic white wine that is a stunner without food, and who’s aromas won’t be overpowered by my bath salts and bubbles. I know some people prefer their prefer red, but there is also something extra refreshing in contrasting a cool glass with the therapeutic heat of a hot bath. My go to choices are aromatic varieties that allow me to breathe deeply and enjoy their beautiful perfume.
Here are my top 3 picks:
Viognier – preferably from France in Condrieu, or somewhere close to the area that may not have AC status. The BC Okanagan Valley in Canada is also producing some spectacular Viognier. This is a full bodied aromatic white wine that I recommend drinking just cool, but not ice cold. These wines are bone dry, and give off beautiful aromas of peach, white flowers, baked apples, saline, dried straw, almonds, and sometimes a hint of toast if they have seen some oak treatment. They are amazingly complex wines, perfect for melting away your thoughts of to do lists.
Torrontes – Another aromatic rock star, Torrontes is a bone dry white wine from Argentina, with a strong quality reputation in the northwest region of Salta. It is known for it’s intense perfume reminiscent of Muscat and Gewurztraminer. Medium acidity makes this a more refreshing drinking choice than Viognier, and is best served cool. Prepare yourself for aromas of rose petals, orange blossoms, peach, and tropical fruit. Less complex on the palate than Viognier, but equally aromatic. Be prepared to share the rest of the bottle shortly after opening, as these wines tend to loose their heady aromas faster than some others.
Gewürztraminer – “Gewurz” in German translates to “spicy,” – and indeed this wine can be full of spicy aromas of clove and ginger that nicely compliment the fruit notes of tropical lychee and roses. Often given a bad rap for being “too sweet” many reputable producers of Gewürztraminer produce stunning dry and off dry versions. Unfortunately many large retailers stock too much of the “too sweet” version. When looking for a bottle, I recommend asking the knowledgeable staff if they have tried the wine, or look for bottles with an alcohol by volume content of at least 11% to avoid sweeter versions. My personal favorites come from the Alsace region in France and these tend to be consistently drier in style than some of their new world, and mass produced counterparts.
So next time you feel stressed out, or run off your feet, I hope you are able to find a moment to pause and relax. Try combining a soak with a new kind of aromatherapy escape that can be found right in your glass. Take a little time, breathe deeply, and let your cares melt away.
VineLife 