It was a long day, filled mostly with scrambling all over town buying last minute Christmas gifts and food in preparation for the holidays and upcoming travel. When I got home mid-afternoon, Titus and I watched the Bob’sYourUncle.com Bowl while Sonja went out and did more shopping of her own. By the time we were all reunited in our home it was dark and we needed to unwind, so we called up some neighbors and they came by for “board games,” which turned into Cards Against Humanity when we did the math on how long it would take eight people to get through a game of Monopoly.

I spent an afternoon with John Buehler this past summer, at his winery in Napa, and I came to appreciate him a great deal for his candor and his sense of humor. As we tasted and toured, he’d tell jokes and stories, some of them occasionally slightly off color, all of them funny. It occurred to me last night, as I poured his Zinfandel for our friends, that he would be the perfect person to play Cards Against Humanity with, his likable everyman nature, candor bordering on bluntness, and sharp wit being all one needs to win the game. If I ever get back up his mountain to visit him again, I think I’ll take the game with me.

Most people I know have had Buehler Cabernet and Chardonnay; the QPRs are terrific and I think that leads a lot of people to them. As my friend Steven from Vivino mentioned yesterday, perhaps not as many have had the Zinfandel, and that’s a shame. A balanced, mellow, food-wine that complimented a cheese ball and charcuterie last night, it boasts a relaxed dark red fruit profile laced in mild spices. In the under $20 price range, it’s a killer deal, and it pairs well with inappropriate humor. Below is my all-time favorite Cards Against Humanity play. Forgive me.

John Buehler’s wines are approachable, budget-friendly, and well made. The 2014 Zinfandel is just another example. It pairs perfectly with good friends, belly laughs, and a cheese ball. I highly recommend it. (sample)

Cheers,