Life has come between me and In My Cups for these past half-dozen years. I’ve often thought about sharing my thoughts on a special bottle I’m drinking, but writing a blog during my off-hours doesn’t always hold appeal thanks to the daily writing I do in a professional capacity.

But today felt different, which has brought me back to WordPress. I thought perhaps a little distraction from the unsettling times in which we suddenly find ourselves might be a relief to me, and maybe give my friends and family a little something to read and engage in. After all, wine is social, amirite? And we can still enjoy it and share our thoughts with one another, even in our new world of “social distancing.”

I’m in the midst of a bottle of 2017 Matanzas Creek Chardonnay, which has always been a favorite of mine even though I’m not usually what you’d call a “Chardonnay girl.” I’ve had the good fortune to have visited the Matanzas Creek winery in Sonoma County, California on a couple of occasions. Matanzas Creek produces beautiful wines in a beautiful place. In fact, the winery is surrounded by incredibly lush lavender bushes, which create an absolute riot of purple when in flower.

One of the things I love about the Matanzas Creek Chardonnay is its balance. You often hear the words “flat” or “flabby” to describe a lesser Chardonnay — one that either feels almost watered down with no finish or one that’s so amped up with butter and oak that it’s sort of cloying to drink. The Matanzas Creek wine is a classic California butter/oak Chardonnay, but one that exhibits real restraint. I don’t always see Matanzas Creek wines in local liquor stores in the Boston area, but they’re usually available on Wine.com and the Chardonnay is in the $28-35 range. (By the way, I got an email earlier this week from Gordon’s Wine in Waltham, MA, saying they’re doing $5 flat delivery within Boston and the Route 128 area — a good deal for anyone who prefers not to venture into stores at the moment.)

Chardonnay always feels like a “winter white” to me because of its fuller body. As the weather warms up, I’ll be transitioning over to crisper whites like Albarino and Orvieto.

What’s everyone drinking at the moment?

It feels strange to be once again working from home five days a week. Mr. Cups is also home for the next several weeks as his school works to contain the spread of the coronavirus. But I firmly believe these isolation measures will be effective, will keep our hospital system from becoming totally overwhelmed, and will keep us all as safe as possible. In the meantime, keep calm, keep washing your hands, and stay well.