“If you’re looking for some good Red Wings Red Rhône mojo or just a couple of very good red wines to enjoy with dinner, both of these will serve admirably.”

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For me, there’s only one consolation to saying goodbye to another summer, and it’s knowing that hockey season is right around the corner. I’ve been a Detroit Red Wings fan since 1976, so I’ve seen it all, the glory years, and the gorey years. Lately, it’s been more of the latter, but hope springs eternal with every new season, and some supposed pundits think that the Wings might have a real shot at making the playoffs this campaign. Win or lose, I’ll be here, watching them play.

Back in our Gang of Pour days, I had a recurring feature that I called “Red Wings and Red Rhônes.” It started out as something of a joke, the premise being that big, hearty red Rhônes are the perfect choice to sip whilst rooting for the boys with the winged wheel on their jerseys on those cold wintery evenings. Perhaps surprisingly, the “schtick” caught on, and I reported on many selections over the years, not only from southern France, but from anywhere around the world that produced wines composed of red Rhône varietals.

Fast forward to the present, and it occurred to me that it’s high time to reboot Red Wings and Red Rhônes after picking up these two fine bottlings from Holiday Market in Royal Oak a few days ago. They are both perfect to enjoy with tonight’s Red Wings season opener against the New Jersey Devils. Continue reading →