In the interest of full disclosure, I'm not yet technically a "wife," but I think dating a wino for 7 years and being engaged to him for the last two and a half brings me pretty darn close to qualifying. And in less than two months, it will be official. That is, unless we come to our senses about this whole "marriage" thing.

So I've been thinking lately about what it means to be a wife. Who will I be after I walk down the aisle? Will it change me to be a Mrs? As my fiance can attest, one of my best (while simultaneously most annoying) qualities is that I'm a pretty strong willed person. There's a part of me that relishes becoming a wife, and there's another part that makes me say, "Hey! What's up with this whole giving up my last name craziness!"

So, when the name change occurs, who will I become to the public? As my fiance works in production in the wine industry, I will for all intents and purposes become "Mrs. Winemaker" on and after my wedding day. I mean, no complaints. It could be worse. This does guarantee me wine for life (good wine at that), and that in and of itself is reason enough to get married.

So, in a nutshell, I decided to start this blog because I am having an identity crisis. And you, reader, will be my therapy. I'm planning to explore topics such as "What happens when your husband has a heart attack when you buy Two Buck Chuck?" and "How to hold your own in a conversation about wine with wine snobs who do not know that they are wine snobs." Additionally, I will chronicle my attempts to learn more about wine so that I too can discuss how the nose of a wine brings to mind burnt toast, wet dog, horse, and/or acetate. (I kid you not, these are all aromas on Ann Noble's famed wine wheel.) And, of course, as wine and food are close cousins, you may see a blog or two about a home-cooked dinner where I, for example, drink a New Zealand Sauvingon Blanc with lamb. (Gasp! Actually, to be honest, this is an area where even the winos admit that there are no strict rules.)

My goal is not to offend every wine oenophile out there (although the more serious of you might need to be reminded that my banter is intended with a wink and a smile). It's not that I don't love wine and the people that fancy it (after all, I am marrying a winemaker), it's that well, wine and the world that revolves around it can frankly be pretty intimidating. So this is my attempt to demystify that stratosphere and bring it down to earth, hopefully while keeping my sense of humor (and future marriage) intact.

So tonight I raise my glass to you, probably one of the last glasses I will ever drink of $5 Trader Joe's wine, my price point of the last 7 years. Sigh. It's been a good price point to me; one in which I can pretty much identify each bottle that won't make you swear off wine for the rest of your life. It's going to be rough, but if I must graduate to $10/bottle, I will try to do it with a smile ;-)

Cheers!