A Little Rehab For Some Real Housewives of (East) Vancouver

As far as guilty pleasures go, rich girls behaving badly can't be all that bad can it? I've got to admit that I've been truly counting the days until the Season 2 première of the Real Housewives of Vancouver. Catching up with the nasty antics of Jody, Mary and Ronnie is definitely part of the allure but an even bigger draw has been the fact that I finally got my hands on a couple bottles of castmate, Ronnie Negus', Rehab wine.

No easy task I might add because I don't believe the wine was ever released for sale. The bottles I have even say "Nor For Resale" on the back label.

I've been waiting for the new season before going for a little Rehab. Seeing as how I was somehow missed from the invite list for the official party, we invited some of the Real Housewives of McSpadden Park over to sip right back and catch the show. The fact that none of neighbours are really "housewives" doesn't matter - particularly since I doubt any of the ladies on the show are "real" housewives either.

1253. 2011 Rehab Sauvignon Blanc (Napa - California)

If you caught the last season's shows, you might recall that there were a couple of episodes that honed in on Ronnie and her vinous venture - even if she seemed to know more about drinking than making wine. In her own words, "I really don't know much about wine. I drink wine. I had the idea for the name, and that's as far as I can go." You mean everyone doesn't drink wine out the glass with a straw? Probably not unless you're testing that old high school myth that drinking through a straw speeds up the buzz.

Now, to be honest, I wasn't expecting much from the wine. After all, there were scenes in the show that even pooh poohed it as plonk. But, you know, it wasn't nearly as bad as we expected it to be. I don't think the Kiwis have to worry about Ronnie commandeering their stranglehold on the Sauv Blanc buzz (let alone those in Sancerre) but I've been served far less palatable wines through the years.

I don't know that I'd go so far as to say that this is a testament to the wine's pedigree but, when we didn't finish off one of the bottles during the show itself, we corked it to finish it off later - rather than pouring down the sink. And finish it we did.

To be truthful, it's not a wine that I'd buy by the case - even if it were available for purchase - but it might have enough cachet that I could see buying it as a gift for that special event or housewife down the road. I understand that, even if Ronnie does end up marketing a wine down the road, it will have to be under a different brand name as "Rehab" had been trademarked by Monster Energy Drinks before she tried to do so.

As for the show, I had to drink a little extra Rehab to drown my sorrows that neither Christina nor Reiko returned for Season 2. The jury's definitely out on Amanda but I think we might be quick to sign up as card-carrying members of Team Robin. Guesses are that Ioulia's going to be worth a story line and a few toasts as well.

So, cheers ladies and, Ronnie, anytime you want to set up a focus group for your next wine, keep me in mind. I'll bring my own straw!