And We Have A Winner

After last weekend's crazy tie in the Aussie Rules Grand Final, plans had to be made to watch the re-match. Hard to believe that the league hadn't provided for overtime in such a big event, but here we are a week later, getting ready to sit down for the big game with over 100,000 - and two - of our closest friends.

Considering the fact that we leave for South America in three days, I'm sure that there are better uses of our time at this moment, but there really is no question. We can fit in a last visit with Mr. D and Elzee. Plus, what could really be more important than three or four hours of wine, excitement and forty plus beefy guys in muscle shirts and tight shorts running around bashing the heck out of each other?

We stuck with strictly Aussie wine last week, but we were a little more all-encompassing with the wines this round, especially since Elzee and Mr. D. were responsible for some of the evening's wines. We did, however, still stay in the Southern Hemisphere.

602. 2007 Clos de los Siete (Mendoza - Argentina)

603. 2008 Babich Black Label Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough - New Zealand)

If these two bottles weren't entirely in the theme of Aussie Rules Football, we'll forgive ourselves because they were opened during dinner and the footy game wasn't actually on yet. Besides the Michel Rolland blend, Clos de los Siete, was brought along to give us a taste of the wines to come in Argentina.

The Kiwi wine was simply opened because it's very tasty and it went well with the evening's sablefish roast. Just don't tell the Aussies.

604. 2008 Marquis Philips Shiraz (McLaren Vale - Australia)

The evening's Aussie bottle was big and strong enough to match up with the bigger than life play on the field.

There wasn't a lot of question about there being a final outcome in tonight's game. Despite a bit of a slow start on the scoring front, the Pies quickly established a lead and, unlike last week, never let Saint Kilda back in the game.

In stark contrast to last week's reaction after the tie, there'll be plenty o' celebration and wine and beer flowing in the upcoming days on Pena Street in Melbourne. It seems even Sheila found it to be a happy occasion. We'll leave the last word to her (from the e-mail we received the next morning) -

"Well blow me down with a feather. The Pies creamed the Saints!!! We watched it on the box at the mother-in-law's house in Portsea. I don't want to admit it was absolutely gorgeous there: clear blue skies, hot sun, crystal clear surf... I'm supposed to be whinging that I had to spend time alone with the children at the mother-in-law's while Buggalugs disappeared into that Boy-Ether we call Footy Finals. But it was the stuff of magazines. And that gorgeous gardener working on the place next door was the stuff of C-grade porn flicks? Frankly, if the Pies could sort themselves out and guarantee a spot in the Finals every year, I could warm to the sport!"

Carn the Pies!