2003 Shafer Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay

Tonight we stayed home and watched the Big Ticket and the Minnesota Timberwolves take on the Houston Rockets. I decided to open a bottle of 2003 Shafer Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay to go along with some Thai left-overs. Medium straw in color, the Shafer Chardonnay has a beautiful nose of citrus and floral elements. This wine has a great mouth feel with the crisp, abundant fruit balanced nicely with the oak. The mineral finish goes on forever. Overall, a great bottle of wine and a nice treat for a Tuesday night. 92 points. Now if only the Timberwolves can come back and beat the Rockets.

After the Vikings game Sunday we picked up some Thai food from Pad Thai Restaurant on Grand Avenue in Saint Paul. It is my five year old daughter's favorite restaurant and my favorite for Thai food in Saint Paul. I went with the Gang Masamanh Curry with chicken and fried tofu. It is a red coconut curry with potatoes. We also had cream cheese puffs, which are some of the best anywhere, and deep fried egg rolls. Usually we dine in. The restaurant has a comfortable atmosphere and it's a great spot to bring the kids. I think it's pretty affordable, dishes ranging from $11 - $14. They have a good list of wines that nicely compliment the spicy food.