02 Francis Tannahill, Roussanne Passito

I have never wanted a waffle as badly as I want one right now. Big, fluffy, and sweet, scented with vanilla and buttery flour, dusted with powdered sugar, and wrapped in paper towel--the kitchen and kids consumed by the smell of hot, oozing batter. Unfined and unfiltered, this unreleased passito is as unctuous as roussanne gets. The argument here is not whether it tastes exactly like raw honey, but whether it's more like wildflower or tupelo. Even with sugar seeming to crystalize in my throat, though, the squeegee acidity dries and tames this monstrous wine. There are so many things I want to eat right now, from rice pudding with plump golden raisins to a big box of palmier cookies. Huge. ...stuffed inside of a waffle.