WINE & MUSIC: THE SUNDAYS AND DOMAINE DE NIZAS

Back when my first marriage was in “disintegration” mode, I had discovered a band that for me at the time, was something really out of the norm. I was a rock singer – or more to the point – a heavy metal singer, and listening to something that was to be dubbed “dream pop” was virtually unheard-of. The band was a British quartet called The Sundays, fronted by the most wonderfully-sublime singer I had ever heard, named Harriet Wheeler. The Sundays were an innocent breath of fresh air, and my first introduction to them was their sophomore release entitled “Blind.” On the CD was the most incredible Rolling Stones cover I had ever heard – “Wild Horses.”

Every time I played the CD, I was transported to a place I needed to visit, a calm island of nowhere without any stress, pain or disappointment. I found more creative energy listening to The Sundays than I ever did listening to stuff like Megadeth and Anthrax (no offense to those guys because I am still huge fans of theirs too).

The only thing that disappointed me with The Sundays was the long span between CDs. “Blind” was released in 1992 and their next disc, “Static and Silence,” didn’t come out until 1997. And since that time, they have been on hiatus, singer Wheeler and her guitarist-husband David Gavurin are spending the time raising their two children (which I can’t fault them for at all). But their sound is something I have truly missed. Check out their cover of “Wild Horses”:

Something else that has always comforted me, though for different reasons is wine, and one of my favorite comfort wines is the Domaine de Nizas Coteaux du Languedoc. A big robust red blend of Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache, this has become one of the staples of the French section here at Liquor Direct, but also one of the staples of my home consumption and all the Autumn and Winter cooking I do. Especially when the weather starts cooling down, I love making a braised lamb or some slow-cooked beef stew with roasted root vegetables, and sit down with the Mrs. to a couple glasses of the Nizas Rouge and some simple home cooking.

The Sundays and Domaine de Nizas: wine and music meant to stir the heart and warm it too.