I’m fortunate that my younger brother, his wife and their new son, live four blocks away. When he called and invited me over for dinner, I said “yes” because A.) I didn’t have to cook and B.) I could get some cuddle time with my nephew. Then, he told me he made slow roasted pork shoulder, braised broccoli with garlic and sautéed mixed potatoes. Score! I grabbed a couple bottles and ran right over.

When we sat down to eat, you could tell my 8-month-old nephew is one of us. He ogled our food, and sat in dismay as he played with this sad rice cracker that looked like baby raw-hide. Sorry, buddy, soon enough you’ll be enjoying the high life and eating real food. I poured three glasses and we dove in. Mmmm, yeah. The pork fell apart as I tried to gather hunks on my fork. Then, I took a sip of the wine to wash it down. EUREKA! It was awesome.

I picked up this beauty at Costco, and it is called “60/40”. It’s an oak-aged wine that is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. It is luscious, well-rounded and finishes strong. We were all impressed at how well it tasted with the pulled pork (that is, with the exception of my semi-toothed nephew). I noticed how the original wine-maker was from the Piedmont region of Italy who immigrated to Chile. Ah yes, Italy. I know I’m biased but c’mon, Italy is one of the most beautiful places in the world with some of the most spectacular wines, and Chile is no slouch in the wine department, either.

We converse about life, food, and philosophy as we continue to enjoy the meal, bite by bite and the wine, sip by sip. Though my brother and sister-in-law aren’t huge [wine] drinkers, they are enjoying this libation with ease. The wine has a deep ruby hue with the usual red fruit flavor, slightly dry but with round tannins, meaning it wasn’t too bitter or sharp. It finished long enough to complement the food and leave you wanting more. You’d swear this wine was worth two to three times more than what I paid. Costco rotates their wines so often you’d think an 8-year-old with a leash and a helmet was the sommelier. Therefore, I plan to go back and buy a few more before this one becomes a thing of the past. I strongly suggest you do the same. Run, don’t walk.

Someday when my nephew is of age, I hope to be enjoying some fall-apart braised pork shoulder and a red wine like this – a moment to be shared between an aunt and a nephew where the tables are turned; he has all his teeth and no load in his pants.