The Drink Diary of Wine. All the Time’s Marissa A. Ross, or How to Drink Wine All the Time

Welcome to "Drink Diary," wherein we ask someone we love to keep a record of their drinking habits for a week. In this installment, Wine. All the Time's Marissa A. Ross shows us what it looks like to really drink wine all the time.

marissa ross drink diary punch

MONDAY: "I'm notoriously hard on California chards, but Donkey & Goat's is a truly invigorating styling that makes me question associating chardonnay with pounds of butter."

marissa ross drink diary lo fi cab franc scribe rose

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY: "I'm so over rosé and its viral hype this summer, but Scribe's is one of the best." (Left) "This wine is so light and poppy but with a real depth to it. It reminds me of a great day-to-night outfit, except I did not get to night with this because I drank it all myself and I am totally fine with that." (Right)

marissa ross drink diary punch

THURSDAY & FRIDAY: "Oh, Silverlake Wine tastings. How I love you. Possibly too much..."

MARISSA ROSS DRINK DIARY

Ross and her sister with some Broc Cellars sparkling cabernet franc.

marissa ross drink diary sour beer broc cab franc

SATURDAY & SUNDAY: "I don't know shit about beer, but I am versed in sour beer. And The Rare Barrel is the absolute best of the best." (Left) "At home, we celebrated being active and not just smoking weed and watching America's Book of Secrets on Netflix with Broc Cellars' sparkling cab franc." (Right)

marissa ross drink diary punch

SUNDAY: "On Sunday we had to go by my favorite childhood spot, The Reel Inn. We feasted on fried fresh seafood and pitchers of Longboard."

As the founder of blog Wine. All the Time and the web series Wine Time—not to mention a regular contributor to Vice Munchies and Wine Enthusiast—Marissa A. Ross brings an approachable brand of humor to the wine game. While the self-described leisure enthusiast, writer, comedian and wine drinker usually chronicles the bottles she’s trying on her blog and Instagram, we got her to record all of her drinking activities for PUNCH in this week’s installment of “Drink Diary.”

MONDAY
I finally visited my fiancé Ben’s office. I’d never been to the office, so I have always teased him about how he’s not really an art director downtown, but actually a drug dealer on Skid Row. I’m pleased to announce Ben is actually an art director, his office is lovely and Barrel Down on 7th is an awesome spot for lunch. Their fried chicken sandwiches are perfect with Donkey & Goat Chardonnay. I’m notoriously hard on California chards, but Donkey & Goat’s is a truly invigorating styling that makes me question associating chardonnay with pounds of butter.

TUESDAY
There is nothing I love more than a quiet dinner (except for maybe a loud dinner) at home. On this night, I paired a light but robust and spicy Mexican salad with Scribe’s Pinot Noir Rosé. I’m so over rosé and its viral hype this summer, but Scribe’s is one of the best, and does exceptionally well with heavy pepper spices. I actually drank this wine the next day during a spat with writer’s block, and it was even better.

WEDNESDAY
I go to Silverlake Wine for tastings nearly every week and never look at who is hosting, which I probably should have because I probably wouldn’t have opened this Lo-Fi knowing they were hosting on Thursday. But then again, this cab franc is amazing, so there is a good chance I also would have said, “Fuck it.”

This wine is so light and poppy but with a real depth to it. It reminds me of a great day-to-night outfit, except I did not get to night with this because I drank it all myself and I am totally fine with that.

THURSDAY
Oh, Silverlake Wine tastings. How I love you. Possibly too much. When the staff teases you about whether or not you’re going to be able to enunciate words by the end of the evening, you are definitely riding the line of too much. Luckily, I don’t give a shit about enunciating. And the staff is always offering me to get down on something delicious, and sometimes it’s the beautiful J. Mourat.

Everyone gives me shit for being the Norm (re: Cheers) but the truth is, everyone likes Norm. And I like being Norm. 

I was thrilled to find out that Mike from Lo-Fi and Jeff from Habit would be hosting. I enjoyed their flights to nearly non-enunciating levels, but had to keep my shit together and order Guerilla tacos for my fam.

FRIDAY
Another quiet dinner at home with Ben and my good friend Megan. We started with one of my absolute favorites, [Olivier Lemasson’s] R-13, and I paired Donkey & Goat’s Blakeman Merlot with Ben’s homemade meatballs and panzanella. It was heaven, hence me totally forgetting to take a photo in the moment. Whatever, the light is best on Saturday mornings, anyway.

SATURDAY
My sister came to town, so I had to open a bottle of The Rare Barrel’s Home, Sour Home. I don’t know shit about beer, but I am versed in sour beer. And The Rare Barrel is the absolute best of the best. They don’t distribute at all, so every bottle ($20 a pop, limit to eight per person) you bring home from their Berkeley tasting room is made for an occasion.

SUNDAY
Sunday the fam went for a hike, and after we had to go by my favorite childhood spot, The Reel Inn. We feasted on fried fresh seafood and pitchers of Longboard. At home, we celebrated being active and not just smoking weed and watching America’s Book of Secrets on Netflix with Broc Cellars’ Sparkling Cabernet Franc, followed by Amplify’s Carignane chilled on the porch.

MORE “DRINK DIARY”: 

The Drink Diary of Bon Appétit’s Alison Roman, or An Accidental Rumspringa