I want to like wine. That is, the tax-hiking, government-expanding, latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving, New York Times-reading, Hollywood-loving, left-wing freak show part of me wants to like wine. (Though I'm not ashamed of my stockpile of Spam and the occasional perusal of the National Enquirer). Unfortunately, wine usually just doesn't taste, well, yummy to me (champagne being the big exception).

So it was something of a surprise to find that I liked the Two-Buck Chuck Sauvignon Blanc (which is actually more of a Four-Buck Chuck here in Ohio). Yup, that's the scandalously cheap wine that's been all the rage. It goes down nice, quick, and easy. Not complex or challenging or something to rave about, but pleasant and inoffensive.

Oh, but the adventure doesn't stop there. When my siblings finished off a half-empty bottle of Two-Buck Chuck (Chardonnay, in their case) by mixing it with 7-Up, I was inspired to mix my Sauvignon Blanc with raspberry-flavored seltzer water. The result was bubbly, ever-so-slightly sweet, and light on the alcohol. And yes, I liked it.

So there you have it: I drink cheap wine diluted with store-brand carbonated water. Does this lose Ladygoat her gourmet creds?

Pshaw, as if she ever had any.