Bloodlines and Bullets

twenty-one

We enter the cellar, it has been transformed into a cozy, festive space. Candles flicker on the old wooden tables, and bottles of wine are lined up, waiting for us. Two more of her friends, Nico and Valentina, are already there, each holding a glass of red wine.

Nico is tall and broad-shouldered, with a scruffy beard that gives him a rugged look. He wears a casual navy shirt and jeans, his dark eyes twinkling with amusement. Valentina, in contrast, is dressed in a fitted, deep red dress that accentuates her curves. Her light brown curls fall in loose waves around her and stop just under her ears. Her bright eyes sparkle with mischief, creating a striking contrast with the rustic surroundings.

"Welcome to the wine tasting," Nico says, raising his glass in a mock toast.

Valentina smiles, stepping forward with a bottle in hand. "But this isn't your ordinary wine tasting. You're all going to be guessing the type of wine and where it's from. The catch? You've already had a few drinks, and things are only going to get harder."

"This is going to be interesting," Sofia says, clearly up for the challenge.

We all gather around the table as Valentina pours the first glass of wine. She hands it to Sofia first, then passes glasses to the rest of us.

"Alright, everyone," Valentina says, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Take a sip, savour it, and then tell me what you think it is."

I raise the glass to my lips, the rich aroma of the wine filling my senses. I take a small sip, letting the flavour linger on my tongue. It's bold, with hints of berries and something earthy that I can't quite place.

"Well, it's definitely red," Livia says, setting her glass down with a proud expression.

"Good observation," I tease, nudging her with my elbow. "What gave it away?"

She grins and leans in conspiratorially. "It's my expert palate detecting the subtleties of 'red wine.'"

Everyone bursts into laughter. "Well, if it's not red, I'm worried about our vision," Marco chimes in, swirling his glass.

Just as we're all enjoying the banter, George takes a thoughtful sip, then sets his glass down with an air of serious contemplation. "I'm going with a 2016 Syrah from the Barossa Valley."

Livia and I exchange wide-eyed glances, our laughter bursting out uncontrollably. Sofia and Marco join in, laughing and shaking their heads.

Elena, who's been cringing at every sip, finally breaks into a smile. "I didn't know you had a secret career as a sommelier, George."

He just shrugs, a bemused smile on his face. "What can I say? I've done a bit of drinking."

"George, we're going to have to start calling you 'The Wine Whisperer,'" Livia teases.

"Oh, absolutely," I add, catching my breath. "Or maybe 'The Grape Guru.'"

Elena snickers. "And I'm going to start calling the next wine 'The Mysterious Merlot of Marginal Margins.'"

Sofia chuckles, shaking her head. "Or how about 'The Berry Bomber of Bordeaux?'"

"Nice!" Marco agrees, laughing. "Let's go with 'The Fantastic Fruit Fusion of France.'"

As the laughter settles, we all take another sip of the wine, trying to recover from the hilarity. Nico pulls out the next wine, pouring it into our glasses with an exaggerated flourish.

"Alright, everyone," he says with a grin. "Time to guess again. This one's a bit trickier."

I take another sip, trying to focus on the flavours. "I'm leaning towards something fruity but with a kick. Maybe a 'Plum Punch Pomerol'?"