The third annual wine to drink when you're waiting for an ice storm post

Because that truly is what we do in Dallas every year around this time

Yes, that's what we're told Dallas could look like.

Feb. 3 update: I wasn’t one of the 10,000 or so homes in Dallas County that lost power on Thursday. So chalk up a small victory.

We'll skip the whining about Gov. Greg "Power outages, what power outages?"Abbott, the state agency that pretends to regulate electricity, and the pretend agency that oversees most of the state's power grid. It hasn’t done any good, has it?

Just know that I am writing this on Wednesday morning, and fully expect to lose power later today. That's what we do in Dallas every year about this time, don't we, when the annual ice storm hits? Both the blog's unofficial weather forecaster and the woman in my neighborhood who keeps the email list have said so. And, some 140,000 homes in Austin are without power, and that's the storm headed our way.

As such, three wines to drink while you're waiting for the power to go out (and if anyone has any pointers about how to convince Churro, the blog's associate editor, that going outside in the cold and ice is OK, please let me know).

• Casal Garcia Vinho Verde Branco NV ($7, purchased, 9.5%): Don't know why, but this version of a very traditional Portuguese vinho is two or three steps up from the last time I tasted it. It has more structure and balance, the sweetness is more in the back, there is better quality fizz, and the lemon-lime fruit is top-notch. Highly recommended. Imported by Avelada

• Lenz Moser Grüner Veltliner 2020 ($8/1 liter, purchased, 11.5%): Is this a classic, sommelier-driven gruner? Nope. It's simple and almost vinho verde-like, with a hint of fizz and sweetness, as well as some citrus fruit. Or, as the label says, "pleasant and uncomplicated." And did I mention that it's $8 for a liter? Imported by Marussia Beverages

• La Vieille Ferme Rouge 2021 ($7, purchased, 13%): The new vintage of the red from one my favorite cheap wine brands isn't as welcoming as it has been. It's much more rustic and uneven, with just a hint of dark fruit. Having said that, it may need more time in the bottle -- and it will still be what I want tonight if I have to eat dinner in the dark. Imported by Vineyard Brands

Photo: Christmas Ice Storm 2013 in Michigan" by LadyDragonflyCC - >;< is licensed under CC BY 2.0".

More wine for bad weather:
• Wine to drink when you’re waiting for an ice storm
• Wine to drink during rolling power blackouts
• Wine to drink when the power goes out, 2014 edition