If you have done this wine thing for long enough you end up tasting some great bottles, whether at a Release Party or with your favorite tasting group. Over time though the bottles that really resonate and leave an indelible memory are those that you associate with a particular event.
I’ll never forget the 1992 Leonetti Merlot that my soon to be wife and I shared on the eve of the millennium. One of the best Merlots ever produced in Washington. Nor will I forget the 1997 Brown Zinfandel we served to the guests at our rehearsal dinner. A great Zin I that have bought every year since.
The list goes on but the point is all wine lovers remember where they were at, and what they were doing, when they opened a certain bottle. Sometimes it is the bottle that makes the event special but more often than not, for me, it is the event that makes the bottle special.
All of this brings us to the NFC Championship this past Sunday. I was coming off a head cold and probably should have limited my alcohol consumption to some sort of cold medicine like NyQuil. That being the case I wanted to open a great bottle but not necessarily one that I would feel bad about not paying much attention to. The 2013 Bedrock Old Vine Zinfandel at $20 or so totally fit the bill.
For about 3 hours the wine showed considerably better than the Seahawks. If you are curious, I previously published a Bottle Note. I never allowed myself to celebrate during the game because the outcome never looked favorable even as the last few minutes unfolded. When Russell Wilson hit Jermaine Kearse with game winning touchdown the city literally exploded. Cheers erupted from the restaurants down the street and the houses nearby. Fireworks went off in the neighborhood. Yours truly though was so emotionally drained that all I could do was finally sit back in my chair and savor the last few sips of a bottle that I will never forget.
I’d enjoy hearing about a bottle, great or otherwise, that has left a lasting impression with you.
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