Our 10 year anniversary was an event worth celebrating!
When it comes to celebrations, pop the cork and count me in! Birthdays, anniversaries, wins, even finding a great deal at a local thrift store! Whatever the occasion, I’m always game for a great celebration. This past week, my husband and I had our own event to celebrate – our 10 year anniversary! Of course I used the opportunity to pop a few corks, shocking I know!
While I was not a true wine geek at the time, it’s symbolic to think my husband proposed to me on a wine trip to Napa Valley. Apparently one of the most stressful days of his life, I had spent the entire day relishing in the beauty of the wineries we visited and enthralled with the amazing wines we tasted. Low and behold my husband had other things on his mind than the Cabs at Kelly Fleming, the Riesling at Smith Madrone or the Zins at Storybook Mountain. Me, on the other hand, could not have been more “in my happy place”.
Pop the cork, or pop the question!
Settled into our hotel on the first night, my husband invited me to watch the sunset from the pool patio when all along he intended to pop the BIG question. After making him repeat it again, I said YES! Duh, we wouldn’t be talking about 10 year anniversaries if I hadn’t! Amazingly enough, through all the excitement of our engagement, I had the foresight to pick a few special bottles and hide them away for our 10 year celebration. Must have been one of my rare moments of lucidity!
This past week, we celebrated our official 10 year anniversary while on a fun golf trip in Sedona. Wines in tow, I could not wait to pop the cork and see just how magical they tasted after 10 long years of careful aging. Wowza they did not disappoint! Why the heck didn’t I buy a case of each I ask?! I digress, my apologies. And, I now have you wondering what on earth you’re going to get out of this story. Well here you go!
Aging. Laying Down. Cellaring. What does this mean to you and why should you care? First and foremost, not all wines are meant to age. Nerdy tip of the day – if it comes in a clear bottle, pop the cork and DRINK IT NOW! Most wines you’ll find at the local wine shop or grocery store are truly meant to drink within the first year of bottling. As impatient Americans, we’re totally cool with this concept! Most of the time anyway. Some wines, however, are meant to age. They may be amazing today, but patience my friend, patience.
The two wines I saved specifically for our 10th anniversary were designed to mature, gain complexity, soften in the tannins and enhance all of the magic tricks the winemaker used from harvest to bottling. Yes, this happens. And yes, it’s awesome! Kelly Fleming’s Big Pour was round, smooth, velvety and rich while still having bold fruit flavors and showy tannins. Yum, yum, yum. Fischer Vineyard’s Wedding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon shined with fresh acidity and dark fruits. Soft, velvet tannins held my interest long after my sip was over. These two put the WOW in Wine of the Week!
Celebrations happened in my mouth with each and every taste of each wine. When someone tells you some things just get better than age, I can assure you they may be right!! Test your own patience and put a few nice bottles in a cool dark place and set your timer for 5 to 10 years from today. Pop the cork for any celebration or simply for Tuesday night’s dinner and enjoy!
Cheers,
