When I Opened a Bottle of ...

When is the perfect time to open that special bottle of wine? That was a topic of conversation recently with friends as we dined and wined - one of our favorite past time. In fact, we were enjoying a special bottle - courtesy of the friends - as we talked about the very topic.

As wine enthusiasts, we all have few of these special bottles sleeping in our cellar. It might be a bottle of 1982 Château Mouton Rothschild, a 1971 birth year vintage red from California, a bottle of the wine served at your wedding, or a bottle of wine with special memory. Or it just might be bottles from your favorite winery that you are keeping for special occasions. We buy these bottles with excitement, anticipation and high expectation; yet we find reasons to force ourselves to defer the ultimate enjoyment of actually tasting the wine and let them sleep in our cellar until that perfect moment that we hope can live up to the high expectation. The truth is, the more we wait, the harder it becomes to open these bottles, because they become too special to be opened.  We allow the wine to play the leading role and find ourselves trying to create the perfect setting to match the wine.

As I look back, some of my most memorable special wine moments were memorable because of the people and the story that we shared while drinking the wine. Its not so much about the wine that I remembered, but the stories shared and friendships made because of the wine; and because of the stories and friends, I also remember the wine. The special wine became memorable because it stepped aside from its leading role and stepped back into a supporting role; but paradoxically it ended up being the shining star.

Just the other day, I opened and drank a bottle of 2000 Niebaum-Coppola Estate Cabernet Franc with friends. It was an ordinary weekend evening, nothing special about it, except that we were enjoying the evening shooting the breeze. We were very much delighted with the wine and will always remember that evening. I'll remember the wine not because it was a special wine; not because it was the right moment; but because we can now share stories about the evening with friends.

Few years ago, I was visiting Tokyo to see Wife M (before she became Wife M). We were dating long distance - Tokyo/NY - and it was my turn to travel. We had dinner at a French restaurant at the top floor of a skyscrapers near by Tokyo Station. Our table had a stunning view of the Imperial Palace. Obviously, it was a special evening and I remember it well, although the food was forgettable. I also remember the evening quite well because we opened and drank a bottle from my favorite winery that I had brought with me from NY - a bottle of 2005 White Rock Claret. We still talk about that evening, how we had the restaurant to ourselves at the end of the meal and how we had a pleasant conversation with the restaurant's sommelier about the wine - even past their closing time.

Its not about the right moment. With wine - whether special or not - it is always the right moment as long as you have someone to share it with. It could be on an ordinary weekend with friends or could be with someone special with an added bonus of a sommelier. Wine is meant to be drunk. So what's holding us from opening those special bottles? Nothing - go out and drink up.

Back to the wine at a family friend's home. It was a wonderful Napa Valley Cab. Full bodied but needed some time to breath. But after it had some time to inhale, it really opened up. Loved the wine. But I will always remember the moment, because of the stories and friendship that the wine brought; but would not have remembered if we were there because of the wine. Thank you A&H!!

"To Cork or Not To Cork" by George M. Taber

I admit. I'm biased toward natural cork. There is mystique associated with the ritual of cutting the foil wrap, inserting the cork screw, and pulling the cork out; the ritual is filled with anticipation and excitement of discovering how the wine inside the bottle has aged to its fullest potential. Its really the way to enjoy the art of wine. With the mystique and anticipation also comes with disappointments. Yet, that is all part of the art of wine experience. It does not matter whether the ritual is held at Per Se, at Applebee's, at home, or outside patio on a midnight summer. The ritual is not complete without natural cork; or said differently, there is no mystique in opening a bottle of wine like you would a bottle of Coke.

This was before I read "To Cork or Not To Cork" by George Taber.

It was few years ago that I read another Taber's books: "Judgement of Paris". I'm a Taber fan now, having read two of his books. I'm impressed with how Taber can write books on wine with passion and excitement yet without a hint of arrogance that the very topic brings to the masses.

Taber brought the debate of cork or non-cork to a whole new level. He's void of any bias or preconceived notion one way or the other on this debate. He covered different types of stoppers - from natural cork, composite cork, synthetic cork, glass stopper, screw tops, and other types - with as much science that one can bring to the art of wine experience.

It was an eyeopener for me to see how wide-spread the issue of "corked" wine is in the industry. It was educational to read what we know about "corked" wine and what we don't know. Now with more knowledge of the science of wine experience, you appreciate more the art of wine experience. The debate will go on for at least another generation or two. We will not likely to see any clear winner in this debate.

Based on what we know today, I'm a bit more knowledgeable about the science of wine experience to better appreciate that to enjoy the art of wine experience, we sometime have to do away with rituals and traditions and challenge something new; because there is always new discoveries that can awe us.

Judgment of Paris by George M. Taber

I will admit that I have a bias towards wine from California, Oregon, and other U.S. states. Perhaps its out of my sense of patriotism towards things Made in U.S.A.. Or maybe because I learned to enjoy wine with California wine. My first wine experience was with a bottle of Chardonnay from Sonoma. I recall visiting Robert Mondavi winery to learn how wine is made. And it helps that its easier to understand California wine and that California produces some of the best wine in the world.

California wine has long history, long as the history of California. However, it was not always considered top-class as it is now. As I was learning about California wine, I had heard vaguely about a “competition” in Paris in the 1970’s where a bottle of California wine received the top prize. “Judgment of Paris” covers the event itself, the stories behind the tasting, and how the tasting perhaps changed the world of wine. The book was written by George Taber, the only person from the media that covered the tasting.

The tasting took place on May 24, 1976 in Paris. It was not highly publicized leading up to the tasting. It was organized by a wine shop in Paris to show case some of the up and coming California wine. But the panel of judges was prominent figures in the wine industry in France. The result was surprising – where California wine took first place in both Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon categories.

The book was written objectively. The author did not take any sides, but rather “reporting” the events leading up to the tasting, how the tasting was conducted, and how it was felt in the wine world. The first half of the book brought to life the stories behind the wine that took first place. These were the stories of winemakers, producers, winery owners that helped make the winning wine at the tasting. The book also covered how New World wine began to be competitive with wine from France and other Old World wine producing countries; perhaps thanks in part due to the tasting. I enjoyed reading the book and learned to appreciate California wine more.

Chardonnay
Chateau Montelena 1973

Cabernet Sauvignon
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973