We save wines sometimes for special occasions. Sometimes we save them too long.
Remember poor Miles Raymond in “Sideways,” for example, opening the 1961 Château Cheval Blanc he’d been saving for the right moment – only to drink it in lonely frustration from a styrofoam cup in a roadside hamburger stand. Heartbreaking. And not just because of the styrofoam.
Don’t be like Miles. At least that’s what I was thinking on a Tuesday night, searching the rack for a Tuesday-night wine. The only one near ready to drink was a Stags’ Leap Winery 2021 “The Leap Cabernet,’’ a wine I’d been saving for a special occasion. But “Sideways” is a cautionary tale, friends. That every moment – even a Tuesday-night moment – is special.
So I opened this special-occasion wine – which was almost scientifically designed to be served with a heavily vetted group of celebrants over wagyu, whipped butter and thyme – poured it into a (real) glass and drank it with … rigatoni and red sauce.
And what a night it was! The Cab’s delicate flavors of pepper, mocha and red currant turned my Tuesday-night dinner at home into a special occasion. A midweek moment.
Yes, you probably guessed “Sideways” was on the TV that night. (Am I that predictable?) When in doubt your moment is special enough, I say, don’t wait. Take The Leap.
Stags’ Leap Winery 2021 “The Leap” Cabernet Sauvignon; SRP $120; stagsleap.com
Tuesday on into Wednesday
Not that I’m in the habit of opening formidable wines on just any old weekday night, but Beaulieu Vineyard’s 2021 Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a fine Wednesday-night follow to “The Leap.’’ Or a Thursday, Friday – or any day that ends with “day.” Sure, you could wait to turn these red- and blackberry fruits – with hints of licorice – loose on some special occasion. Father’s Day, with gouda cheeseburgers on the grill, pops to mind. But Father’s Day is so far off now. Show Dad you care every day.
Beaulieu Vineyard’s 2021 Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon; SRP $85; bvwines.com
