Wine in Celebration & Remembrance
Throughout history and around the world, wine (and other beverages) has held a place as an integral part of celebrations and ceremonies. The apocryphal story of the ‘only miracle Mary ever asked of her son Jesus was to turn water into wine’ is one example of wine’s importance in society, but the acts of ceremony associated with a range of beverages from tea to Champagne are absolutely engrained in every culture’s customs and traditions. On my trips to China, the act of the toast and the ‘cheers’ (Ganbei) is extremely important and special, showing respect and friendship. The simple act of offering tea to a guest can seem so mundane, but it is a special kindness that is not lost on a visitor. The integral place that Champagne now holds as celebrating rites of passage and the turning over of the year is really just the icing on the cake.
In my life, wine has been a part of many celebrations and one very special remembrance. The wines that have been a part of these events remain among the most important in my memory and when I look at the empty bottles or enjoy a new vintage of these wines, I am transported into an entire ‘metaverse’ in which I can see, feel, hear, and taste everything from that original moment. I am writing this post today as I think about my father who passed away exactly two years ago. I remember him coming to Kansas City for a performance I had given, after which we enjoyed dinner at Lidia’s. Mary brought a bottle of 2004 Domenico Clerico Barolo ‘Percristina’ to open and share to celebrate the concert and just the general gathering. ‘Percristina’ has long been a special wine to us, and its own creation story is built on remembrance. Domenico Clerico’s daughter passed away tragically and he created this wine in 1995 as a tribute to her life, only releasing it in the very best vintages. On our first trip to Piemonte, Mary and I were walking through a cemetery and happened across the Clerico family’s mausoleum and saw the resting place of Cristina. It was quite moving. Following my father’s funeral, we opened a bottle of the 1996 ‘Percristina’ to share with family as we toasted and remembered his life. The experience was made amusing in that I did not have my ‘Durand’ corkscrew, and this old cork basically disintegrated on opening, requiring decanting through a coffee filter into a large Pyrex measuring cup! The wine was gorgeous and was, for me, a celebratory remembrance that I will always remember and can revisit with every future tasting of this wine.
Since our first encounter with the ‘Percristina’ Barolo, it has been on the very small list of wines that I perpetually seek out. I have enjoyed a tasting every vintage of this wine, and still have multiple bottles in my cellar, including one bottle of the inaugural 1995 vintage, and a bottle of the legendary 2000 vintage which was the first 100 point wine Mary and I ever tried and actually introduced us to Barolo.
Whatever wine you celebrate with becomes special. It doesn’t have to be fancy. It doesn’t have to be expensive. The occasion makes the wine—not the other way around. Grab a bottle, pour a cup, and raise your glass to someone or something. Share it with friends, and don’t miss a chance to celebrate. Living is as a good a reason as any!
Cheers to you, Dad!
A few of the other wines of celebration that hold special places for me include:
Quintessa 2003: Our wedding wine.
Quintessa 2004: Enjoyed at the winery the day after our engagement.
Antinori, Badia a Passignano 1999: The wine we enjoyed during the dinner when we got engaged.
Antinori, Badia a Passignano 1991 (from 3L Double Magnum): Enjoyed after the final round of the American Pianists Association Competition in Indianapolis - which I didn’t win!