The other evening the weather cooled off enough for me to break out the red wine for my husband and I to enjoy with a lil’ bit of chocolate {we usually enjoy white wine in the hot summer months}. As I sipped that first bit of Zinfandel from my glass, a flood of memories came back to me. You see, Michael and I used to work at a wine store back in college where we had the privilege to learn about wine through wine tastings, dinners and other events. It was a lot of fun to figure out the different flavours and descriptors, but mainly it was the memories we were building and how we associate different wines with those moments. That bottle of shared Zinfandel wasn’t just a bottle of wine to us – it was the evening Michael proposed to me, the carriage ride we took on my birthday back in 1997, romantic dinners, cozy evenings in front of the fireplace, decorating our Chirstmas tree, toasts we’ve made around our dinner table, the bottle of wine we bought to celebrate our pregnancy that we couldn’t open until 10 months later, that first taste of wine after Lily was born, and deep talks where we discussed our past and how we imagined our future.
Michael and I have saved every cork from every bottle of wine and champagne that we’ve had since our wedding day. They fill vases around the house and every time I see them, I’m reminded of all the happy moments we’ve had since the day we said our vows to each other. Some corks even have Michael’s handwritten notes on them about the date we drank the wine along with a quick sentiment about that moment in time. They are all cherished and great reminders of our lives together.
To us, our favorite wines aren’t dictated only through their balance, tannins and acidity, but also through the gift of memories they give us – freezing moments in time – and giving us the opportunity to relive cherished moments through each sip. For this, I’m thankful!
