Birth Day Wines

Just a quick post today about celebratory wines, which I’ve been drinking plenty of since this past Tuesday night when my wife gave birth to our daughter. And while something bubbly and festive is usually popped to mark a moment like that, I wanted to make sure that we kept the party going throughout our stay in the hospital. (Within reason, of course.)

We started off with a bottle of J. Dumangin Fils Brut Rosé 1er Cru, an amazingly expressive Champagne with berry fruit of astounding ripeness backed up by all kinds of toast. We also enjoyed a bottle of Heitz Bella Oaks 1998, a Bollinger Brut Special Cuvee, and, to toast a sweet life ahead, some beautiful Dow’s 40 Year Old Tawny Port.

Come to think of it, whether you’re celebrating the arrival of a new child, a birthday, the holidays, or absolutely nothing at all, these are wonderful wines to mark the occasion with, and to savor either in their own right or in the context of an occasion worth toasting.

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One of the Greats

The great names of the Napa Valley carry just as much weight to fans of the wines as those from the storied growing regions of Europe. Mondavi, Araujo, Ridge, and the rest cause just as many heart-flutters as Lafite, Latour, and Margaux. On both sides of the Pond, they all set the standard for quality, prestige, and ageability.

Recently, at the monthly meeting of a wine club I’m a member of (more on that in an upcoming post), I had the chance to taste a wine from another of Napa’s legendary producers: Heitz Cellars. In this case, it was the Bella Oaks Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1998, a wine that not only exceeded my expectations, but that also brought to mind, in any number of ways, everything that made the greats of the Valley such stars in the first place.

Even at nearly 11 years old, it still exhibited a fantastically dark color, with just a touch of age showing at the rim. The nose was a deep, mesmerizing well of eucalyptus and sweet tobacco, and the juice itself still maintained an amazing sense of weight and density. That eucalyptus note followed through from the nose and was joined up on the palate by red currant and a hint of spice. After the dramatic initial wave of the finish it tapered off quietly, leaving nothing but the memory of a structured, elegant, aromatically fascinating wine at its peak right now.

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