By Bob Sacks
Is it wrong to enjoy a glass of wine or two with dinner during this period of enforced isolation while the world outside is in turmoil, unlike anything we have ever known?
Does it mean that we minimize the seriousness of this invasion? Are we any less concerned for the welfare of others? I think not.
Right now, small comforts mean a lot. Being housebound makes much of the daytime feel foreign and creates a strong sense of displacement, as our usual routines have been upended. I love my home, but not to spend 24/7 in it; I want to be outside, be productive, and interact with more of my family and friends.
The time of day that feels the most “normal,” if indeed, anything can feel normal at the moment, is dinner time. Then we sit at the table and enjoy a brief escape with food and a glass of wine that contributes in some small way, to a sense of well-being and comfort. That’s good for our state of mind, and by extension, our overall health.
Valentina Passalacqua makes this fun red wine from the Puglia region of Italy. It pairs well with almost any meat or cheese dish and is well priced at under $20.
Apparently, lots of folks feel the same way, as wine and liquor sales are booming. Area wine shops are more than happy to provide contactless curbside pickup or delivery to customers, and even make suggestions for a sampler of reasonably priced, interesting new wines. Yes, one needs to exercise some self-control, since it’s far too easy to overdo the comfort part of the equation and consume more alcohol than we normally do, to escape the stress and anxiety that our understandable response to a world turned upside down has created.
So, what to drink with dinners made with those hard-won groceries collected from wherever we can source them, or takeout meals from our favorite restaurants that are still putting out food for us curbside or delivered? Hmm. Should we be drinking lighthearted “value” wines, until we can share a bottle with others once again, or do we dig deep into our cellars and don’t wait to open a few “special” bottles to celebrate life and count our blessings now? Those are the bottles we were saving for a special occasion, but the uncertainties of life have become much more obvious of late, so why wait? Perhaps a combination of both makes good sense.
That said, many nights I seek out a “bargain” wine, $25 or less, which I can drink a bit of, enjoy, and then preserve with a Coravin, Vacuvin device, or simply recork until tomorrow. If you have saved a clean empty half bottle, you can fill it to the top, and place a cork in it and then drink what you wish from the original bottle; this will keep air from the opened wine and preserve it for a couple of days.
1989 Montrose, a fully mature Bordeaux wine, is a bit of an indulgence, but sometimes we just need a pick-me-up!
This is a great opportunity to be adventurous, experiment, and perhaps discover a new wine or wine region that may become a new favorite. Southern Italy, near Mount Etna produces a vast number of well-made, lesser-known, delicious wines, at very attractive pricing, as does the southwest of France, as well as a number of small, organic producers from California. You might also consider ordering a few bottles of the same grape from different wine growing regions around the world. A Sauvignon Blanc from France’s Loire Valley, one from California, and one from New Zealand will provide the opportunity to taste and compare different expressions of that varietal. Tasted over a couple of nights, you can decide which style appeals to you the most.
Even the same varietal from a few different producers in the same region, such as Barbera D’Alba’s from Italy, will be very interesting and help you refine what you like and don’t like in regards to style. That said, once or twice a week, I take much pleasure from popping a special bottle I’ve been holding for “just the right time.” The distraction and enjoyment it can provide is immeasurable. The other night we thoroughly enjoyed a fully mature 1989 Ch. Montrose, a sublime left bank Bordeaux, with a simple roast chicken. It was transporting and provided a brief escape from the reality of the outside world; there was plenty left over for a second pass the next night. Yum!
Beyond enjoying wine at dinnertime, there are also occasional virtual cocktail hours with family and friends on Zoom or FaceTime. We each sit in our homes and have a show-and-tell of what we have opened and are drinking that night with or before dinner. Why did we choose it? What does it smell and taste like? Of course, it’s more fun when we are all sharing the same bottle side by side, so we can hear everyone else’s point of view in person, but that was then, and this is now. Once we are allowed to be together again, we can resume that much-enjoyed group experience, but for now this is another nice escape from reality!
Instead of drinking the same few wines you always gravitate toward, reach out to your favorite wine shop, tell them what you generally enjoy, and then have them create a small sampler of new and interesting wines for you to try. I’m willing to bet you will make some tasty new discoveries!
Bob Sacks, longtime food and wine buff, looks forward to reviewing restaurants again. Follow him on Instagram @dinnerwithbob.
The article originally appeared in the May 14 – 20, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.
