Birthday wine

While wine typically is discussed in terms of pairing different varietals with different foods, I often pair a particular wine with a memory or a situation. 

Sometime last year (I think), a friend mentioned that for her 50th birthday she would like a great bottle of chianti. Just as her birthday was approaching, I received an email from a wine shop I frequent, advertising a chianti which had just arrived. I went right to the shop and asked for two bottles (one for my friend and one for me). The wine guy was excited that I was choosing that wine, saying how much he liked it. The email had gone out that morning, and by the time I got there several hours later, they had sold close to half of their supply. 

I opened my bottle that night and it really was good. I haven't had too many Italian wines so far, and the ones I have tried I haven't loved, so I was skeptical about this one. But it was a very nice, unassuming, not overly obnoxious wine. It was just the right balance of dry and fruity and was lovely all on its own.

I felt good about giving this wine as a gift. Today, that friend came to my house (about an hour and a half drive for her, each way), and made ME lunch ("pasta rustico" which was whole wheat linguini tossed with sautéed spinach, basil, garlic, and butter, and topped with parmesan cheese). We enjoyed the chianti, some crusty bread, and later on, two flavors of Haagen-daas gelato (lemon and salted caramel). The food was outstanding, but more than that, I now have a new memory pairing a lovely wine with a terrific afternoon and a great friend. 

This wine is a bargain at $12.99 a bottle!

The finishing touches for our lunch.