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In 2002, Dan saw a review of “Love by the Glass,” the memoirs of former Wall Street Journal wine columnists John Brecher and Dorothy J. Gaiter. The review talked about how they met at a newspaper – like us – and fell in love with wine as they fell in love with each other – like us.
Figuring it was a perfect Valentine’s Day gift, Dan bought it for Krista.
Flash-forward two years to early 2004, when The Journal Gazette was looking for new features to include in its Living section. We suggested a wine column; the editors were unsure until we explained that we didn’t want to write a column for people who already know about wine. We wanted to write one for people who were trying to fall in love with wine but didn’t know how.
What we really wanted to write, of course, was “Love by the Glass,” and in the nearly six years since, our highest compliments have always been from people who tell us they love Uncorked because it’s not really about wine at all, just like the book.
The perfect example, we think, of what John and Dottie taught us through their books and their weekly “Tastings” column is laid out in Open That Bottle Night, an unofficial holiday they started that always falls on the fourth Saturday of February. This year, that is Feb. 27.
Open That Bottle Night is an excuse – an excuse to open that bottle of wine you’ve been saving for a special occasion that never seems to come. Yes, some wine does improve with age, but every wine has a lifetime, and too often we wait and wait for that special moment, and in the meantime that special wine becomes a special vinegar.
Life is fleeting. So fleeting, in fact, that even John and Dottie’s column has disappeared – the victim of newspaper economic woes. Their last column, their 579th in 12 years, appeared Dec. 26 (read it at online.wsj.com/article/tastings.html). They closed with the same philosophy we have always tried to bring to Uncorked: “It’s not about delicious wines. It’s about delicious experiences. May your life be filled with them.”
Several years ago, we began to encourage our readers to celebrate Open That Bottle Night, and afterward many of you shared your OTBN experiences – amazing stories of friendship, love, great food, great times and, yes, great wines, too.
This year, although it will be bittersweet, we will do the same. We are planning to spend the evening with some good friends and enjoy some wine we’ve had stashed for a while specifically to share with them. We’re sure the wine will be good, but it might not. What we know will be good, though, is the conversation, the laughter and watching our children play together.
We love Open That Bottle Night because it reminds us to savor these moments. A few months from now, we may not remember the wine’s bouquet or finish, but we will remember how much fun we had.
We hope you have the same experience. And when you do, whether it’s Feb. 27 or another day, we want to hear from you. In March, we’ll write a column telling our readers how we and other wine lovers out there celebrated.
So grab that special bottle you’ve been saving and get ready to open it. If you don’t have a special bottle hidden away, buy one – there are plenty of good wine stores around that can help you pick out something you’ll love.
Of course, the most important part is not the wine, but who you’re sharing it with. Wine, after all – just like John and Dottie pointed out – is about experiences.
Cheers!
