A Birthday Wine Capsule
Once upon a time, a food and wine photographer turned 27. The times did not call for birthday parties or dinners out with friends, which is how she would normally mark the occasion. As a celebration enthusiast, she was determined to still find a way to make her birthday special. As she was getting ready for bed on her birthday eve, the idea struck her. She should create a wine capsule...
A wine capsule is a great gift to yourself or others in these uncertain times. Its premise is to procure wines now and then set them aside to drink on upcoming special occasions. If you haven’t gathered this yet, the girl from the story is me. I turned 27 at the end of March, and since that time I have been researching wines, connecting with wineries, and eventually picking bottles to go in my capsule. After a few weeks evaluating, I’ve selected five wines that I will drink on or around my next five birthdays.
When I started this project, I wasn’t sure how many wines I would choose, or why I would choose them. Over the last few weeks I researched and reminisced, and decided to build my capsule with 3 select wines from my own personal collection, and 2 wines that I ordered just for the occasion. I tried to select a diverse group of wines showcasing some of my most-loved varietals from a few of my favorite wineries (emphasis on just a few… this is by no means an exhaustive list of wineries or wines). Ultimately, I went for wines that either had meaning to me, or that I was excited to try based on some really great deals out there, or from wineries that responded to my questions about aging when I reached out. Each bottle in the capsule was paid for by me (I decided that gifted wines were not eligible). With that, I introduce to you, my birthday wine capsule:
Cakebread 2016 Annahala Ranch Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley ($56) - When I had my first sip of this wine at the Cakebread Tasting room in June 2019, I remember being stunned by its complexity. Their website describes it as having “spice,” but to me the first sip had hints of smokiness that I had never tasted before in a Pinot Noir. It was a little dark, and super interesting. I knew my mom would love it. I bought a bottle for my mom and I to share in Maine last summer, and as expected, it was a hit! When she and I returned to Napa in February, I knew we wouldn't leave without bringing home a few more bottles. This time we took home the 2016 vintage (vs. the 2015 pictured above from my first trip). Truth be told, I remember less of the distinct differences between the years, and more about the feeling of togetherness with my mom that I’ve had while drinking it. My mom and I actually have birthdays just one day apart, and we usually spend them together. This year we had to be apart, which was awful. Thus, it feels fitting to have the first wine in my capsule dedicated to my mother. I hope to share this bottle with her in person next year.
Port Townsend Vineyards 2018 Reserve Chardonnay (Out of Stock) - I used to be someone who ran the other way from Chardonnay, but now I find myself reaching for it, especially when it’s apparent that the winemaker is hitting its intended notes with, as we soccer players like to say, both “power and finesse.” I remember my first sips of the Port Townsend Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay when we visited last Christmas: pear and peach and lingering happiness. The winery had just a few bottles left, and I was determined to take one home with me. I wasn’t sure when I would drink it - but I knew I would remember the night I bought it. As I was building my capsule, I grew more and more accustomed to the idea of pulling bottles from my existing collection and picking their future drink date. When I reached out to Port Townsend vineyards for an aging recommendation, they suggested holding onto it for 1-2 more years. That feedback cemented it! I would earmark this for my 29th birthday… and I am already thinking about the creamy, extravagant camembert I will pair with it.
Pine Ridge 2014 Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon ($140) - Before I go further, let me address any sticker shock you might be experiencing. I too experienced that the first time I looked at this bottle of wine, deep in a cave in Napa Valley. My girlfriends and I were tasting our way through Napa’s different districts at Pine Ridge Vineyards, which specializes in district-specific Cabernet Sauvignons. As we proceeded through our tasting and as the wines’ flavors were building into a grand crescendo, so were their prices. I could taste it though, the artistry, the attention to detail. I loved every wine for the different story it was telling, specific to its terroir. The first time I visited Pine Ridge (June 2019), I left empty-handed. But I didn’t leave my memories, which called me back to their winery in February of this year for a repeat visit. I had never had Cabernet Sauvignon so smooth and refined, and I yearned for more. That’s what I look for when I consider joining a wine club. It’s something unique that I can’t find elsewhere. The range and refinement in Cabernet Sauvignon at Pine Ridge was a treasure I wasn’t hunting, but one I couldn’t help but recognize when I tasted it. In February I signed up for their wine club, procured a few bottles of the 2014 Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon at a discounted price thanks to that membership ($112), and carried them home to Seattle. The only question was - what kind of occasion would warrant opening such a prize? Well, three years from now will be my 30th birthday, and I think that is a perfect occasion for me to pull this beauty from my cellar, and savor the end of one decade, the beginning of another, and a beautiful wine to match.
Gard Vintners 2016 Vaucluse ($40) - There are two things in life that begin with “S” that I can hardly resist: Syrah and Sales. If something is on sale, you can pretty much guarantee I’m going to consider buying it, and if it has syrah in it you can pass me a glass. This wine comes from Gard Vintners Survival Kit, which offers 6 of my favorite varietals + free shipping + a 20% discount all at once. I hadn’t tried Gard Vintners wines before, but that compelling of a deal was enough to sell me, wine unsipped. To boot, they were more than helpful when providing me guidance on how long to age their wines. I look forward to trying this wine (that I’ve never had) four birthdays from now. It will be the ULTIMATE birthday surprise, and given that one of my favorite grapes is involved, I’m sure it will be sublime.
Chappellet 2017 Cabernet Franc ($85) - Have you ever connected with a winery in a way that feels like family? Feelings of warmth, humility and familiarity are what come to the forefront of my mind when I think about my interactions with this artistic, refined winery, tucked into a canopy of green in the craggy hills of Napa Valley. Living in Washington, I can’t visit Chappellet in person whenever I want, but I can reach out over social media from time to time. I can’t adequately express the genuine responses and support I’ve received from Chappellet. They offered my guidance on this Cabernet Franc, which jumped out to me as unlike anything else in my capsule. This too is a wine I haven’t tried, but based on the reviews and the fact that they are currently offering $1 shipping (yes!! you read that right!) it was a wine I couldn’t stop thinking about. When I open in this bottle in five years, I won’t just think about a terrific wine I’m about to taste for the first time, I’ll be thinking about a winery that opened their doors to me in an impromptu visit last June, and who has stayed connected via social media from afar. In the world we’re living in, where connections can feel manufactured, I feel this connection is genuine, and I look forward to rounding out my birthday capsule with a wine that represents these great attributes: sincerity, generosity of spirit, and kindness.
This has been both a rewarding and challenging experience, but I am so happy with my final selections, and look forward to my future five birthdays uncorking. If you would like help selecting wines for your own capsule collection, for a birthday, wedding gift, anniversary series, or just because, I’d love to help you, and can be sensitive to both your tasting preferences and budget!
Email me at ruthie@the-wildcarrot.com to get started. Cheers!
