Why does Open That Bottle Night (OTBN) seem soooo cheesy? I'm far from an old curmudgeon, but I have a hard time not cringing every time I hear this holiday mentioned. Even saying it out-loud makes me feel like this...
If you are not familiar with OTBN, it is a wine holiday started in 2000 by Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher, wine columnists for the Wall Street Journal. The idea behind it is that people hold onto special bottles of wine that are earmarked for special occasions, the right times, the right people, and these circumstances may never come. So the last Saturday of every February has become a wine holiday to open these special bottles and to share them with friends and family.
So you may ask where in this great spirited night do I see a noxious orange cloud of airborne processed cheese food?
Speak with anyone with a passion for wine, and they'll tell you one
of the most beautiful things that wine encourages is the desire to
share it with those we enjoy. Wine is so much more than a beverage- it creates memories, experiences, it brings people together, and is often accompanied with great food.
Most wine lovers don't need a holiday to grab something special and enjoy it over dinner with friends. This is an on-going part of their lives...
The second part that makes me uneasy is the "now or never" approach to the holiday. Drink up your special bottles because we only have the present! So that bottle of Port that is being saved for your daughter's wedding, the Sauternes being saved for your parent's 50th Anniversary- Screw that, drink 'em now! Who knows- You may get hit by a bus on the MARTA Wine Highway, you could die of a strange disease caused by fruit bombs that scored 95+ points (and taste like IHOP flavored pancake syrups.) C'mon! Let's blow Timmy's college fund because that kid's going to juvie for sure!
(OTBN is a Slippery Slope!!!)
Not only that, but often, one part of holding special bottles is not to wait for a special event, but to get them to a point of maturity where they are showing at their best. Well, I've got some 06 Grand Cru Burgundies that I was holding, but screw it, it's OTBN! No time like the present! Few wine drinkers I know are tempted to hold their mature bottles too long.
Anytime I gather with friends, something is coming out that is special- It may not be rare, expensive, or cherished, but it is something I'm excited to share.
I don't discourage anyone from participating in OTBN. In fact, if opening special bottles is something you usually don't do-- DO IT! I hope you do get together with friends and family and have a memorable evening. But, in the midst of your joy, I hope you look to each other and say that this shouldn't be reserved for just one night. This sort of celebration and sharing should be a part of your normal life, because in the end, we will never have more with family and friends.
The 2009 Open That Bottle Night is 2/28/09. While you are out drinking up with this guy-- I'll probably be found shooting Roman Candles off my balcony while cursing the dark of night! ; )
