Like moms, vintners bend and capture time

(written for the Los Altos Town Crier)

Time and moms have an extraordinary relationship – we seem capable of bending time when needed.

I know moms who, on any given Thursday, will accomplish a to-do list seemingly three days deep between 3-7 p.m. Other times, moms feel utterly at time’s mercy. I’ve begged for time to speed up, and pleaded with it to stop altogether, depending on what was happening in my children’s lives.

We moms put pressure on ourselves, and time itself can sit heavy on new moms as they survive milestones good and bad. My kids have been walking and talking and out of diapers for a long while, and I look back at those initial years with a new opinion. I see those milestones as breadcrumbs that help me find my way back to stunning memories, the ones I was too caught up in the moment to absorb while living them.

Wine and time have an intricate relationship, too – decisions about when to prune, pick and bottle contribute to what winemakers are able to capture in their barrels and bottles. A trained palate will taste the conditions of the year in which grapes grew when enjoying a glass.

For consumers, time determines when a vintage should be drunk. While most wines are best opened and enjoyed soon after purchasing the bottle, there are wines that should be stored in the cellar for decades.

Consider gifting a mom in your life with one of the following wines, all available at K&L Wine Merchants in Redwood City.

DRINK IT YOUNG

Look for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, which is as close to getting a spring breeze in a bottle as you can find. The wine is dazzling and vibrant, making it a fun option for a mom full of zippy energy and endless to-dos.

I especially like 2016 TWR (Te Whare Ra) Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough ($19.99) because of its intense lemon notes and long finish. This would be the perfect wine to pair beside a barefooted picnic or patio gathering where Mom does all the sipping and none of the prepping.

HAPPY BUBBLES

If the mom in your life is easily made broody at the site of a passing pram, chances are her brain is luxuriating in a pool of baby memories from her own children. A bottle of nonvintage Champagne would be a great gift for her as she rolls through the years and her children’s infancies blend together in happy remembrances.

Nonvintage Champagnes are made when the producer blends wines from several years to craft the perfect bottle. Franck Bonville “Brut Selection” Blanc de Blancs Champagne ($34.99) is a spectacular value. The 100 percent Chardonnay Champagne is crisp and creamy with beautiful apple flavors.

A WINE WITH AGE

Barolo is unique in that it is intended to be drunk 10-25 years after bottling. In fact, winemakers won’t even release their Barolo until they have aged it for three to five years. This Italian red wine made from Nebbiolo grapes would be a supreme gift for a mom who will spend her Mother’s Day relaxing over dinner with her children.

For a food-friendly option, try the 2009 Flavio Roddolo Nebbiolo d’Alba ($32.99). Paired with grilled pork chops, mushroom risotto or poultry, this wine delights.