I grew up in Southwest Detroit and I attended a Junior High School that was fed by four elementary schools.  From the Junior High the students because of geographic boundaries and potential school achievements went on to five or six different high schools.  Most students from the first grade in other school systems end up finishing high school together.  This quirk in the Detroit school system created a center of relationships for a large group of students.  I just attended the second annual non-class year Junior High School reunion, and it was a pleasure.  There were alumni from the 1960’s to the 1980’s, and we numbered around 200 with a couple of teachers in attendance as well. The first was held in a large bar/tavern and this time it was held in a hall with a BYOB request.

I naturally decided to bring a bottle of wine to go with the furnished dinner, the camaraderie, conversations and a background furnished by a disc-jockey.  One fellow graduate brought two distinct craft beers that he made for the occasion.  As I walked around I saw an assortment of wines like Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay.  I did see a Mountain Valley Merlot on one table, this I know for a fact, because of the quirk of the BYOB, there was no bar service furnished.  There was no ice, soft drinks and the worse situation – no cork screw.

I laughed then, and I laugh now, because I became a rather popular fellow.  I had the only cork screw in the establishment.  Actually it was a waiter’s style cork screw which proved very fortuitous as there was not a bottle opener available either.  Being a former Scout I was prepared, as my wine carrier has the potential for two bottles of wine, a cheese knife and cutting board, an extra wine bottle stopper, two wine glasses and the waiter’s cork screw.

I had brought a 2010 Pelerin Chardonnay from the Sierra Mar Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands just south of Carmel and Monterrey.  It had enough personality and true Chardonnay qualities to satisfy me on that warm spring evening.  It was crispy with a touch of tartness, as opposed to a buttery “Oak” finish.  The perfect wine I felt for the occasion, not thin and not heavy.