There is just something about the holidays that are enjoyable, when you are around family and having nice food and dinner. This was another occasion and we also celebrated the birthday celebrations for the month of April, just to add a bit more chaos to the day. It was a unique day for people watching, because some had heard about the project that we completed in the library and others hadn’t and when they were in the room they just knew something was different, but couldn’t quite place their finger on the change. It was also unique, because one of the usual late comers for any party, was the first to arrive.

My Bride after going to church and then doing a visitation to a shut-in for Easter communion came home and began her routine, and I did mine, by trying to stay out of her way in the kitchen. The appetizers were easy, because it was just basically fruit, cheese and crackers. She was also preparing turkey and ham for the dinner. She also made her always requested stuffing and her Armenian Pilaf. She also made Brussel Sprouts with bacon as one of the side dishes, and she also made a pot of Fettucine Alfredo, so that there was a good mix of dishes and nobody should end up hungry or disappointed. After all of that food was cleared, then the desserts appeared. There were cakes, pies and puddings and a birthday cake and ice cream, just in case some people still had some room left for more.

When she had all the food preparations going at a steady pace, she finally decided that she wanted a glass of wine, since she had given up wine for Lent, and to a certain degree, I guess I had to as well. Now of all the wines that we have in the cellar to choose from and I would have gladly gone and opened any of them since she was breaking her fast, she chose her latest “go-to” wine to enjoy. She asked me to open up one of magnums of Kirkland Signature California Chardonnay 2015, as I truly think that she missed having that wine. This is just an easy to drink and understand new version of the jug wines of old from Costco, who is now the largest wine purveyors in the United States. The Kirkland Signature is also found on wines not only from the States, but also from France and Italy that I have seen, and probably from other countries as well, but she usually shops there by herself, as she doesn’t want me to loiter in the wine section of the store. As for me, I decided to open up one of my more unique bottles to offset her selection and I grabbed a red wine for dinner, and once again, there were only a couple of people that tried the wine. We had a bottle of L.A. Cetto Reserva Privado Nebbiolo 2009. Nebbiolo is that famed grape from the Piedmont region of Italy that has found its rightful honor in the wines of Barolo and Barbaresca, but this wine was from the Valle de Guadalupe or the Guadalupe Valley in Baja California, Mexico. The Valle de Guadalupe is the wine district for Mexico and they tend to grow most of the great varietals of France. L.A. Cetto is the largest producer of Nebbiolo in the world outside of Italy. I found the nose to be lighter compared to a Barolo, but the color was still very dark with just a touch of pink at the edge for a nine-year old. One could taste the grape easy enough, and a different terroir then from the Piedmont and it was earthier and less refined. I am getting slightly more technical than I usually do, because I have not had that many wines from Mexico and it may new to others as well. Even a couple of days later, when I tried another glass, it still had plenty of earthiness to it. There was not a lot of spice to it, and it was still a bit overpowering for the turkey and ham, but I enjoyed it and I am glad that I opened it up.