That Extra Bottle

My family threw a big party over the holidays, and a lot of our guests brought wine. Which resulted in me having a bottle of Yellow Tail Chardonnay left over. I wasn’t going to hold on to that one (unlike the bottle of Chablis from a friend who knows my taste better). I decided that my book club meeting was the perfect place to unload, I mean, share the bottle. We discussed Suite Francaise, a beautifully written tale of the Nazi occupation of France. As we analyzed the complex story of more than a dozen different characters, we enjoyed the kinds of snacks that make bookclub a good place to come hungry: nacho dip, cheese and crackers, one-bite cupcakes, Oreos with peppermint cream, a full box of Russell Stover Chocolates. The hostess was charming, but no oenophile: she handed me the corkscrew to open the bottle. It was amazing how a little wine relaxed the ladies and enlivened the conversation. The Yellow Tail tasted fine. And on a night like this, the wine didn’t have to be expensive or complicated or nuanced. It just had to be there. Now, if I could only unload that extra beer