Special Wines For Special Occasions

Good wines have always been an important component of our supper club experience. There is something special about a wine that links to special moments in your life.

The Joseph Phelps Vineyard is California’s Napa Valley has always been a special place for the Kenny family. In 1983 we moved to the San Francisco Bay area. We knew very little about fine cuisine and even less about wine, but what a place to learn. Funny thing is that we had more visitors in the 22 months we lived in California than we have had in the 27 years we have lived in Memphis.

With each set of visitors we tried to incorporate a trip to the Napa valley. Right at the start we fell in love with the Joseph Phelps vineyard. The little sub valley is just a magical place and they make fantastic wines.

In 1984 our first child Jennifer was born in California. Shortly thereafter our friend Tom Julian visited and bought a special 3-liter bottle of Phelps Cabernet. The plan was to save the bottle for Jenn’s 16th birthday. That plan led to a wonderful party and even more special tradition.

In 2013 Jennifer announced the sex of our first grandchild at a wonderful event at the Phelps vineyard. We had the whole family there and Phelps team hosted a superb education and tasting for the event. The only downside was that poor Jennifer being pregnant couldn’t enjoy the wines and is still mad at her father today.

Now with each grandchild we buy a 3-liter bottle to be held for a 16th birthday party. The good news is that there are two bottles in the cellar and a third on order. Additionally, I have justification for buying a larger wine cellar.

Past the 16th birthday parties Phelps wines are always our favorites. I will always search them out for special occasions and quite often finding a bottle of Phelps cabernet has made an evening special.

If you enjoy this blog and similar other stories/supper club lessons subscribe to get future blogs at www.impromptufridaynights.com/blog and be on the look out for my book Impromptu Friday Nights a Guide to Supper Clubs due out from Morgan James Publishing on January 30, 2018.

The Healing Process

Good supper clubs involve good friends. Some times life is not fair and bad things happen to good people. Supper clubs can be part of the healing process.

Our friends Kathy and Don Bell lost their son Michael in a car accident while he was in high school. They lived every parent’s nightmare. At the funeral I asked Kathy if there was anything I could do to help. She asked if I could write a menu for her for an upcoming supper club. It was just one thing on her mind and the last thing she needed to be worrying about at that awful time.

I will never forget the night a few years later when Kathy stood on her chair during one of our special Impromptu Friday Nights and announced that she had made a breakthrough. She had finally come up with a way to deal with Michael’s loss. It was a beautiful moment and her friends were complemented by the way she shared it with them.

Fast-forward several years. Kathy and Don now live in Charlotte, as do our daughter and son in law. Two years ago we were in town to babysit for our grandson Max then 2 years old while his parents were out of town on business. We invited Kathy and Don over for dinner.

As we were preparing for dinner my wife Susan remembered that it was the anniversary of Michael’s passing. When Kathy and Don arrived Max took over. He took an instant liking to “Uncle” Don. It was almost as if Max somehow knew. He provided a wonderful distraction and a reminder that life goes on.

Besides that we had a wonderful Beef Ragu

We try to get together with Kathy and Don whenever we visit Charlotte. Max and Don continue to share their connection. After their daughter’s wedding last year one can hope that grandchildren are in their future.

It is kind of nice how, in a small way, supper clubs have been part of the healing process.

If you enjoy this blog and similar other stories/supper club lessons subscribe to get future blogs at www.impromptufridaynights.com/blog and be on the look out for my book Impromptu Friday Nights a Guide to Supper Clubs due out from Morgan James Publishing on January 30, 2018.