Message on a Bottle

When family is split residing in Oregon, Ohio and Maryland, it is difficult to bring everyone together. Thanksgiving 2016 was the first time in four years that we were all together meeting in Portland, Oregon. Kathy and I spent a few days visiting wineries and vineyards in Southern Oregon and had a good supply of Tempranillo for the holiday meals. On Thanksgiving Eve, our daughter Meghan and son-in-law Andy slipped in a bottle of wine they had purchased at a winery along Lake Erie North Shore in Ontario, Canada. Meghan and Andy have written articles and taken photos for the Wine Trail Traveler site. Lake Erie North Shore is a favorite destination.

I noticed the top of the bottle and first saw the letters VQA along the screw cap. VQA Ontario is the regulatory agency assuring the quality of the wine. What I didn’t pick up on right away was the front label on the bottle. Rather than a message in a bottle, Meghan and Andy had a message on the bottle, the front label. “We’re expecting our bundle of joy baby Neumeier due June 2017.” What a wonderful way to send a message, when the whole family is present. Before the wine was opened, there were hugs and congratulations.

Wine is always a wonderful gift. It also can become a target for one’s creativity. At their wedding, there were bottles of wine, also with creative labels. The wines were to be opened at different anniversaries such as 1st, 5th, 10th etc. Guests at the wedding reception signed the bottles with a silver inked marker. This is a wonderful creative way to bring back memories of their wedding. But I think they outdid themselves this time with a message on a Chardonnay bottle. Congratulations Meghan and Andy.

Cheers,
Terry