a stag leaps

my dad and i share a love of red wine. he has a wine collection that i envy. he can afford to collect wine. i can not. we both love wine from stag's leap vineyard in california. he has a couple of bottles of stag's leap from 1996 and 1997 which were particularly good years and produced some very fine vintages.

he has been saving them for a very special occasion, namely when the novel he is writing gets published. whenever i return to santa fe, i always look to see if the stags leap is still part of the collection. it is part of my coming home routine, seeing those bottles in the collection makes everything right with the world. i guess i always thought that he would drink at least one bottle with me.

well, he totally surprised me and brought one of his beloved bottles of stags leap in his suitcase. and tonight we are having braised short ribs, roasted potatoes, salad and a glass of stags leap to celebrate the birth of the bean, family both near and far, and those who are no longer with us.

it is perfect way to spend a cold snowy evening.