Over the last few months, wine has become an everyday addition to my life. Well, not every day, but two or three bottles a week if I’m not too busy with work and kids. This fact has created a different response in how bottles are paired with food. I continue to execute an extravagant dinner once a month and carefully select the bottles that complement the subtleties of the fare, but more and more I want to share a bottle with some friends and not go to all the trouble.

A few weeks ago two of my favorite colleagues, the ‘family’ I get to pick, came to the house after an evening advisory board meeting. The buffet of roast beef and not-so-great eggplant parm, provided sustenance, but little more to satisfy any real act of celebration. To right our mood I picked a bottle of One Time Spaceman, Moon Duck, from the row of like bottles on the topmost tier of my cellar rack. It is so much a favorite, that Eric, one of my guests, has given me the nickname, One Time Spaceman. To add to the table, I found a bit of chicken liver mousse, a slice of balsamic/lime headcheese, and a few lardons of home cured pork belly. A jar of canned pickled green tomatoes provided the acid to counter the richness of the charcuterie. We lifted our glasses high and toasted to our continued professional endeavors.

Very little work. A tasty result. Happy guests. This has become what wine is about.

If memory serves taking a right as you leave Locals and a walk of little more than a few seconds, will lead to a nice selection of well-prepared cured meats for you next impromptu gathering.