Wine for Mother’s Day
If your mom is like mine, there’s nothing she’d rather do on Mother’s Day than have a chance to relax with her family, minus the laundry and dishes. And what better way to help her get some me-time than wine? Wine is a great way to celebrate with your mom, and you don’t need to plan an extravagant wine tasting or a fancy dinner to do it.
Whether you’re celebrating with brunch or dinner, Vintage Cellars has a great Mother’s Day idea for you. Best of all, these ideas are man-friendly! If you’re a dad or son trying to do something special for the mom in your life, look no further than these easy, fool-proof ideas.
For Brunch: Are you going the traditional breakfast-in-bed route? Then make it extra special with a champagne cocktail. It’s equally great accompanied by a fancy breakfast spread with all the trimmings or her toddler’s proud creation of soggy waffles and burnt toast. There are tons of recipes for champagne cocktails out there, but if you want an easy recipe that will guarantee the smile on your mom’s face, try this one (hint: it’s especially good because it’s strawberry season, and they’re sweet and delicious right now).
Simple Strawberry Champagne Cocktail
- Put a splash of strawberry-flavored liquor (Framboise is one) in a champagne flute. (If you’re the measuring type, try half a shot.)
- Top with your mom’s favorite champagne. DON’T stir the cocktail or you’ll ruin the bubbles!
- Garnish with a fresh strawberry (make a slice in the strawberry starting at the tip, but stop halfway to the top. Stick the strawberry on the rim of the glass.) Don’t skip the garnish–it’s what makes it special!
- Present to mom with a card. She’ll smile for the rest of the day!
- Variations: rim the flute with sugar first (put sugar on a small plate, invert the glass, dip the top of the glass in water, and swirl it around in the sugar.) If you don’t want to use the liquor, you could puree some strawberries in a blender or food processor and use that instead, following the same directions.
For Lunch or Dinner: Most women love cheeses, and Mother’s Day is a great time for your mom to indulge. Setting up a wine and cheese platter for your mom couldn’t be simpler, but it has that personal touch that makes it special. Visit your local cheese shop or grocery store and pick out a few cheeses and (this is essential) a crusty baguette or loaf of French bread. If you don’t know what cheeses your mom will like, no stress–just mix and match. Try some soft cheeses and some harder ones so your mom can have fun tasting the different kinds. Slice the bread, add some fruit (don’t forget strawberries are great right now!), put on a big platter, and all you need is the wine.
The simplest, most foolproof wine to pair with cheese is champagne. Champagne goes well with almost any cheese (even the stinky or blue-veined kinds!). It also acts as a palate cleanser, which means that your mom can taste different cheeses back-to-back without her taste buds getting tired. If your mom isn’t partial to champagne or you’d like to try something different, visit our post on pairing wine and cheese. It has some great tips for tasty pairings. Sit back with your mom, eat and drink, and enjoy some bonding time (which all moms love).
Remember, the best gifts come from the heart, so think about what makes your mom happiest. If she craves some time to relax with her family, try one of our ideas for a Mother’s Day that is special, but super-simple.
Mulholland is a maker and purveyor of fine leather products. Their goods only improve with age, and will last for generations. Mulholland’s line of leather wine bags was developed for the true wine connoisseur. They are perfect for carrying wine to a party, a picnic, or even across the country. Mulholland makes wine carrying bags to hold one, two, or six bottles. The six-bottle carriers are also available in a rolling style perfect for transporting your beloved bottles through busy airports. All carriers are made with a semi-rigid insulated nylon liner that maintains the temperature of chilled whites and champagnes, and protects red wines from temperature extremes. Each comes with a handle and shoulder strap, and all are shipped with a free stainless corkscrew.
For the wine lover who also enjoys fine liquor, Mulholland makes flasks from their premium leather. These flasks are stainless steel and wrapped in one of Mulholland’s two leathers: the Lariat or the Latigo. The Lariat is a strong, honey-brown leather that ages beautifully, acquiring a surface etched with marks from daily wear. The Latigo is a rich, dark leather cured with natural vegetable extracts. Its distinctive sheen makes it a beautiful material for all of Mulholland’s crafts. Flasks are available in 4 or 6 oz styles, and include screw caps that are hinged to the flask’s surface, ensuring they will never be lost. Mulholland’s flasks are crafted with the finest workmanship, and make stunning gifts.
It’s no secret that many wine lovers are avid golfers. The ultimate golfing gift? One of Mulholland’s all-leather golf bags. Handcrafted from the signature leather that has made the name “Mulholland” synonymous with “fine leather,” a Mulholland golf bag is a gift that will last a lifetime. Made of only the hardiest, most durable leather, a golf bag by Mulholland will acquire a unique patina of scrapes and scratches that will tell the story of your golfer’s years on the links. These golf bags are divided into three sections and come with several accessory compartments, as well as adjustable shoulder straps, leather trunk handles, water-repellant rain hoods, and umbrella holders. Consider gifting the golf lover in your life with the ultimate in beauty and function: a leather golf bag by Mulholland.
Delia Wine Storage makes unique, artistic wine racks with metal and glass. These racks add a conversation-starting touch to any wine collection. Many are small, and so are ideal for wine lovers in tight spaces. If you know someone whose apartment won’t fit a wine refrigerator, or a wine collector just starting out, a Delia rack might be an ideal choice. But these beautiful wine storage sculptures aren’t limited to those in small spaces. They can also be used to spruce up a kitchen or add an interesting element to an existing wine cellar.
Mulholland makes most of its luxury leather goods in two colors. The first is the “Lariat™,” known for its honeyed surface known for its uniqueness: each product acquires marks and scratches from use that become part of the beauty of the material. The second is the “Latigo™,” a darker stout color cured with vegetable extracts and polished with a high-speed glass cylinder. For the Sommelier Corkscrew and Case, Mulholland makes a third color: a rich, medium “Bridle Tan.”
Perfect wine deserves a perfect vessel. There is no better maker of fine glassware than Riedel (contrary to popular belief, “Riedel” rhymes with “needle”), an Austrian company that has been producing glasses and decanters for eleven generations. In that time, the name Riedel has become synonymous with quality. The technical precision of their glass designs, with such characteristics as large bowl sizes for capturing aromas, make Reidel glasses the ideal way to enjoy wine.
and also perfectly usable way to enjoy fine wine. In addition to its of-the-moment appeal, stemless glassware fits perfectly in a dishwasher or picnic basket. Its sturdy design makes it a great gift for grandparents or families with young children. ”O” Stemless glassware comes in several varieties specifically made for different wine types, from Pinot to Chardonnay.
A high-tech wine opener is a must-have for any wine collector. Rogar makes professional-grade wine openers that open wine quickly and easily. Those days of floating cork pieces are over.
