On Tradition and Champagne Cocktails

Tradition, whether mindfully created or observed over a period of years is important, and perhaps no more important than when carefully cultivated and observed in our own lives.

Simply, tradition is the glue, the tie that binds us.

In times of distress or uncertainty, our traditions act as a comfort, a point of solace.

How many people make a certain dish at Thanksgiving for no other reason than the fact that it has always been prepared?

For both host and guest, it is a comfort, and occasionally a memory.

Even more important, tradition is the fundamental bedrock for most every winery and the industry – a waypoint for their business and navigational aid for where they are going.

Consider, even the production of champagne is heavily governed by tradition with the méthode champenoise.

Several years back Indiana University’s football team willfully started several traditions, including a pre-game walk from the locker room to the stadium, a nickname for the stadium (The Rock) and a couple of other nuances that added to the tapestry of a program that has long been a doormat in college football.

Critics suggested at the time that this mindful creation of tradition was hackneyed and contrived.

Tradition is built, it is not created, said the chorus of naysayers.

I disagree.

Tradition is upheld and continually built upon—whether personal or for a business, a winery, for example.

My family and I have a lake cottage, actually more of a lake house, but we call it “the cottage,” because, well, that observes tradition.  The cottage was inherited from my Grandparents and my Mom.  I grew up going to the previous incarnation of the lake cottage, a time marked by so many fond memories that I cannot count them, and a fair share of traditions, as well.

Last year, we re-built a lake house on the same ground of the previous cottage.

In the process of doing so, we were careful to pay considerable homage to the traditions of the lake.

We did not buy much that is new for the cottage; instead, it was an assemblage and pastiche from here and there, with much held over from the previous cottage.  I am certain when I have toast on a Sunday morning in July, using the same toaster my grandfather used 30 years ago, before he went fishing, he is smiling somewhere down on me.  Ditto when I use a plate earned by my grandmother from collecting supermarket stamps, a set of plates that served dozens of fried chicken, coleslaw, corn on the cob and sliced tomato Sunday lunch.

This honoring of tradition does not stop with my childhood memories though; I want to create new traditions.  Simple things that I uphold that create fond memories of the lake.

To me, this is not a contrivance, it is a respectful act that continues to build upon the foundation of tradition laid for me – and it can act as a comfort and a memory for those that we entertain.

Amongst many ideas, but given that we host friends quite a bit, the nearest thing that I have come to that combines wine is a celebratory sparkling wine toast for every new visitor.

Given that, here is my new tradition – a choice of 12 sparkling wine cocktails that every friend can choose from to kick-off everyday celebrations at the cottage.

1) Death in the Afternoon (Sparkling wine and Absinthe)

2) Savoir Faire (Sparkling wine and St. Germaine)

3) Bellini (Sparkling wine and peach puree, garnish with maraschino cherry)

4) Undertaker (Sparkling wine and Jagermeister)

5) Black Velvet (Sparkling wine and Guinness)

6) Nelson’s Blood (Sparkling wine and Port)

7) Goodnight Kiss (Sparkling wine, bitters, Campari, and a pinch of sugar)

8) Green Dragon (Sparkling wine and Midori)

9) Mimosa (Sparkling wine and Orange juice)

10) Morning Glory (Sparkling wine, Orange juice, triple sec)

11) Lake Webster (Sparkling wine, triple sec and cranberry)

12) Kir Royale (Sparkling wine and crème de cassis)

Tradition, unfortunately, in our go-go world, is oft neglected or overlooked, despite the fact that it gives us comfort. 

We often look back at fond memories with nostalgia, the traditions creating a fondness for days gone by, while, unfortunately, not paying heed to creating an opportunity for those same traditions to develop over time for a point in time in the future.

My challenge to each wine enthusiast, young and old, is to create some level of wine tradition in their life and carry that through with friends and family.