A New Bundle of Joy

In one of the most astonishing stories to start off 2015, our neighbours, Nature Boy and Mr. Principled, joyfully announced that they had become daddies - and in as about as unexpected manner as you could ever imagine. The boys had been trying to adopt for a couple of years now but they hadn't heard anything from the adoption agency for six months. Nada. Nothing.

Then, one afternoon in early January, they get a call at 2 in the afternoon to see if they could arrive at the hospital by 5. All they were told was that a birth mother had chosen them and they were going to be parents. Three hours notice that you're becoming a father. Whoa.

Not having had even a whisper of an adoption, they had no bedroom prepared. No basinet. No clothes. No bottles. Again, nothing.

But the beauty of our neighbourhood was that all measures of baby paraphernalia started arriving. It's maybe six weeks later now - and there's little doubt that the boys' lives have turned topsy-turvy - but they're as happy as stink - and that's not just from their baby girl's diapers.

Being Jewish, the boys introduced their new bundle of joy to the congregation at their synagogue in a naming ceremony and they invited all of the neighbours to join in. I tried to think back but, quite surprisingly, I couldn't recall ever having attended Shabbat prayers or visiting a synagogue. Not knowing what to expect, I have to admit that I was quite taken with the musicality of the service and the casual camaraderie of the congregation. It was a lovely introduction to their faith and their new daughter's community beyond the neighbourhood aunties and uncles.

1866.  2012 Renwood Zinfandel (California)

The service was followed by a wonderful lunch - or kiddush - that the boys hosted and, lo and behold, there was wine to accompany all the nosh and goodies. Luckily, the wine was better than the photo I took of the bottle.

I gravitated towards the Zin thinking that the expected fruitiness would be an easy go with the variety of flavours being offered - particularly the most delicious beet and pomegranate salad. I don't know much about Renwood but I've previously added a couple of their higher end Zin's to The List as I picked up a few of their wines over the years at the Vancouver International Wine Festival. I believe this bottle is the only bottle of their's that is currently offered in our government system however.

Although hardly a regular drinker of Renwood's wines, I tend to remember their name because, one time while at a California Wine Fair in Vancouver, I was told that there are a number of Californian Zin producers that start with the letter "R" and that many of them are premier producers. Renwood was one of the wineries that was recommended. Good on the boys for having identified them.

So this newest bottle to be added to The List is truly celebratory in all manners. They will have been - and will be - wines of bigger pedigree on The List, but very few will have as much joy attached to them.

Mazeltov!