Pour Me Some Wine: A Toast to the Mama Sisterhood!

By Trina Epp and Leah Speer

Pour Me Some Whine/Wine will be the first wine pairing book for moms. Each of the 80 stories has a “reason” for moms to pour that glass tonight. The stories are arranged by 6 emotions in motherhood, and each story also has a witty wine pairing that contains a metaphor or something quirky to tie into the story itself. It is an uplifting book that cheerleads and supports moms.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Oct 16, 2015
• ISBN: 9780990942498

Book preview

true.

Pour Me Some Wine is dedicated to our mama sisterhood. It reflects our own journey as moms and as mommoisseurs, or wine enthusiasts who happen to also be mothers. Combining stories on a wide range of topics with wine recommendations, Pour Me Some Wine is our offer of support to our fellow moms. In it we express many of the emotions that most of us experience day-to-day, from mom guilt to celebration. Perhaps you just want to connect to other moms for a minute, but your go-to girls are unavailable. In this book, you are sure to find a story that reflects your experience at any given time to nourish and support you. You’ll also find a wine recommendation that is the perfect pairing for when you need to take a few moments for yourself to kick back and relax. Do you want to become a mommoisseur too? Below we share how you can learn more about wine and join our mama sisterhood of connoisseurs. Or, do you just want a suggestion for a good wine for yourself, to share, or for entertaining? Then consider this to be a compendium of ideas for ensuring that, when the circumstances are right, you’ll enjoy a great glass of wine.

The day we become moms is a defining moment for us. Almost immediately, our priorities and lives change irrevocably as our focus shifts away from ourselves and onto our families. But it’s all worth it because raising a child is the most beautiful gift in the world. Yet motherhood can also be an emotional and sometimes lonely journey, one becoming increasingly complex in the 21st century. Fortunately, women have always supported each other. And when it comes to motherhood, this support is critical. By sharing our experiences, our sorrows, and our joys, we help each other in the transformational work of being a mom.

More often than not, it is by telling our stories that we moms nurture each other, leaning on one another for support and reassurance, knowing that none of us is perfect and we’re all in this crazy race together. Sometimes, there is nothing more valuable than talking with other moms during playdates or at the park There often isn’t anything more healing or a better reality check than a long chat with a girlfriend And how crucial isn’t a girls’ night out once in a while? Because motherhood is full of emotional ups and downs, we need other mothers to laugh at the ridiculousness of life and to share with pride our children’s red-letter days with us.

Everyone is busy today. There is a lot of talk about work/ life balance. Yet mothers have been doing a balancing act since the beginning of time. We give ourselves over to motherhood, but that doesn’t mean we stop being people with our own needs, even though often they are put on hold. That’s why we moms need both our friends as well as me-time to stay sane. It’s crucial for us to have a few things for ourselves: a bubble bath, a yoga class, a morning of quiet with a favorite book or catching up on the news of the world—or, in our case, a glass of wine, whether to soothe jangled nerves or simply to celebrate.

As wine lovers, we have learned that wine can be an adventure all its own—and all our own. And we’re not talking about chugging a glass out of frustration or angst. Contrary to what

Is It Okay for Moms to Drink?

Yes, but it’s important to drink responsibly. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers moderate drinking to be a glass of wine a day. While we enjoy wine, our commitment to being loving parents and role models for our children always comes first. You may not choose to drink in front of your kids, but if you do, it’s always best to show them that you can enjoy a drink now and then without needing it or wanting more. If you start to notice that you are drinking too often or too much, it may be time to seek some support.

Also, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends abstaining from drinking alcohol of any kind while pregnant. We like to stick with what the experts say. The main reason they recommend abstention is that nobody knows what the safe limit for drinking alcohol during pregnancy really is. Furthermore, this safe limit may vary from woman to woman and fetus to fetus. So the majority of women choose not to drink at all during pregnancy. Besides, you’ll make it through your pregnancy soon enough and can celebrate the birth of your baby with your favorite glass of red or white.

This leads us to the discussion of having a glass of wine while you’re breast-feeding. The decision to breast-feed is a personal one. As a new mom, you deserve support no matter how you decide to feed your baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recom mends that babies be exclusively breast-fed, with no supplements, for the first six months of life. They also advise that breast-feeding continue for 12 months or longer if mutually desired. So, 9 months being pregnant plus12 months of nursing equals 21 months without wine. Now that’s a long time to go without wine!

The good news is you don’t have to totally abstain those months you’re nursing. There are a couple of ways to enjoy that glass of wine while you’re breast-feeding. First, as long as the alcohol is in your blood stream, it will be in your breast milk. So if you drink, your body must process and clear the alcohol before it is safe to breast-feed. The more alcohol the longer it takes. The time it takes to process one glass of wine is about two hours. (Note: though people talk about the pump and dump-expressing your contaminated breast milk to throw it away-this does not clear alcohol from your system any faster. It will still take at least two hours before you can breast-feed again.)

With this understanding you can do a couple of things. The first is to time having a glass right after a feeding or during one of your baby’s longer stretches of sleep so that your baby won’t need to nurse for a few hours. In this way, your body can process and clear the alcohol. Second, and our personal-favorite option, is to pump ahead of time, storing the milk in the refrigerator, to feed you baby with when you’ve had a glass of wine. This way, you can imbibe and feel great knowing your baby still gets the benefit of your nutritious breast milk-you’re not throwing away your liquid gold.

One useful tool during breast-feeding is a home test called Milkscreen. It tests and measures the amount of alcohol in breast milk so it takes away any guesswork about whether alcohol is still in your system. You simply dip the paper stick in the milk and the testing strip analyzes the milk’s alcohol content. Brilliant!

some seem to believe—that wine drinking should be taboo for moms—we’ve found that it can be an exciting sensory education. In the pages that follow, we share our experiences as moms as well as what we have learned as wine enthusiasts— because being a mom and a mommoisseur are not mutually exclusive.

Our Journey with Wine

Over the years, we went from college-age gals drinking Boones Farm to ladies with jobs splurging on Kendall Jackson or even better—Carlo Rossi. Back in those days we couldn’t afford much and wine-tasting events seemed like the classy next step for us 21st-century ladies. Our knowledge grew as we matured into women who actually attended dinner parties instead of just clubs. The next best thing: wine bars. We didn’t even notice as Napa crept to the top of the vacation bucket list—eclipsing spring break in Cancun. We were growing up and starting to learn what it truly means to enjoy the finer things in life. The best part is that we’re still learning.

As we became more wine oriented, we discovered a true passion for it as we tried tasting, sampling, and pairing. When we went out, we began to switch our drink orders from the usual vodka tonic or fruity martini to wines we didn’t know. Then we started paying attention to pairing wine with dinner. In restaurants, we’d eagerly ask the waiter for suggestions about the correct pairings with the menu items. When we cooked, we began to revel in paying attention to the aromas of the food and the tastes and flavors that the wine brought out, discovering for example, how well a deep, red blend complemented a flavorful juicy steak. Soon we began to notice how wine paired with mood. It became clear that whites pair well with happier, upbeat moods, especially the bubbly blends for celebrations. Meanwhile, we came to appreciate how soothing, almost healing, some reds can be after a long day— for example, a Chianti goes perfectly with a relaxing (once-quiet) bubble bath.

Then everything changed. We became mothers. There was nothing more important than those tiny adorable little humans that we’d so looked forward to meeting. Before there was time to adjust, we’d had more children and our families grew. We barely had time to notice that suddenly the fun nights out at tastings and wine bars, the dinner parties where everyone brought a different bottle to try, and those pam -pering moments alone with a glass were now gone. They’d been squelched by dirty diapers, long sleepless nights, crying and temper tantrums, and running from one place to another, trying to balance a crazy schedule and run a busy household. Wine who? We were lucky if we fit in a shower most of the time.

As the kids grew, we started to realize that we needed part of that old life back. We missed relishing a wonderful, relaxing glass of wine with girlfriends, trying out different flavors as we cooked, or simply taking the time to expand our knowledge of such a beautiful and wonderful thing.

We decided that we can still have those times and that it’s okay to take a few moments here and there to try new wines and continue to experience and learn about wine. We bought some books such as The Everything Guide to Wine because we wanted to take our indulgence to a new level of understanding. This led to spending hours doing research online, attending some wine tastings again, and turning to some of our savvy friends who paired wine with cheese and appetizers with flair. We also picked the brains of the experts at local wine shops.

As our education progressed, we learned to try to pair wines with our moods or emotions and to make wine recommendations to other mothers. We would share what we knew about wine the same way we shared our experiences as moms. We slowly morphed from simply being lovers of wine to proud mommoisseurs.

The Story of Our Friendship

Because we lived in two different parts of the country, our friendship was an unlikely one—yet one that was clearly meant to be. It all started when Trina enrolled in a writing class offered by Leah’s mom, Carole Bellacera, and became close to her almost immediately. Carole would often talk about her daughter Leah, how we were similar in age, and also how we had children around the same age. Once we contacted each other, we quickly learned how much we had to talk about: our lives as moms, our shared loved of writing—and our interest in wine. Our connection proved to us how fate can be utterly, unexpectedly wonderful—and that it has the ability to totally change your life.

As we shared our experiences as moms and wine lovers, it wasn’t long before we knew we wanted to write this book. It was an exciting time for us as we set to work on making it a reality. We both had two young children and were crazy busy taking care of our families and managing our hectic schedules as well as work. But once this book had sparked a passion and drive in us, the busyness of the days no longer mattered. We stayed up, far past bedtime, writing. And then, early in the morning, we were writing. We wrote with babies bouncing on our laps and toddlers tapping on our keyboards. And in between, we tried and tested wines. Pour Me Some Wine was born—and with it an unbreakable bond of friendship as well.

Becoming a Mommoisseur

Become mommoisseurs with us! Make wine an event and pamper yourself, girl. Try a few of the wines we suggest and find comfort in the stories that we offer from moms who have been right where you are now. Don’t stop being a first-class wine lover just because you have babies. Ladies, it’s a not-so-new, yet hip, era for us wine lovers, moms.

You can begin or continue your education right at home. Through various online videos, books or through a local wine-store event, learn the basics of wine tasting from the type of glasses to use to the five S steps: see, swirl, smell, sip, savor.

Next buy a few different bottles of reasonably priced wines, paying attention to buy different varietals, for example, a Merlot, a Chianti, and a Riesling. Where wine is available for purchase will depend on what state you live in. (If you live in a dry county, we suggest moving. Yes, seriously.) Another way to begin is to visit your local wine shop and have the staff recommend a couple of good starter bottles within your budget. Take the bottles home, read the labels, research the bottles online, and learn all you can about those specific wines-in other words, become at one with your wine. In this way, you will figure out which grape varieties you like.

When things at home have quieted down, grab a good book, start a bath, and pour a glass of one of your recent purchases. Sit back for thirty minutes, reading and enjoying the wine in the silence. When you sniff it what aromas, good or bad, do you sense? Notice the taste or aftertaste. Does it feel good on your palate? Finally, notice how the traditional third of a glass used for tastings makes you feel. Has your mood changed at all? When we first began to enjoy wine this way, we could hear the kids screaming beyond the bedroom. But since they were being carefully watched, I could disregard it. We kept at it, determined to have that bit of time to ourselves. Of course, you don’t have to sit in the tub every time you try a new wine, but it is important to have a little peace and quiet.

Once you’ve learned your go-to favorites by varietal, further expand your knowledge base by learning about the regions where those grapes are grown. For instance, if you learn that Cabernet Sauvignon is one of your favorites, sample cabs from different regions such as Bordeaux in France or from the Napa and Sonoma Valleys in California. Once you have sampled and noted several, you’ll begin to get a feel for what area produces a richer, heavier, lighter, more savory, or fruity grape.

Wine tasting doesn’t have to happen at the winery. Take twenty minutes during naptime, or after bedtime, or whenever it is you get the chance. But, just as you savor a wine slowly, sip by sip, take your time as you progress in wine appreciation. Continue your wine education and feed that love for the sake of the knowledge of something so wonderful. Most of all, let it be something that is all yours as you pamper yourself.

Many wine shops have free tastings, so on your monthly girls’ night out have everyone go to a tasting before you go out to dinner. Try to begin with an all-white or all-red tasting in the beginning. Organize monthly tastings with a theme at your home. Invite friends over and have everyone bring their favorite white wine. Or, have everyone bring a bottle from a different region (assign each person a place so nobody doubles up).

Then start to learn about wine pairing, or what wine matches what food best. This is an art in itself. Whether cooking at home or going out, notice how the wine pairs with the meal. The key here is to try matching at least one taste or smell in the wine to what you are cooking. If you are eating in a restaurant and it pairs a wine you’ve never had with the meal you’ve ordered, go for it. Let it be another wine adventure.

Throughout all your wine experiences, jot down the names of all the wines you try in a notebook and keep track of your tasting notes. Better yet, go to CellarTracker.com and start an account. There you can track the wines you’ve purchased, your notes, and even see other members’ comments on the wine you’re trying. They even have an app for your iPhone so you can easily record your notes as you relax on the couch or in bed with your glass of vino.

Make an effort to splurge on holidays, and for Super Bowls, Oscar parties, wedding anniversaries, your children’s birthdays etc. But note that Valentine’s Day deserves the best. Spend an extra 10 dollars on a new wine. Don’t feel guilty. Many men enjoy a round of golf on the weekends that can cost four times what one decent bottle will cost you. Don’t be shy!

Are the grandparents available to watch the kids? For some romance as well as education, spend the weekend with your lover at a bed-and-breakfast near a winery. Now really pair your wine and see how it complements the occasion.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Just as moms all over the world share their stories with one another, in Pour Me Some Wine we offer you our stories as well as those of other mothers. We want readers to not only experience the comfort we’ve found in our friendship and storytelling but also the blissful moments of pampering yourself with the perfect glass of wine, selected for the perfect moment.

There is a common thread that weaves through all of the stories