Thank you JaM Cellars for sponsoring this post. Looking for Butter Chardonnay near you? Check out their easy-to-use Store Locator! Just pop in your zip code and the Butter will be waiting!
Super duper excited to partner up with JaM Cellars for Mother’s Day. IMO, every day should be Mother’s Day. My mom is a superhero, and I’d give her the world if I could. We’ve always been close, but I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t tension growing up. She was very traditional, and I was born and raised in the states so there were clear cultural differences. I wasn’t a huge fan of her rules as a kid, but I’ve come to see the wisdom of her ways now that I’m older.
I live in Maryland and knew I wouldn’t be in town for the holiday so we decided to celebrate early with wine and snacks. Butter Chardonnay is one of her absolute favorites because it’s rich, bold and luscious. It has a gorgeous deep golden appearance, and it’s quality Californian winemaking at its best – the grapes they use are juicy, ripe and bursting with flavor, and you can taste quality in each and every sip.
They cold ferment this baby to a lush creaminess and age it in a unique blend of oak. Butter brims with stone fruit and baked-lemon notes and has a lovely, long, vanilla finish. If you enjoy fruity undertones in your wine, this is an absolute must-try. It also doesn’t hurt that it only costs about $20 – an affordable wine that tastes like heavenly goodness? Um, I think yes.
Anywho, as we sat down to drink and reminisce, we talked a lot about my childhood. I spent the majority of it working my butt off (think hours and hours and more hours of practicing piano + studying a day) because my mom was a spartan and held the reins tight. I remember feeling [insert negative emotion here] because I wanted to go outside and play, but all I feel now is gratitude. She just wanted the best for me, and she sacrificed her personal life to ensure that mine would be a success – saying she went above and beyond would be a total understatement.
Like, she drove me to Baltimore every weekend (a 5 hour drive) for YEARS just so I could take piano lessons with a renowned teacher there. When she got her gall bladder removed, she refused to stay at the hospital overnight because she wanted to help me with my studies. She drove me to school every morning so I could get extra zzz’s and picked me up every afternoon so I could start working right away. She packed my lunch every day and made sure my meal was perfect in every way possible – her turkey sandwiches were always cut into perfect squares. I seriously could go on and on and on. I never truly appreciated it as a kid, but it brings tears to my eyes thinking about it all now.
So, here’s to you, mom. You’re my best friend. You’re my entire world. I look forward to many, MANY more heart to hearts with you, and I will always cherish the time we spend together. I feel so unbelievably blessed to be your daughter, and no amount of words could ever express my love for you. Cheers to you and your incredible spirit, boundless love, and eternal beauty, inside and out.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Kim — Your expression of affection and gratitude for your mother is truly touching. And the photos of you and your mom when you were little are great. Thanks for sharing this.