Saturday was Open that Bottle Night, the annual event created by Wall Street Journal wine writers Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher that forces people to stop waiting for an occasion to open that special bottle. Before you know it, the wine will pass its peak and all that waiting was for nothing.

That said, a dear friend of mine received a bottle of 1999 Opus One from her boyfriend the night he proposed to her. There he was, on bended knee, the ring tucked on the top shelf of a wine fridge. Very romantic.

Rather than wait until her wedding night, she shared the bottle with friends. In this case, the technical occasion was her sister’s 30th birthday, and the fact that the wine was ready to drink. She did the right thing, and I’m not just saying that because I was one of the friends.

What did it taste like? Silk. No, satin. Chocolately-smooth satin. California punch with a Bordeaux smoothness. I’ve had aged wine, but I think we caught this one right at its peak, which is why it was so special. It was, to date, the best wine I’ve ever tasted. Sorry, Silver Oak.

I had to take a few days to think about this state wine thing. And I’m still torn. While I like Zinfandels fine, I really don’t think of them as the epitome of Cali.

When it comes to national foodiness, it’s certainly not our cheesesteak or Guiness. If anything, I sort of equate California with Cabs, even though our foods don’t necessarily comply. And I don’t think sales really weigh into it. If they did, that black bear on our flag would be replaced with a big fat glass of Chardonnay (nearly 20 % of the state’s grape harvest). Now that would be a shame.

The reason winemakers have their knickers in a twist is because California is blessed with the resources to make all varietals very well, so why highlight just one? I tend to agree. We’re Californians, after all. We eat avocados and order Diet Cokes with our In ‘n’ Burgers. We’re too quirky to be known for one wine.

But in the spirit of great Zins, I do have to reveal my latest fave: Cline’s 2003 Big Break Zinfandel. Good old Oakley terroir, and it tastes like mint! 

Recently, a friend mentioned that he needed to pick up a bottle of wine for his parent’s anniversary dinner — “a special occasion.”

That’s when it occurred to me: People still think of wine like Hallmark cards. Meanwhile, I’m drinking the stuff with popcorn (sprinkled with pepper), Chinese take-out and frozen pizza. When I visit a friend’s, it’s not uncommon for us to pop some break ‘n’ bake Tollhouse chocolate chocolate chip cookies in the oven and wash them down with that half-bottle of merlot.

Wine is a lifestyle, so when you’re into it, you drink it with everything, not just filet mignon, and certainly not just on a fancy date. Try it. Here are some of my favorite snack wines. They’re all around $10. 

Smoking Loon Pinot Noir: Everything.
Papio: Any cheese.
Robert Mondavi Grand Reserve: I like this one with nuts and olives.
Coppola Claret: Brownies, people, brownies.
Bonny Doon Dry Reisling: Try it with the Trader Joe’s Crab Cakes or Chickenless Nuggets, with a sweet and sour dip, like the kind from McDonald’s.

Could there be any better combination than art and wine? Yeah, I guess there IS wine and Reese’s pieces. If you haven’t tried it, you must.

Anyway, art and wine works for me because, with time, they can both be exponentially rewarding. The longer you spend with a painting, the more you notice the intentions of the artist, however understated, much like a smooth Bordeaux, or deliberate, like a big Aussie cab. Those of you at last week’s sold-out Dozen Rosé event know what I’m talking about.

Not only are pink wines hot hot hot right now, but about 150 of us got to swirl and sample some of the industry’s best while viewing the "The Kennedy Years" photo exhibit at the Bedford Gallery in Walnut Creek: There was baby John Jr., dressed in the same christening gown his father wore years before. (P.S.: The chocolate-dipped strawberries weren’t bad, either).

Among the 12 wineries, Lang & Reed and Roederer Estate were buzzing the most. I kept going back for more of the latter’s 1999 L’Ermitage Rosé, not only because it was $72 and most of us would never pay that for a rosé, but because of its lasting fruit tart taste. It also tasted really good with smoked salmon, which was flowing all night.

Bonny’s Doon’s Big House Pink was a hit, though that’s nothing new. The surprise of the night (you ALWAYS learn something new at a wine event) was the Susana Balbo, which is made from Torrontés, a Northern Spanish varietal I’d never heard of. Recent DNA testing reveals its origin as a hybrid of Muscat and Criolla Chica, better known as the Mission grape.

Don’t you just love art?