When you’re planning to drive cross country a couple thousand miles to enjoy the world’s finest lobster with friends in a locale where wine offerings are scarce, pre-selecting the best wine is important. If you’re not a sommelier or hard-core oenologist (I am neither) and the wine selection at the destination is somewhat limited, a trusted advisor is an imperative. What to do?

I relied upon Jen at the Hartford Family Winery. As a knowledgeable guide to the winery’s best, she helped narrow the selection to two difficult choices: 2007 Hartford Court Chardonnay, Stone Côte Vineyard and 2007 Hartford Court Chardonnay, Seascape Vineyard, both from the Sonoma Coast. So we chose both. And what better way to turn up the volume than to go with magnums? After all, 750 ml bottles are so pedestrian and affordable.

The two cherished magnums arrived in Texas a couple days prior to scheduled departure. They were bedded down in what was referred to as the “wine cellar,” a large Igloo cooler where bags of ice were cradled on top of the two Chardonnays. The goal was to keep the wine chilled but not ice-cold. My efforts to keep the bottles dry were thwarted hours prior to uncorking, so sadly the photographic evidence displays a wet label.

The presentation of a chilled magnum definitely makes a statement. It means you care enough to track down and acquire a large-format bottle through a process that generally requires advance preparation and expense. For the new-shell lobster fest, presenting our Maine hosts with the Stone Côte proved to be a great move. Who could have imagined that chilled Hartford Court Chardonnay would serve as an essential spark for such a memorable culinary event? It’s like a party in a bottle. But I’m fairly certain Jen knew all along.