P.S. You Were a Hit at the Dinner Party!

Without question, one of my favorite things about wine is how it brings people together.  From harvest to blending, tastings to dinner parties, community is central to the production and enjoyment of wine.  One community that has grown around the love of one grape in particular is P.S I Love You.  The producers and advocates of Petite Sirah formed the group in 2002.  Since then it has grown to over 100 members.

I was introduced to the group by Jo Diaz, the executive director and a fellow member of another group, Women Wine Writers.  I was recently the fortunate recipient of samples from P.S. I Love You.  This gave me a great excuse to bring a new group of wine lovers together to help me sample and learn more about Petite Sirah.

I taught in a multi-age setting and I still love the theory behind it.  Surround the learner with those that are farther ahead in one arena and those that are behind.  Ideas become solidified as you share and support others.  You are challenged to grow as you see new ideas practiced and applied.  All people have different gifts.  We excel in one area and need help in others.   These ideas don’t stop in the classroom.  Or perhaps our entire experience is one big “classroom.”  Either way, the same theories still apply.

Although the Petite Sirah gathering was only scheduled two days in advance, the group could not have been better planned.  One guest had more technical and production experience.  Another came with a palate trained through years of cooking.  Yet another spent years in Italy and fine dining so he brought his own unique angle.   I invited friends that love wine and the learning process and I learned from their unbiased perspectives.

I got a head start on the sampling the night before so that I could come into it with some prior knowledge.  Plus, it gave me the opportunity to try another pairing.  On Thursday, my brother-in-law made grilled Balsamic pork chops which I paired with roasted sweet potatoes and a kale salad.  We opened the 2011 Rock Wall Jack’s Dry Creek for the meal.  This wine was beautifully balanced with tons on blackberry and spice.  Hearty enough to hold up to the balsamic and pepper on the pork, smooth enough to drink by itself after the meal.  A very nice wine.  We also opened the Petite Petit by Michael David Winery.  Trust me, there is nothing “petite” about this wine.  Huge fruit, punctuated by the Petit Verdot, this one really needed some food.  Next time I plan on having some cheese with enough muscle to hold this one.  After a sampling of both ends of the PS spectrum, I felt more prepared for the full tasting.

I read a lot about pairings and asked the producers to share their favorites. We started with a cheese plate.  For dinner, I decided on venison meatballs with marinara, garlic bread and salad.  That way I could bring in the game and the hearty tomato in one dish.  Also, I could do all the work before guests arrived which is always preferred.  I chose six wines to taste that night.  I have found that, after that, my palate becomes saturated and I can’t properly evaluate a wine.  Plus, that leaves me a couple more to pair in the future.

In retrospect, I may have changed the order, but based on what I knew, courses, and price point, I put them in the following order:

1) 2010 Bogle Vineyards $11 Cheese course-Big black fruit, tar, spicy pepper, full-bodied

2) 2011 Concannon Central Coast $10 -Cheese course-Red and black berries, leather, medium-bodied. Would have served this before Bogle. A great value.

3) 2010 Stanton Vineyards $45- Served with Main Course-Absolutely delicious.  Complimented the meal nicely.  Perfumed nose. Integrated red and black fruit, balanced, big and complex.

4) 2010 Pedroncelli Dry Creek Valley$17 Served with Main Course-Super complex.  Red and black fruit, some eucalyptus and spice.  Hearty and rich layers. Full bodied and a fantastic value.

5) 2010 Wooden Valley Winery $19 Served with dessert. Cocoa and Cassis, round vanilla and almond notes.  With the addition of Zinfandel, this wine is fruit forward and approachable.

6) 2010 Earthquake $26  With a name like Earthquake, I assumed this wine would pack a big punch and needed to come last.  I was right.  Bold, hefty, in your face tannins and fruits that doesn’t quit.  Consider yourself warned and pair with something that would rank high on the Richter scale.

So what did we learn for our course in Petite Sirah?  Also known as Durif, this grape is typically used in blending, but is lovely on its own.  Depending on growing conditions and production techniques, the grape can produce very diverse wines.  We learned that this wine is made for food, specifically hearty foods.  We learned that there are some great values in Petite Sirah.  Layered, rich and under $20?  Yes, please.

The best learning is done is a safe environment.  When wine flows, conversation follows.  Questions arise, points of view differ, but, in the right setting, you all come away richer, and hopefully wiser.  Thank you P.S. I Love You for providing the opportunity to learn.  Thank you, dear friends, for teaching and learning with me.  Most importantly, thank you for creating an environment in which learning is possible.  Cheers!

Disclaimer: These wines were provided as samples by the producers affiliated with P.S. I Love You.  The opinions are my own and those of my dinner guests.

Brows, Bangs, and a Bad Taste

When is the last time you dug through old photos? Not precious baby pictures or the early courting days, but the really embarrassing ones. I went through mine for a girls’ weekend in the Hill Country. Middle school eyebrows, Pioneer dresses, and bangs. I sported large men’s flannel shirts through the birth of grunge, perms, and belly-button-skimming-acid washed-pleated jeans. (A trend I will not repeat.) I take full responsibility for some of the choices. As if dressing like Laura Ingalls would make me a better educator. In other shots I was merely a victim of being born in the 70s. I was keeping up with the trends. Either way, it wasn’t good.

On our way out west, we stopped at a couple of wineries. My friends have had limited experience with Texas wines and I wanted to give them a glimpse of the great work some winemakers are doing. Our first stop was one of my favorite producers and they ooh-ed and aah-ed. They left gushing, surprised, and with a few bottles.

The second stop was very different. Of the four wines we tasted, only one was palatable. Now, I don’t know if we hit on a bad day, I don’t know if it was not an accurate sampling, but I do know it was not good. One of my friends, a phenomenal baker, posed the following question.

“So, I wonder if they know it isn’t good and serve it anyway. Is it like when you’ve made a cake that isn’t your best and you know it? Or do they think it is good?”

Which got me thinking about the pictures. Was it a bad bottle? A challenging crop? Were they trying to be trendy and pull off something they weren’t ready to pull off? Were they victims of the vintage or did they, like the frumpy student-teacher in the photos, just make a bad decision?

Maybe they enjoy those traits in wine. After all, taste is very subjective. But when does a matter of taste cross-over into a flaw? When is a flaw so egregious that it becomes a fault? What does the winemaker have control over and what happened after the bottle was sold?

Let’s look at the difference between a “flaw” and a “fault.” Basically, a flaw is a minor attribute in the wine that is not generally characteristic and that you weren’t expecting. A fault is due to poor winemaking or storage conditions. There is a lot of great information on these topics and I am only skimming the surface. Here is a common list of “faults” in a wine as listed on Wikipedia.

Acetaldehyde	Smell of roasted nuts or dried out straw. Commonly associated with Sherries where these aromas are considered acceptable
Amyl-acetate	Smell of “fake” candy banana flavoring
Brettanomyces	Smell of barnyards, fecal and gamey horse aromas
Cork taint	Smell of a damp basement, wet cardboard or newspapers and mushrooms
Diacetyl	Smell of rancid butter
Ethyl acetate	Smell of vinegar, paint thinner and nail polish remover
Hydrogen sulfide	Smell of rotten eggs or garlic that has gone bad
Iodine	Smell of moldy grapes
Lactic acid bacteria	Smell of sauerkraut
Mercaptans	Smell of burnt rubber and/or cooked cabbage
Oxidation	Smell of cooked fruit and walnuts. Also detectable visually by premature browning or yellowing of the wine
Sorbic acid plus lactic acid bacteria	Smell of crushed geranium leaves
Sulfur dioxide	Smell of burnt matches. Can also come across as a pricking sensation in the nose.

Again, taste is subjective. A great example is Brettanomyces or “brett.” A hint of brett is common in Italian wines and in small amounts can add complexity. If it is too strong, I don’t care for it. But how strong is too strong? Chances are that your idea is different than mine.

One of the samples was a rosé. It started bad and ended like a beer. Not a hint of yeast that you expect from sparkling, but a beer. He tried to tell me that some attributes can come off as yeast. Sure, but this wasn’t hiding as anything. This was in-your-face-licking-rising-dough yeast. I don’t imagine that was the winemaker’s intention. But, I’ve been wrong before. There is photographic evidence.

Maybe you still like your acid washed jeans. I hear they are back in style. Maybe you still rock a perm and it looks fabulous. You may look back on something you wore and cringe, or wish that you’d never given that shirt away. Fashion and beauty are as subjective as taste in wine. The wine that I don’t care for may be one of your favorites. But there is a point where, taste aside, it crosses a line. Does the winemaker always know that line? And which is worse? Knowing the line and crossing it anyway or not knowing?

Cabernet Showdown

On the last Tuesday of every month, the Texas Wine and Food Consortium hosts a good old-fashioned duel.  While there may not be a definitive winner, there is definitely a good time had by all.  Gusto Tastings Sommeliers, Daniel Kelada and Oscar Montes-Iga choose a grape and draw a line between producers from all over the world and those in Texas.   We get to enjoy the battle.

I previously attended the tastings in which we looked at Viognier and Tempranillo, both grapes that do very well in the Texas climate.  This month, Cabernet Sauvignon was the star of the show.  I will admit that I had my doubts.  After all, how well can Cab really do here?  Denise Clarke, shared my skepticism and chose to taste blindly.  I think we were both surprised by the evening. 

As with each of the competitions, the evening was divided into four flights: Old World, New World, Texas, and then a vertical tasting of a Texas wine.  This month, Becker Vineyards provided the vertical tasting.

For the Old World tasting, we had two French and one Israeli wine.  For the New World flight, we tasted Washington, Chile, Napa, and South Africa.  We then moved to nine Texas wines and the vertical flight.

Tasting this many wines can be a funny thing.  My palate begins to fade.  I can taste through a flight and think I know which one I prefer.  Taste them again, and it becomes less clear.  As a wine opens it changes.  Have a snack, it changes again.  If you asked me which wine was my favorite, I would also have to ask, “With food or without?”  And if you asked the person next to me, there may be very little overlap in the list of favorites. 

Some of my tasting notes of the evening included the classic terms such as, “cherry, leather, tobacco, greens.” And then there were some less common descriptors: “dill pickle, green pepper with cherry on top, cream soda, tomato leaf.”

Some personal highlights included:

Le Relais De Dufort-Vivens, Margaux, Grand Vin, 2009 (classic notes, Bing cherry, tobacco)

Marques de Casa Concha, Puento Alto, 2010 (Less classic but friendly, cherry cola, Eucalyptus, Green tomato leaf)

Flat Creek, Texas High Plains, Newsome Vineyard, Reserve 2010 (Big, impressive, yet subtle fruit, cherry, and greens)

The Vineyard at Florence, Williamson County, ‘Veritas’ 2010 (huge sour cherry and berry blend)

Becker Vineyard, Texas High Plains, Canada Family Vineyards, 2007 (elegant nose, hazelnut and cranberry, some vegetative notes)

Becker Vineyard, Texas High Plains, Canada Family Vineyards, 2009 (earth, leather, fruit, surprising elegant for age)

Becker Vineyard Claret 2011 (drought year so concentrated fruit, bright sour cherry, some green, cocoa)

As an encore, Tim Drake of Flat Creek Estate, decided to finish the evening with something very special.  He opened a 2002 Flat Creek Cab that was amazing.  If there was any question about whether Texas can do Cab, more importantly, a Cab that can age, Flat Creek gave us the answer. 

So who was the winner?  Well, there is no clear answer to such a subjective question, but you can judge for yourself.  Next month’s tasting will look at Tannat and will be featuring wines from Bending Branch.  In April, Texas Wine and Food Consortium will bring us fortified wines (port, Sherry, Madeira) with Haak winery.  Upcoming tastings will feature Roussane, Rose, Red Blends, White Blends, Merlot, Malbec , and Sangiovese.

For more information on these tastings, contact Daniel Kelada.

 This piece was originally written for and posted on Texas Wine and Trail

Romanza for Your Valentine-Bocelli Wines

A few years ago for Valentine’s Day, we decided we would open one of our special occasion wines.  I wanted a perfect pairing so I referenced the website and decided to make gnocchi and marinara from scratch.  After hours in the kitchen, we were almost ready to cook the dumplings when I decided to put everything on hold so I could find, what I deemed to be, the only music worthy for the meal, Andrea Bocelli.  When you think romance and Italian, the tenor is the first music that comes to mind.  Now, you can do more than drink in his amazing voice, you can toast with his wines.

The Bocelli family has been making wines for four generations.  Now Andrea and his brother, Alberto, have started to share them with others.  From a vineyard in Tuscany, the Sangiovese has all of the classic notes you would expect from the grape.  A lively garnet red with a strawberry nose.  Tart cherry, bright with hints of mineral and oak.  The first day I opened the wine, it seemed to have a little bite on the finish.  I knew that I was way too tired to fairly assess anything, so I revisited the next day.  Any bite that may, or may not, have been there on the night I opened the wine was long gone.  A very pleasant finish.  Enough acid and body to hold up to a marinara and light enough to sip alone.  A very enjoyable wine and I am so glad we met a second time.  

If you’ve been reading for long, you know that I am a fan of the bubbles.  I loved this Prosecco.  Delicate bubbles, and plenty of them.  Stone fruit, apple, and citrus.  Some honeysuckle on the finish.  Very balanced between crisp and soft.  I may have a new favorite.

With both wines priced in the mid-teens, these wines are an excellent value.   I have seen interviews with Andrea Bocelli and I have been struck by his humility and gentle spirit.  His sense of family and love for the Italian culture is palpable.  It is not surprising that he would make classic Old World wines, available at a price that allows for sharing with family and friends.

If you’ve been keeping up with the crazy week I had, I will not be making gnocchi from scratch this year, but I will be opening something special.  If you are still looking for wines for your Valentine’s meal, or for any time, the Bocelli wines are sure to add a bit of romanza.

* These wines were provided by the August Wine Group as media samples for review purposes.

Classic and Elegant-Franciscan Estates

When I was teaching, I didn’t review the files of my students right away.  I wanted to meet them, interact, observe with no preconceived notions about the individual.  After a time, in preparation for a goal-setting conference, I would look at what previous teachers had found in their time with the student in order to best serve that child.  Sometimes the notes were surprising; often they echoed my observations.

When reviewing a wine, I like to come to it with a clear palate and a clear mind. When I have had sufficient time with the wine, I like to go back and read the winemaker’s notes and the history of the vineyard. Each piece of information paints a picture and build my understanding of the industry, the winemaker, and the wine itself.  It also serves as a means for self-examination.  Did I pick up on that nuance?  Did it remind me of another wine from the same AVA?  Do I have a good understanding of how that variety typically shows?  And did the pairing I chose work or not with all of this in mind?  Then I go back to the wine with this knowledge and continue to learn. 

When I tasted the 2011 Franciscan Chardonnay and the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, they both elicited the same response.  These are very classic wines; these are very elegant wines.  If I were to think of a well done California Chardonnay or Cabernet from Oakville, the flavor profile of these wines would come to mind.  

Thanks to one of my favorite wine writers, Meg Houston Maker, I have learned how to best plan a meal to go with the wine.  Taste, plan, then revisit. Sometimes I have the luxury of time to do that, most often I do not.  The evening that I opened the Chardonnay, I did not have time to plan well, but happened to get lucky.  I had family at my house for a short time and had to pull something together.  I had bought a frozen Salmon filet so I quick thawed it, drizzled it with olive oil and dusted it with herbs and lemon zest.  I made orzo with goat cheese and lemon and asparagus.  I chilled the wine and dinner was on the table thirty minutes later.    

The wine was round and supple, a very elegant mouth feel.  The fruit was intense and the vanilla from the oak made it almost sweet and very creamy.  It was sturdy enough to hold up to the hearty Salmon and the acid of the lemon.  Each brought out the best in the other. 

With the Cabernet I made a Roasted Pepper Goulash with caraway seeds and paprika.  I had thought about pairing it with a peppery Syrah, but really wanted to try this Cab, so the Franciscan won.  This is an instance where the pairing worked, but it may have not been the best.  Either way, the wine was fabulous.  Dark cherry, spice, and a hint of rich cocoa.  Big enough to hold up to most anything, but not intimidating.  Smooth and delightful.  In the future, I would likely pair it with a grilled New York strip or something simpler.  It is such a classic wine, that a more classic pairing would allow the wine more room to shine without competition from a powerful sauce. 

When I sat down this morning to read more about the history and winemaking at Franciscan Estates, I felt as if I had passed an exam.  The descriptions and philosophy were very much in line with my experiences with these wines.  In the letter from Janet Myers, Director of Winemaking, she even states that, “they represent classic expressions of each variety.”  My thoughts exactly.  I say this, not to pat myself on the back, but to say that the process of learning about wine does not have to be intimidating.  It is as simple as being mindful during your experience.  Take note of all you smell, taste, see.  What does it remind you of?  Have you tasted a wine like this before?  Do you like certain aspects more than others?  Then read, learn, and reflect.  Repeat as necessary. Or as desired.

Disclaimer: These wines were provided as samples from Folsom and Associates.  The opinions are my own.

Greatest Hits of 2012

At the end of the year, WordPress sent me a summary of my year.  Sort of a year in review for the writer.  How many visitors, which posts were the most viewed, et cetera.  They invite you to share the information with your readers.  At first, I thought, “How Silly.  That is like Justin Bieber releasing a Greatest Hits.”  After all, I’ve only just begun (I hope you heard Karen Carpenter just then).  But then I looked at my top five posts from the year and I thought, “Yes, that is a pretty good cross-section of what I have done.”  So I am sharing it with a little back story.  Think of it as a pathetic version of Storytellers.  Cheers!

1 “Hey Girl…I love SAHMs” October 2012

Don’t you love new friends?  Especially those that share your affinity for all things Gosling?  And can make you laugh out loud with a text?  And inspire silly posts?  Me too.  It is no wonder this got a lot of views.  He’s impossible to resist. 

2 Grief and Gratitude  September 2012

I was due to write a new post, but it was September 11th, and I could not write about anything but.  I asked a group of ladies that write about wine if it was okay to venture outside that box.  With their encouragement, I did so.  This is my tribute to a dear, dear friend.

3 OTBN- A Gift from Gundlach Bundschu  February 2012

The first piece of writing I ever put out publicly was a 3rd place poem for a poetry contest at Gundlach Bundschu.  The second piece took first.  It was their encouragement that inspired me to write.  This was a post in which I “shared” the 1997 Cab Franc I received as a prize with my readers.

4 Trends, Schmends-I never gave up on you, Merlot January 2012 

If you have read for very long at all, you know that it is not uncommon to get a hint of psychology in the front and some introspection in the finish.  In Vino Veritas.

5 Molto Bene, Y’all  April 2012

I have loved, loved, loved getting involved in the Texas wine scene.  So many great things being produced, so many great people, and still so much to learn.  Thank you for welcoming me in and for your generous spirits.  This is a piece on a local winery that I grow more fond of with each visit.

So, there you have it.  A little personal stuff, a little humor, a lot of wine.  Some paired, some shared.  Yes, this is a blog about wine, but it is really so much more to me.  Thank you for reading and giving me a place to share, to grow, to learn.

East Coast vs. West Coast

This week I decided to sample two Chardonnays, back to back, for an East Coast/West Coast showdown.  The first Chardonnay was the 2010 Biltmore Reserve Chardonnay from North Carolina and the second was the 2010 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Chardonnay ($20).

The Biltmore was very easy to drink.  Which was great because we opened it after my son’s third birthday party.  I’d love to tell you how it paired, but we didn’t get that far.  A fresh pear green in color, with similar nose.  Hints of citrus, rounded with a bit of buttery notes.  There was some of the banana that you find with malo-lactic fermentation.  I would say this would be a very versatile wine, but not to pair it as you typically would when you think Chardonnay.  The oak was light, the fruit remained on the crisper side.  A fun take on Chardonnay, for sure.

We opened the Robert Mondavi for dinner last night.  I made a light pasta with asparagus, mushrooms, and chicken.  This was, what I consider to be, a very classic Chardonnay.  Classic, but without the heaviness that is sometimes overwhelming.  A pear yellow, lighter than some Chardonnays, but don’t let that fool you.  This bottle drinks like one that is older.  Pear, something tropical, and a floral perfume.  I tasted lemon, apple, some tannic notes, and a nutty, creamy finish.  There is definitely oak, but it doesn’t hit you in the back of the throat as some do.  I enjoyed this wine, especially as it hit the right temperature. 

So who won the bi-coastal showdown?  I think it depends on what you’re looking for in a Chardonnay.  A fun, lighter fruit forward wine with subtle oak or a creamy classic one?  Personally, I can’t call a winner.  As with most wines, there is a time and a meal for each of these.

*{Disclosure: I was provided with these wines from PR Firm, Folsom & Associates. All statements and opinions expressed in this article are my own.}

Time to Breathe

There are some evenings that just require a little more self-care than others.  After a tough conversation with your boss,  the day your dog ate your favorite boots, the Monday after Thanksgiving.  Or any day with a three-year old tornado.  This evening, I needed a little something extra. So while my husband has my daughter out for a date, I opened a sample I have been looking forward to, a 2010 Wild Horse Merlot.

After a couple disappointing reds this past weekend, I knew good old Merlot would not let me down.  The winemaker suggested a hearty Marinara or braised beef for pairing, so I knew I was taking a risk opening it with my dinner of cheese and crackers.  But I guess I was feeling a little “wild”.   

Baked berries, cedar, and a bit of spice on the nose.  My first sip told me that the wine lived up to its name.  With some time in the bottle, this wine would mellow and turn into something special.  (If you only knew all the horse puns I resisted here.)  For tonight, the best I could do was give it some time to breathe.  I know how that feels.

After about thirty minutes, I tried it again.  Red fruit with a backbone.  Bright cherry, round plum.  Classic Merlot and just was I was looking for tonight.  The spice and cedar added depth and balance.  Sometimes a wine just needs some time to relax into itself.  A little air, a little time, a little space.  Amen. 

It is no wonder why Paso Robles is getting so much attention.  I would love to see where this wine is going.  I know where I am going.  To my couch, with a remote, and a glass of  Wild Horse Merlot.  I promise I’ll be much more enjoyable in thirty minutes.

*{Disclosure: I was provided with this wine from PR Firm, Folsom & Associates. All statements and opinions expressed in this article are my own.}

My Favorite Kind of Evening

If you have littles, you know how hard it can be to make plans ahead of time.   The best laid plans are easily derailed by a runny nose or a meltdown brought on by a missed nap.  My good friends understand this, so we are all fans of the last-minute plans.  One example, that is quickly becoming a tradition with my sweet neighbor, is the last-minute potluck. The conversation usually begins like this. “I need to get out of my house.  What are your plans for dinner?”  And it usually ends with, “I’ll be over in 30 minutes.” 

Now, if asked to describe my ideal evening, it would be good food, good wine, good friends, on a good porch.  We had all of those last night.  We must have been on the same wavelength because we were both planning on Portobellos for entrees and a tomato salad.  Our combined effort became a delightful Italian feast, alfresco. Our spread included:

Grilled Portobellos marinated with balsamic, olive oil, and herbs

Sautéed Portobellos with fresh mozzarella

Tomato Basil Salad

Tomato, Cucumber, and Olive Salad

Roasted Rosemary Fingerling Potatoes

Grilled Ciabatta with Goat Cheese and Grilled Red Pepper

Arugula Salad with Parmesan and Lemon

We paired the meal with a  2007 Wellington Meeks Hilltop Zinfandel.  Gorgeous berries and just enough spice.  Black pepper and licorice.  Intense fruit and soft, smooth finish.  Super yum.  A good rule of thumb when pairing food and wine is to match regions.  Cheese from the Loire Valley?  Open a Vouvray or Cab Franc.  Paella on the menu? Rioja or Granacha should work. Central Italian fare?  Primitivo, Zin, or Sangiovese if you are looking for a red.  Of course, this isn’t a “rule,” just a starting point.  As your palate develops, you will know just what you want, which may or may not be a regional match.

I love a good Merlot with good chocolate and that is exactly how we ended our evening.  After a rousing game of flashlight tag, complete with an Opossum sighting, we opened a 2007 Pellegrini Cloverdale Ranch Merlot to have with a bar of Patric 70% Dark Chocolate.  The wine brought out the berry in the chocolate; the chocolate enhanced similar notes in the wine.  A perfect pairing and a perfect way to end my favorite kind of evening.

A Blind Date-Gusto Tastings

A cool, rainy Sunday can feel a little like Christmas here in Central Texas, especially at the Summer’s end.  Settling in at home with a cup of tea is about as good as it gets.  Unless you can be at Barley Swine enjoying a Blind Tasting with Gusto Tastings.  That is even better.

Each month, Gusto Tastings holds a blind tasting which allows you to test your palate and chat with other wine lovers in a warm, casual atmosphere.  Gusto Tastings says they,”strive to provide a different kind of service; one that not only is unique and fun but one that can inform and leave an impression.”  They do just that.  The two events I have attended thus far have been outstanding.  It can be difficult to make wine education approachable for the novice and still stretch the seasoned professional.  They have found that sweet spot.

Daniel Kelada founded Gusto Tastings in 2008.  He is a Senior Wine Instructor and an Executive Sommelier.  Daniel is extremely knowledgable in all things wine.  That is undeniable.  However, what I most appreciate about him is his warm demeanor and his ability to bring that expertise to others so effortlessly.  Every question was answered, his explanations were thorough, and yet he made you feel as if you were just chatting with a friend.  As a former teacher, I recognize and appreciate his gift.

On each table, there was a list of possible grapes from a variety of countries.  There were tasting forms, glasses for the flights, and some ridiculously tasty munchies, courtesy of Barley Swine.  On each form, there was a series of questions to help you narrow down your guess.  The goal being to determine:

• Country
• Region
• Varietal
• Vintage +/- 2yrs.
• Production Technique

Intimidated?  Don’t be.  Daniel then went through each wine and helped you recognize the clues in each wine that would lead to the correct answer.  I learned so much.  For example, where the acid hits on your tongue indicates the type of acid.  I learned about production techniques and the history of Gamay.  Yes, as luck would have it, we focused on French wines, about which I have much to learn.  The order of the wines in and of itself helped narrow down the possible regions.  The nose?  Another clue.  Old World or New world?  Cool climate or warm?  Seated with many professionals, it would have been easy to feel intimidated, but the group was so warm and so willing to help.  Instead, I felt encouraged and inspired.

Another special treat was a presentation by Madame Cocoa.  She teaches informal classes at UT Austin and at Chautauqua Institution in NY on the glorious bean.  She also gives dessert and chocolate tours here in Austin.  She shared four artisanal chocolates from various origins.  Amazing.  My favorites were Patric Chocolates from Madagascar.  A treat, for sure, but so worth it.

So, now I have a new addiction.  If it is the third Sunday of the month, and you need to find me, try Barley Swine.  Don’t want to wait that long?  Gusto Tastings is hosting another fun event this Wednesday at III Forks: Texas vs. The World where they will be featuring Viogniers.  And you know how I feel about Viognier.

Disclosure: I was provided a Media pass to attend this event