The Naked Vine...in your living room?

Looking for an idea to spice up a party? Want your friends to love you forever? I've got a deal for you...

Thanks to the good folks at A Taste Of Monterey, I'm now available for in-home wine tastings. The setup goes something like this:

The host/hostess purchases a six pack of wines at a discount. You provide some appetizers and the like, and I come to your place and lead a tasting. The wines span the spectrum, and they're all affordable -- most are between $15-20. If people like the wines, I'll take orders and these wines will be delivered to your front door. Yes, I get a commission -- but it's a whole lot more fun doing wine than Tupperware, Amway, or those "fun parties" that I hear women in my office whispering about.

In any case, if you're interested in hosting one of these things, or if you'd just like some information, drop me a line. The calendar fills up, so let me know!

Salon Selections

I'm happy to report that the Sunday Salon benefit for the Rape Crisis and Abuse Center of Hamilton County went extremely well, in my estimation. We had a good crowd, delicious appetizers whipped up by hosts Jan and David Lazarus, and some lively lighthearted conversation. It was my first such event as a speaker, and I'm happy with the way that it unfolded.

I've had a couple of requests to post a list of the wines we featured at the tasting. So, without further ado:

• Mumm Napa Brut Prestige ($13-16)
• Kenwood 2006 Sauvignon Blanc ($11-14)
• Excelsior 2006 Chardonnay ($7-10)
• Chateau St. Michelle 2006 Columbia Valley Riesling ($7-11)
• Belle Vallée 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($20-24)
• Francis Coppola 2006 Rosso Shiraz ($9-12)
• Kinkead Ridge 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon ($17-20)
• Beni di Batasiolo 2005 Moscato d'Asti ($11-14)
  

Thanks again to everyone who made the event possible. I'm honored to have been able to help out. All the best!

The Naked Vine Goes Public

I’m honored and humbled to be asked to lead one of the Sunday Salons in Cincinnati. The Salons are fundraisers for the Rape Crisis and Abuse Center of Hamilton County. Tickets for the event are $65, and you’ll get to hear me ramble on in person about affordable wine. (As a friend pointed out, the ticket will be about the same price as the six wines I’ll be showing…)

If you’re in the area, come on out and say hello. It’s going to be a really nice event. The Salon will be hosted by David and Jan Lazarus. David, whose oenological knowledge knows few bounds, gave great assistance in selecting the wines for the event, while his wife Jan is a top-notch professional cook. She will be doing specific food pairings for each course. Delicious.

Also, you may have noticed that we’ve picked up another print home for the Vine. The Valley Planet in Huntsville, Alabama, is the latest to join the Benefactor Vineyard. Welcome to Jill and her crew in “Rocket City.”

The Vine turns One

Happy birthday to me!

One year ago today, the Naked Vine was born.

One hundred twenty-some odd tasting notes, a couple of vacations, and only moderate liver damage later -- and the Vine is still going strong.

A few well-deserved kudos:

• To the Sweet Partner in Crime -- the best partner and editor I could ever dream of.
• To Scott -- for the quote that led to this madness.
• To Dave -- for the pints that led to "Sommelier for the Common Man."
• To Renee and Brian from Vintner Select -- my mentors in this little project.
• To The Wizard of Covington -- for all sorts of moral support.
• To folks like Mark Morford, Bill Simmons, Digby, and Al Featherston -- for helping me find a voice.
• To the Benefactors -- The Dayton City Paper, Planet Weekly, Whatzup, and YES! Weekly -- for giving me the chance to expand beyond the blog.

And most of all, to all of you who read regularly or just stop by occasionally -- wherever you are, I hope you've found something here to your liking.

Cheers, L'Chaim, Slainte, Prost, and on and on...to another year and another harvest. Thanks to all.

Time for a party!