Phew! I did it!

I survived! Last night was my very first Vino Virtuoso wine tasting.  Thankfully, I hosted this one myself, in my own home, in front of my own friends (who were merciful!).  I was so nervous about doing ths, I felt like I used to before a big exam.  I spent a good part of the day wondering what the hell I was thinking when I signed up for this. Sure I love wine, but I hate talking in front of people and I am a horrible sales person.  Thankfully, in this instance, alcohol was not only allowed, it was required. Woot!

The evening was, I think, a big success.  After all, it was wine tasting with friends, what's not to love?  I overcame my nerves (with a little help from my friend, Vino) and ended up enjoying myself.  I'm sure I forgot half of what I meant to say but guess what? I'm the only one who knows that!!

The first wine of the evening was a 2009 Cantine Lunae Botini Vermentino from Italy.  I had never heard of Vermentino before, let alone tasted it.  This baby was the hit of the evening, even among those of us (ahem) who aren't big white wine drinkers. From grapes grown on a steep hillside in Liguria, this wine was medium bodied and very crisp.  It had notes of flowers and melon and minerals. There was even a hint of salt on the finish from the local sea breeze.  As one taster said, "This is the kind of wine that makes a sneak attack".  She's right! It's a very easy drinking wine with great flavor that keeps you drinking until suddenly - whooo - it hits ya!  I was really impressed with this wine.  If you ever come across a Vermentino, I encourage you to try it. 

Our last red of the night was a 2007 Pacific Estates Lustful Marriage Red Blend from Paso Robles. Talk about a nice end to the evening! This is an estate-grown blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Franc.  Jammy fruit flavors were complimented by cinnamon, pepper and chocolate.  It had a nice, long finish. This one was amazing paired with dark chocolate and was the most popular red wine of the evening.

At the end of the day, I had a great time, and so did my friends. Let's see if I have this right: I get to learn more about wine; I get to get out of the house and talk to adults; I get to share my love of wine with others, AND I am expected to drink while doing it?  Yeah, color me excited about this new venture.  

Cheers to Vino Virtuoso and my friends who made it such a great evening. And here's to my next tasting!