Planning a wine dinner, where do you start? Finding the right location (Home or a local restaurant), how many people to invite, will you have a wine theme (vintage or varietal), or just getting plugged into your local population of wine geeks. It can all be confusing.
Come join the GrapeRadio crew as we share our experiences on planning a successful wine dinner.
Great Resource for finding a wine dinner: Local Wine Events Finder
Sponsor: Varietals Wine Merchants
Click Below to Play the Show:
(28:06 min 13 MB)
Discussion |
Vinci in Chicago has a monthly wine dinner that is a lot of fun. The food is great — we eat there frequently. Once a month they host a wine dinner where they put 3-4 couples at a table. It is a fixed price dinner and a set menu. They will have an Italian winery represented, who will pour a different wine with each course.
Again, great food, great way to investigate different wines, and a great way to meet new people. Sometimes, based on the wine and meal, it can easily take over the restaurant.
Great show as usual, but Jay is killing me with his comments about wearing his “Grape Radio” shirt within the broadcast to go to a restaurant. I would love to get one for my selfish self. How can I get one of those? Will you be selling them soon in your online shop?
WOW, where to start…
This show is so timely for me personally, as part of work fund raiser I auctioned off a Old World vs. New World wine tasting for six (yours truly hosting) in two weeks. This will be the first time I will be talking about wine to some friends but mostly strangers. The group are not completely novices when it comes to wine but know what they like and stick to it. We will be tasting a Sauv. Blanc (New Zealand) and Sauternes, Riesling (German and Oregon St.), Melbec (Argentina and France) and Pinot Nior (Burgundy and Russian Rvr. Valley).
When doing a tasting like this I am assuming each participant should have two glasses so they can do side by side comparisons? When doing old world vs. new world is the vintage important? The tasting is to illustrate the differences in style. You talked about goat cheese with sauv. blanc, what other cheeses could you recommend? Can you recommend some wines that will illustrate these difference that are in the $15-25 range? This group typically does not exceed the $10-12 range so I would like to introduce them to something a little different.
I have so many other questions around this subject, but am not going to clog the blog with them at this time.
Once again thank you for a thought provoking show. You guys rock! I think a listener wine dinner would be a great idea. I also second Richards question of getting my hands on a GrapeRadio shirt.
Another entertaining and informative segment. What I enjoy most about your episodes is the easy and relaxed conversation and banter that you all have, even when interviewing your guests. It makes me, as a listener, feel drawn or enagaged at the topic.
You guys are definitely on a roll. I think you are onto something - GrapeRadio Listeners Offline and GrapeRadio T-shirts! I’m in! Love this wine blog.
If you do have GrapeRadio T-Shirts, ask your listeners send in a photo of them wearing the T-Shirt in front of a landmark or location and post it on your web page. Wouldn’t it be cool to see GrapeRadio in front of the Eiffel Tower, or Red Square, or Ch. Margaux, or the Sydney Opera House, etc.
Cheers!
Ramon, that has to be the idea of the year! I have been getting a big kick out of the GrapeRadio Map , but your suggestion takes it to whole new level.
Jay
Another HOME RUN! I concur with all the above comments - and like the idea of the T-shirts in front of places - but shouldn’t they be wine related? Pictures with winemakers in cellars all over the world would be cool. I hosted a wine dinner a few years ago using my cellar vertical of Domaine Drouhin Oregon. I worked with Valentino’s Restaurant in Santa Monica and it entire event was spectacular.
A GrapeRadio off line is a great idea! It could be done in conjunction with a major wine event (World of Pinot Noir in March comes to mind as a suggestion) or at a local eatery. Regardless I’m there!