The invitation

You're hereby invited to:

Blind Wine

First Saturday of every month @ 7 p.m. @ [xxxx] Ave.

First one: TOMORROW!!

Here's what I know about wine: that I like it, except when I don't. I'd like to learn more about my preferences, and I think a series of blind tastings is the way to go. If you'd like to join me for any of the dates below, I'd be elated.

The idea: Everyone brings a bottle of wine *already wrapped in a paper bag or newspaper* and, if you want to dork out (like I will), a notebook. I'll mark and repour your wines into numbered carafes.

Wines can be anything within the day's guidelines (see below), but I encourage you to steer away from conventional favorites and try something you're curious about. With respect to alcohol volume: Couples should bring a joint bottle, and solo flyers are invited to bring a friend and a bottle.

Andrei and I will supply various cheeses or, if the mood strikes, heftier fare.

And yes, this is basically a pretext for hanging out and having fun!

Tentative schedule:

• October 3: Pinot Noirs from around the world, between $15 and $30.
• November 7: Argentina. Because of its Tango, because of its midnight dinners, and because of its delicious Malbec. Bring in your favorite, or something new.
• December 5: Guess the Chianti: Everyone brings an Italian wine (not Chianti), and I will supply the Chianti. -- idea snagged from a fun tasting I went to a few months ago.
• January 9: Lucha Libre: Rioja versus Priorat -- bring in one or the other, and let's watch them duke it out. [Formerly January 2]
  
• February 6: Port verus Porto versus oporto? Vintage vs tawny? Lots to learn, which means lots to drink. Bring it on!
• March 6: Happy Hour Whites: For this special Friday tasting, bring in something yummy and cheap. Bottoms up.
• April 3: Celebrated vintages: Hip or hype? Bring a fine French red Bordeaux from a celebrated vintage (I hear 2000, 2003 and 2005 were enthusiastically received). Any grape, any price, but it must be a Bordeaux from those three years. I'm willing to splurge if you're willing to drink. And vice versa, I'm sure. Deal?
• May 1: Decanter go wrong? Bring in anything you want -- from two buck chuck to this Chateau Lafite Rothschild '06 Pauillac. We'll sample it twice: first right from the bottle, then after its relaxing sojourn in the decanter.
• June 5: Champagne or Drano. It all depends on Roxana's dissertation committee... details TBA.
• July 3: Patriotic wine day. Bring in a wine from your home country. Already the options include Romania, Spain, Mexico, Lebanon, India and the U.S. of A. The point is to explore new possibilities, discover enticing new horizons and decide whose country's wine rocks!!
• August 7: White Grapes: Let's stick with $10-$25 per bottle and explore less common white grapes. Viognier, Semillion, Chenin Blanc, Palomino, Vernaccia and more. (Anything but Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and dessert wines, please.)
• September 4: Time for school to start, so how's this for an assignment: Match the label to the wine. Everyone brings in a red wine with a descriptive label. Transcribe the label separately, with no info about the wine's make, model or year. As we sample, we'll try to determine which of the wines is "fruity with a hint of lavender" and which is "aged in oak barrels resulting in a smooth finish." Detective work! 
• October 2: Underappreciated: Lotsa good Australian wines were overlooked in the Yellow Tail madness. Find such a specimen and enlighten us. (Inspired by this slide show.)
• November 6: Benefits of aging: We'll pick one wine -- anything that ages well -- and everyone who's coming brings one from a consecutive year. The more the merrier. Ideally, we'll get to sample the same wine from 2000-2005, for example. If there's a big price difference between bottles, we can average it out. And if only a few people participate, we can do every other year.
• December 4: Blind paradox: They say knowing a wine is expensive makes a taster prefer it. What happens when the label disappears? We'll need bottles ranging from $5 to $60. To make it fair, I can 'assign' a price point to each person, then bring in your receipt and we'll average them out. 

All ideas are subject to change based on your welcomed suggestions. Same goes for dates -- if Sunday or Friday is better, we can switch.

I realize some of you are not in San Diego, but I still hope you can come for even one!

Please let me know a few days ahead if you can make it. Let me know if you like a tasting theme but can't make that date. Let me know if you want to participate in any of the dates that involve advance planning (like June 5 and July 3). Let me know if you want off this list.

xo,
Roxana