Monday, August 11, 2014

Wine tasting .... well, somebodies got to do it.

The culinary world is vast and wide when it comes to writing a blog. One can venture into being a food critic, culinary traveler, culinary creator of new dishes, kitchen gadget and culinary taste testing.  Our blog, (Yes, "our" I do have a team that is out of the world awesome...kudos to Seraphina Uludong and Jeanette Robinson) .... covers mostly restaurant reviews, cocktail concoctions and recipes. BTW, Yep...that's the same Seraphina Uludong who wins most, if not all, the contests. No! Its not rigged, but she's the only one who enters the contest or participates. Winning by default is cool.

Lady E Cooks blog is adventures in the culinary world in Northern California. Which includes discoveries in the culinary world from Farmer's Markets to .... yes, you guessed it, Wine Tasting.
I have a unique advantage in the culinary world of Northern California. I live in the backyard of great vineyards. Within one to two hours I can visit great wineries either going North, South or even East from where I live. On this special day I only traveled 10 mins and less than 10 miles to a gathering of vintners in Oakland, California.
On display were 20 (or more) vintners. The complex world of wine tasting in a small venue is challenging, but someone has to do it. Did I have notable wineries that I would buy from or support? Sadly, no, I did not. I did enjoy the concept, but I have come to recognize that I'm ole school. I like visiting the wineries, talking to the vintners, taking a tour and basking in the Wine County sun. However, there were a couple of wineries that I will pay attend to going forward and see how they stack up in the future.


The other downside to small venues, lots of wineries local tasting ... some people just go to get drunk. Not to learn about wine, not to educate themselves or even find a new wine to enjoy. It's all about, lets see how drunk I can get. Lessons learned? Find out what demographic the venue is targeting. In my case, the crowd was too young and inexperienced in wine and the art of Oenology. No disrespect to the young men and women who attended the event.... It's not to say, the youngsters won't get grow into sophisticated wine lovers... like good wine, they just have to mature into the art form.
Going forward, I will revisit this local vintner showing concept, arrive with an open mind and research the vintners showcasing wines. Who knows I might come across a wine I can't live without.
Remember, cooking with love makes every dish better .... new experiences helps you grow, learn and expand in knowledge and perspective.


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