Open That Special Bottle Night

Along with countless other wine enthusiasts from across the country, we attended an Open That Special Bottle Night.

The tradition for this evening is that you serve dinner and invite friends to enjoy a special bottle (or two) of wine that you have been saving.

Thankfully our event was held at the Blackthorn Club, so there was no cooking required on my part! Our executive chef, James Allen, did an amazing job pairing the special bottles of wine with dishes to enhance all the wine and food flavors.

Our place settings at wine tastings can become a bit busy.

The social aspect of this event was great fun. Normally we discuss the wine and where it was grown, and why it tastes the way it does. Tonight we shared how we acquired our special bottle and why it was special. Everyone at the table then gets to taste the wine. The gentleman sitting in front of me is a retired engineer and an amateur scientist. We discussed quantum physics and string theory. Sometimes if you want a woman's attention, you have to talk nerdy to her.

One of the bottles Mr. Mickey brought was the toast of the evening. It was a French white Bordeaux from 1986. The label was captivating for me even before we opened it. The perfectly aged wine opened up to reveal notes of pear, honey, and caramel. Everyone who tasted it knew it was a special bottle that they may never have the chance to enjoy again.

I wore my Chico's sapphire boiled wool jacket with a simple black long sleeve tee and black knit Tahari pants on this cold evening. To give the outfit some light, I wore two long silver-colored necklaces, which both have crystal stones in their design. I added another boiled wool overcoat to go out the door. I was happy to stand in front of the fire for these photos. You can tell I am not a fan of cold weather.

Friday Wine Library Club

Last evening we tasted six lovely wines from the northern regions of Spain.

We tasted one white and five reds. My favorite was the very elegant white, Bodegas Avanthia Valdeorras Godello 2011.

Larry England says, let the tasting begin!

Bodegas Avanthia Valdeorras Godello 2011

Cune Rioja Crianza Tempranillo  2009

Bodegas Muga Rioja Reserva Tempranillo 2009

Bodegas Muga Rioja 'Prado Enea' Rioja Gran Reserva Tempranillo 2005

Bodegas Tinto Pesquera Ribera del Duero Tempranillo 2009

Alavaro Palacios Priorat Grenache Blend 2011

Since Rick, our usual wine guru is in the islands for a couple of months, this discussion was led by Lee Corpening, Certified Specialist of Wine. If you would like to learn more about wine, this is an excellent web site to visit, The Educated Grape.

These events are always rather casual, so I wore gray slacks with a white long sleeve tee and a navy blazer. I folded a large square scarf into a triangle and draped it over my shoulders before putting on the blazer. The shoes with low block heels are a couple of years old, but that style will be trendy this summer. 

The huge antique gold pin is one that I created more than twenty years ago. When I wear a large statement piece such as this, I minimize any other jewelry. My inspiration for wearing the pin this way came from a Ralph Lauren blazer I saw with a large gold crest on the breast pocket.

The items I wore this evening are all several years old. That's the beauty of good quality classics. They will serve you well for many years and can be worn in many combinations.

Dinner with the Wine Club

After a long busy week, we always look forward to date night on Friday. This evening, we enjoyed a special dinner with friends at the beautiful home of our wine club members. 

The gold necklace, metallic copper sweater, and wheat-colored tank are from Chico's Fall 2013 line. The black pants and low heeled shoes are old.

Enjoying the bouquet of a lovely Veramonte Ritual Pinot Noir from Chile. Cool night air coming off the ocean allows the grapes grown to result in a wine with a bright fruit aroma and flavors of black cherries, blueberry, raspberry, and plum.

Rick graciously conducts our wine club gatherings. He humbly shares his vast knowledge of wine, peppered with stories of his travels worldwide to visit vineyards. It is always a pleasure to be in his company.

It was so nice to spend the evening with dear friends and get to know some new ones a little better.

The Wine Club

Mr. Mickey and I are charter members of a wine club. Last night we attended a tasting which included the Italian wines Baraolos and Brunellos.

I am wearing a long black, red, and cream sweater over a long-sleeve red tee with a bold Asian-inspired tassel necklace all from Chico's. The straight leg black pants are from Stein Mart a couple of years ago. The shoes are from Nordstrom. The bag is by Tahari via T.J.Maxx last year. 

Before the tasting, I studied that large map of Italy showing all the wine regions on the easel. Have you been to Italy?