Wine the Strategic Way at the BCAE

Maybe you know a little bit about wine.

As in, you know you like it, you know there's a lot to know, and you know you want to know more.

It's just that it's all so overwhelming, you have no real idea where to start, and you hate looking stupid.

What to do? What to DO??

Here's what:

Sign up for the class that starts this Thursday at the Boston Center for Adult Education.

And here's why:

It's designed for people with no previous knowledge and a limited understanding of wine. (Which means stupid questions are welcome.)

It's broken down into five sessions, three hours each. (That's not so overwhelming, is it?)

And the instructor tells you exactly where to start. (How to taste wine, how to read labels, how to select wine, and which grapes and regions to definitely know.)

Rumor is that you take this course and you start actually feeling confident about choosing and drinking wine. Just imagine.

Better decide quick though. First class is this Thursday, and those 40 samples of wine you'd be tasting only go so far.

WHAT: Wine and Spirits Education Trust Intermediate Certificate Course

WHERE: Boston Center for Adult Education, 122 Arlington Street, Boston

WHEN: Five Thursday nights beginning January 21, from 6 to 9 p.m.

MORE INFO AND RSVP: Click here.

DAILY TIDBIT:

Check out the 3-minute wine school organized by WSET, or Wine and Spirits Education Trust (the folks who sponsor the tasting course described in this email). You'll find 12 short films on different wines styles and regions. For free. Think of it like a pre-tasting for the course!

RWB Contest: Ravenswood Winemaker Dinner Plus a Lot of Something Extra

The Boston Wine Festival is well underway over at the Boston Harbor Hotel and, though we yearn for the wines and salivate over the menus, there's one tiny little catch.

The winemaker dinners there are awful pricey.

Yes, the Festival goes on for three months and yes, somewhere in there we should be able to find a dinner that's a little more doable.

Still, if you're going to go that far, wouldn't it be nice to get a little more than you bargained for?

"A little more" is exactly what Ravenswood is offering as part of their winemaker dinner on Wednesday, January 20.

Except "a little more" is a major understatement.

Consider the agenda for the night:

• Show up a little bit early.

• Meet Joel Peterson, who's been making wine in Sonoma since 1976.

• Say, "I'm one of those people."

• Joel, who's been expecting you, will personally sign a 3-liter bottle of his Cab.

• Sit down for dinner. Savor four courses of Chef Bruce's legendary food, including duck breast, osso bucco, shredded prosciutto, lemon custard.....
  

• Sip an elaborate lineup of Ravenswood wines, from Chard to Zin to Syrah to Gewurz.

• Walk away, bellies full, with your jeroboam of Cab.

(Bonus: Imagine the party you can throw with a bottle of wine like that.)

The fine print... This offer is open only to the first five people who respond to this email and reserve their seats.

To be clear on the process: Let us know you'd like to participate. We help you purchase your seat. Your name goes on Joel's list. You get a seat at the wine dinner. Plus that jeroboam of Cab.

Definitely a little more than you bargained for.


WHAT: Ravenswood Winemaker Dinner Plus "A Little More"
WHERE: Boston Harbor Hotel, 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston
WHEN: Wednesday, January 20 at 7 p.m.
COST: $145. 3-liter bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon available to first five people who sign up.
RSVP: Contact us.


DAILY TIDBIT:

Word of the Day: Jeroboam

Jeroboam = three liters = six regular bottles of wine

Win Tickets. Drink Zin. Rosenblum Wine Dinner at the Crowne-Plaza Boston Natick

Maybe you think Rosenblum Cellars is all about the Zinfandel.

You wouldn't be wrong, exactly. But we think Rosenblum's a lot more about the story.

As in, going from home winemaker to urban winery to award-winning, highly-rated wines.

As in, going from practicing veterinarian to leading producer of Zinfandel and Rhône-varietal wines.

As in, a winemaker -- and his wines -- with a whole lot of perspective.

Next Friday night, Rosenblum brings that perspective to the Crowne-Plaza Boston Natick for a very special wine dinner.

The wines?

2006 Rosenblum Cellars, Contra Costa County Zinfandel
2006 Rosenblum Cellars, Paso Robles Zinfandel Richard Sauret Vineyards
Rosenblum Cellars, Desiree Chocolate Flavored Dessert Wine

The food?

Appetizers include Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Seared U-8 Scallop and Baked Polenta Socal with Contra Costa Zinfandel Tri-Colored Pepper Sauce
Entrée: Juniper Berry, Apple Cider Soaked Pan-Seared Venison Saddle
Dessert: Fudge Cake Stack

Your opportunity to partake?

Tickets are only $45 a person (excluding tax and gratuity), which makes it a great idea for an after-work gathering or an early date.

You can win your way in as well! Send us 100 words or less about the life experience that makes your own perspective something special. It could win you two free seats at Rosenblum's table.

Contest starts now until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19. Winner only will be notified by 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

Because, whether you're a Zinfandel winemaker or a Bostonian with a story, a little perspective goes a very long way.


WHAT: Rosenblum Cellars Wine Dinner
WHERE: Crowne-Plaza Boston Natick, 1360 Worcester Street, Natick
WHEN: Friday, January 22 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
COST: Normally $45/person. Send us your entry for a chance to win two free tickets.
RSVP (and take no chances): Call 508.653.8800


DAILY TIDBIT:

Running the numbers on Rosenblum:
120 small lots of grapes
30 strains of yeast from around the world
55 different coopers producing their barrels in the US, France, Hungary, and Russia
90+ scores

Getting Around: How to Navigate the Boston Wine Expo, at the BCAE

You know it's coming.

It's right around the corner.

The Boston Wine Expo is THE biggest wine event all year in all of Massachusetts -- will 1800 wines be enough for ya? -- and it's happening next week-end.

The thing is, it's a bit of a mob scene.

We mean that in a good way.

Because not only is there wine (and lots of it), there are also cooking demonstrations and wine seminars and and and.

If you're going to come anywhere near maximizing your experience, you need a plan.

Get it, tomorrow night at the Boston Center for Adult Education.

Here's what will happen:

A trained wine educator and an Expo expert team up to orient you, sketch out an itinerary dedicated to your particular interests, and overall help you navigate the two-day extravaganza.

You taste some of the wines featured during the Expo. (Not all 1800, mind you, just a few of the special ones.)

You get admission to either the Saturday or Sunday event. Normally that runs you $75 to $85 or more, but the BCAE is offering this class PLUS admission for $80 all in.

In other words, it's a no-lose deal.

We love it when a plan comes together.


WHAT: Navigating the Boston Wine Expo
WHERE: Boston Center for Adult Education, 122 Arlington Street, Boston
WHEN: Friday, January 15 from 6 to 8 p.m.
COST: $80 for members, $85 for non-members
SIGN UP: Click here.


DAILY TIDBIT:

It's reasonable to not immediately think of the Boston Wine Expo as a charity event. Yet since the first Expo 19 years ago, its organizers have donated more than $700,000 to non-profit organizations all over New England. Recipients? They include the Tufts-New England Medical Center's Summer Camp Program for Children with Disabilities and the New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans.

How to Have a Non-Slump Mid-January: Wine Specials Around Town

Ah, mid-January.

Right about now, the shine of New Year's resolutions may have started to dull.

Enthusiasm for all those life-changing projects -- conceived somewhere between 11:35 p.m. on December 31 and 12:15 a.m. January 1 -- may start to wane, just a little.

Your team (ahem) may even be out of the playoffs.

Sigh.

The good news?

Restaurants and wine shops all around town are trying hard to ride the Oct-Nov-Dec wave of (relative) prosperity well into the New Year.

They're on a roll. They're re-energized after a few good nights' sleep (finally!) earlier this month. And they're looking for you to keep walking through their front door.

Here are a few special specials we've noticed this week.

(We're sure there's more. Any especially good ones we've missed? Let us know.)

WHAT: 2005 Sori Paitin Barbaresco "Serra" Piemonte
WHERE: The Spirited Gourmet in Belmont and Winchester
WHY NOW: It's a serious Barbaresco. And it's affordable.

WHAT: Tasting of four beers from Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project
WHERE: bottles, 372 Commercial Street, Boston on Thursday, January 14
WHY NOW: When's the last time you tried a beer called Babayaga?

WHAT: Dewar's Private Tasting Events
WHERE: The Loft, 319 A Street, Boston
WHY NOW: Blended Scotch whisky. Ten chances to learn about it. Get yours.

WHAT: Cognacs & Armagnacs
WHERE: Gordon's, 894 Main Street, Waltham on Tuesday, January 19
WHY NOW: It's cold outside. Cognacs and Armagnacs make it warm on the inside.

WHAT: Wines of Iberia tasting
WHERE: BLM Wine + Spirits, 1354 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston on Saturday, January 16
WHY NOW: Spanish wines + Portuguese Wines = One Tasty Peninsula


DAILY TIDBIT:

"Punt" refers to the dimple at the bottom of a wine bottle. The punt increases a bottle's strength, allowing it to withstand the high pressure of, for example, Champagne and sparkling wines.

Four Courses, Three Wines, Small Tab at Regatta of Cotuit

Here's the technical definition of prix fixe:

A complete meal offered at a fixed price.

Here's the more thorough definition of prix fixe:

The set-menu, no-substitutions policy means the restaurant kitchen stays under control, particularly during very busy shifts like Mother's Day or Valentine's Day. Prix fixe also appeals to people who want to know ahead of time exactly what they're getting for exactly how much money.

And here's Regatta of Cotuit's version of prix fixe:

Four imaginative courses -- with choices -- including an amuse bouche.

Plus three wine pairings.

Every single Wednesday, year-round.

At what some people think is the best restaurant on the Cape.

For $45.

That's what we call prix fixe deluxe.

Who's up for a drive?


WHAT: Weekly Wine & Food Flight Menu
WHERE: Regatta of Cotuit, 4631 Falmouth Road, Cotuit
WHEN: Wednesday evenings
COST: $45


DAILY TIDBIT:

The next time you want to describe the texture of a wine, remember that historically the same language used to describe textiles was also used to describe wine. Think silk, velvet, cashmere, wool, even burlap!

"Speed Dating" with New Zealand Wines

Want a date for next Friday night?

It's your chance to get personal. With five major varietals from New Zealand, that is.

There will be five different tables.

Where you'll find five different grapes.

And five very well-informed people to talk with you about the personality of each grape.

All in all, you'll taste at least 15 New Zealand wines -- three wines made from each of the five grapes -- ranging from dry Riesling to fruity Pinot Noir to iconic Sauvignon Blanc.

The best part?

The pourers will help you see -- and taste -- what really differentiates a Riesling from a Sauvignon Blanc from a Pinot Gris from a Pinot Noir.

Because when it comes to dating, it's all about personality.

Come and try a few on.

You'll find your match.

DISCOUNT FOR RWB READERS: SIGN UP BEFORE JANUARY 18 AND RECEIVE $5 OFF THE PRICE OF ADMISSION!! USE THE CODE RWBNZWINES AT CHECK-OUT.


WHAT: "Speed Dating" with New Zealand Wines
WHERE: Boston Center for Adult Education, 122 Arlington Street, Boston
WHEN: Friday, January 22 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
COST: Normally $25. $20 for Red White Boston readers until January 18 with the code RWBNZWINES.


DAILY TIDBIT:

The government of New Zealand sponsors a project called Falcons for Grapes in Marlborough. The idea is to record data from GPS devices attached to the falcons to demonstrate whether falcons can survive and settle in the human-made vineyard environment. Researchers will also analyze the relationship between falcons and smaller birds in order to assess potential damage to vineyards.