[Trish Crocker]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I want to join too. Can I bring my chilled bottle of Simply Lemonade?

I am the daughter of someone who could tell which side of the hill the grapes were grown and what season, country, valley and the corks manufacturer.

I tried for years to get the hang of it, but all I got when drinking wine was the idea I was interesting and intelligent and after three glasses I wanted to show off my old tap dancing routine.

I decided to stop drinking.

I now just watch and sip my lemonade. It works for me.

Of course you can come..besides, we need a designated driver. Remember the circus act when they would put 20 or so people in a little car? Ever try it with a golf cart?? When we drink to the point that this sounds like a good idea, we'll know it's time to quit!

[tippyclubb]

Trish I know this is a far fetched ideal but perhaps you could have a wine tasting event September 14th? My girlfriend and I are coming down, but unfortunately only for one day. We are spending the entire day/evening there. We planned on spending time at one of the town squares so we can mingle with you wonderful people. Both of us really enjoy our wine and would fit right in.

I'm sure your wine parties will be a big hit as I have hosted many of them during our cold winter months. I would give them a wine quiz sheet, and a wine checklist sheet to make it more interesting. If you like I can get that information to you through a pm.

Yes, Barefoot I remember Chianti bottles with candle drips. Was'nt that the silliest thing ever? Awww sweet memories of our youth.

[novie2]

The idea of wine tastings sounds like fun and I always have some cheez whiz and crax on hand.

I only know 2 things about wine though, either I like it or I don't like it, however I have found my favorite wine at a little winery just down Hwy 27 from the Villages.."Lakeridge winery"....we would stop in for a tasting on trips down to Disney....They have one called "Southern White", a soft, slightly sweet wine that has become my all time favorite. It is made from muscadine grapes a bottle used to be $8 now up to $10....for years I had to order the wine from the winery but now it's available at ABC and even Publix.

eweissenbach, it's one you and your wife might like.

Lakeridge has a sister winery now in St. Augustine "San Sebastian Winery" and the soft white wine there made from muscadine grapes is called "Vintner White".....

They offer tours, tastings, wine parings and other events...and have some award winning wines for the connoisseur ...if you haven't been there, it makes a nice day trip.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by tippyclubb

Yes, Barefoot I remember Chianti bottles with candle drips. Was'nt that the silliest thing ever? Awww sweet memories of our youth.

Yes, Tippyclubb, the silliest thing ever, and at the time, I thought it was the height of romantic!

My friend buys wine by the case from Walmart at $3 a bottle. He says it is the only wine that doesn't give him a hangover. For that price, they probaby are selling him simply lemonade in wine bottles!

[runnermi]

Awww man! I would love to join you but it is one heck of a long drive from Michigan for an evening of sipping vino.

A wine snob I am not, my box of death sits proudly on my counter. Love the little tapper on that thing.

Slow day at work today, what can I say?

[Trish Crocker]

Originally Posted by runnermi

Awww man! I would love to join you but it is one heck of a long drive from Michigan for an evening of sipping vino.

A wine snob I am not, my box of death sits proudly on my counter. Love the little tapper on that thing.

Slow day at work today, what can I say?

Gail, I'm in Michigan too...my husbands practice is in Livonia and we live in Bloomfield Hills. Nice to know I'm not the only Michigander waiting to move to the Villages! We go to a wine tasting every Thursday at Plum Market..15 and Orchard Lake Rd. I saw in a catalog once a sterling silver wine box cover..thought it was too funny!

[Trish Crocker]

Originally Posted by tippyclubb

Trish I know this is a far fetched ideal but perhaps you could have a wine tasting event September 14th? My girlfriend and I are coming down, but unfortunately only for one day. We are spending the entire day/evening there. We planned on spending time at one of the town squares so we can mingle with you wonderful people. Both of us really enjoy our wine and would fit right in.

I'm sure your wine parties will be a big hit as I have hosted many of them during our cold winter months. I would give them a wine quiz sheet, and a wine checklist sheet to make it more interesting. If you like I can get that information to you through a pm.

Yes, Barefoot I remember Chianti bottles with candle drips. Was'nt that the silliest thing ever? Awww sweet memories of our youth.

I would LOVE to have a tasting in September...unfortunately we haven't moved to TV yet so I will still be in Michigan, sadly drinking the wine while watching the leaves change color in preparation for the cold, snowy winter that follows.

[swimdawg]

Count me in, Trish.........as long as I can bring a bucket of ice and pour wine on top. Lexi, the cute dawg is the DD....and she is booked for all wine tastings so I drive myself. How 'bout some good horseradish cheese from WNY? Yummmm.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by kandj

PTurner, Where can one find a nice, inexpensive red Zin here? My fav's are old vines from the Lodi region.

Count me (us - Jim, too) in these get-togethers.

Hi Kandj. Some have already been mentioned. Another nice, inexpensive one from Lodi region is 7 Deadly Zins.

[tippyclubb]

Trish were in Warren, Michigan and we won't be retiring for three more long hard years. In the meantime I will be sipping wine and dreaming of TV.

[rubicon]

Back in 1970 my wife pushed me to attend a Marriage Encounter weekend. I had kn own about this program for sometime and also knew our neighborshad attended or were going to attend. I didn't want to go and so when she approached me and asked I responded with "A marriage is like a good glass of wine." "It should be enjoyed and not over analyzed." That held her off for one year and then we decide to compromise and do it her way...meaning we did the weekend.

However, I do believe that wine should not be over analyzed. There is a weekly column on wine in the Wall Street Journal which I enjoy and gives me information on different wines. the author once wrote how they experimented by replacing expensive wine with on the shelf wine re-corked it and had unknowning experts do a wine tasting. You guessed it they rated everyone of these wines well. so what was re-verified to me is that wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good. By the way i tried some Lake county red and found it to be good....but then I like most reds...More discriminate cocnerning whites

What is good about the wine tasting idea is meeting more nice people from TV....as long as you don't over analyze them

[Leafpoker]

You bet the wine tasting club here is a great group. Just get the book "leasureville" it explains all about it. Enjoy

[caltex63]

Two Buck Chuck- My favorite

[chuckinca]

Some great Lake County reds and whites to be had this weekend:

http://www.lakecountywineries.org/


.

[Trish Crocker]

Originally Posted by tippyclubb

Trish were in Warren, Michigan and we won't be retiring for three more long hard years. In the meantime I will be sipping wine and dreaming of TV.

I lived in Warren at 11 and Hoover until 2005. When we get to the Villages we have to meet up for a good glass!