Looking at the "master w.w gtg calendar", I'm thinking that we need to get cracking! If we don't have our next get-together before mid-July, I think we'll be out of luck until late-August at the earliest.

Guess it's time for everyone to check personal calendars!
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Details:

Date: July 17
Time: 5pm
Theme: V for Victory!!! Your wine's Varietal, Vineyard, Winery, Wine Name, or AVA should begin with the letter "V".
Host: nabrunk. We think. Actually we are pretty sure.

Attending:
1. cjsiege
2. nabrunk
3. InShadows
4. hershelk - 2009 Vernaccia Di San Gimignano
5. aranderson
6. InShadows+1
7. InShadows+2
8. k1avg - 2006 Violante Nero di Troia and/or 2009 Cuatro Rayas Verdejo
9. Alaska1
* kkv123 - 2006 St. Supery Virtu White Meritage

Regrets:
* tripgrad
* Alaska1's +1

I'm out of town the weekend of the 4th otherwise I am fairly open. I will not be able to host this one, but possibly the one after.

The 26th is my birthday.

I can't host, since we live in an English basement on the Hill, but I should have quite a few bottles by then to potentially share.

Also, if anyone is interested, my homebrewed Belgian Strong Ale should be just about ready by then, and I'll probably have a few Bourbon Barrel Porters left. I'm happy to share either as a conversation piece or for a quick break from the wine.

I'm free on the following dates and can always host if ppl are interested in driving out to the sticks, which means being not metro accessible.

June 19
June 26 (although that weekend is the NoVA Brew Fest so k1avg might not be able to attend or just be limited to one day)
July 3
July 17
July 31

As of right now I am free any weekend except for June 19th.

InShadows wrote:June 26 (although that weekend is the NoVA Brew Fest so k1avg might not be able to attend or just be limited to one day)

I hadn't heard of that (we just moved into town last year), but thanks for the link! If this gathering isn't that weekend, then that will probably figure substantially into my birthday plans.

Im out of town Jun. 13th till the 23rd, but am open if I can get it. Let me know.

OK, sounds as if June 26th or later is in play, but probably *not* Independence Day weekend.

Anyone else wish to chime in?

I vote for July. I will be in Alaska Jun 13- 25th. So for my selfish reasons. :P

I also have the Germain Riesling for all you that asked for it.

I'm in - though my schedule is wonky from now until Sept. I can edit later as to specific dates I'm free - though I suspect there won't be very many.

I'm in for any date except 03July which already has an Italian-themed private party scheduled in Fairfax. Let me know if you want to go with us...

The playoffs in my soccer league are on Saturdays throughout July, and my team is likely to make it pretty far (huzzah). The games should be in the morning, though, so I can still make an afternoon get-together. There's always the possibility we'll get a later match, though, so I might have to cancel at the last minute.

As expected, (if I do make it) I'll have tons of wine to share. Just check my CT and request anything you'd like to try. Obviously, I've got a veto, but I also want to make a good first impression and all that, so, you know, I'll be fairly liberal.

How about July 17? That seems to be matching up to many calendars.

Next decision will be theme.

cjsiege wrote:How about July 17? That seems to be matching up to many calendars.

Next decision will be theme.

Well, I suppose that will depend on past themes, right? What's been done before?

k1avg wrote:Well, I suppose that will depend on past themes, right? What's been done before?

What HAVEN'T we done as a theme?

If you click the NoVA/DC Century link in my signature, you can go to the century club spreadsheet. From there, go to column L. There are the URL's for all of the previous NoVA/DC GTGs. Except for the one last month. I haven't updated it just yet.

cjsiege wrote:How about July 17? That seems to be matching up to many calendars.

Next decision will be theme.

Don't we need a host first, or are we going to go with InShadows the only offer so far? In which case we should go with some white focussed theme.

hershelk wrote:Don't we need a host first, or are we going to go with InShadows the only offer so far? In which case we should go with some white focussed theme.

I have been silent thus far...not out of desire, but necessity. My plans over the next 6-8 weeks are a bit uncertain.

I'm happy to see what dates the community room is available...but I would have to select a date that we have somebody who could be a back-up host in the event that personal circumstances require that I make a last-minute trip back to Iowa.

This conditional offer to host is hardly optimal, I know, but it's the best I can do at the moment. Still, if it would meet our needs say the word and I'll gladly check the community room calendar.

hershelk wrote:Don't we need a host first, or are we going to go with InShadows the only offer so far? In which case we should go with some white focussed theme.

Sometimes, we all tend to be a bit indecisive. We do this dance of maybe so, maybe no. I've observed that once the first decision is made, other things seem to start coming together. So, I figured I'd make an initial move off the dime, and see who all moves forward with me. We may need to change things, but at least there is motion.

As for a theme suggestion, I've been kicking around "V for Victory". Varietals, Vineyards, etc. that all begin with V.

I can do 7/17! If no one else can do it, I can host again, though we'll want to be inside with the lovely AC, I think.

As some of you saw, my place is pretty small - so if we decide to do it there, I would limit attendees to 10 or 12.

I like "V" for victory (or Vendetta, if that's the way you roll).

cjsiege wrote:As for a theme suggestion, I've been kicking around "V for Victory". Varietals, Vineyards, etc. that all begin with V.

In vino veritas.

A friendly reminder to all those in the DC Metro area. The 29th Annual Vintage Virginia wine festival is this weekend. 49 wineries are already slated to be at this event. Come on out for the wine tastings, food to buy, music to listen to. Best of all friendly wine.wooters will be pouring at this event!

InShadows wrote:Best of all friendly wine.wooters will be pouring at this event!

What will the surly ones be doing?

I really wish I could make it - I'm stuck in pro bono training all day

nabrunk wrote:What will the surly ones be doing?

I really wish I could make it - I'm stuck in pro bono training all day

But it's two days both Saturday and Sunday. And the surly ones will be acting as security for the event.

Initial post updated.

Is that a typo or are we actually doing it on Sunday, the 18th? That's great for me, actually, since the playoff finals are on the 17th.

Also, if I can make it, I'll be bringing a plus-one. At least as long as I can manage to not buy any more wine (read: have any more wine shipped to the house) for a couple weeks.

k1avg wrote:Is that a typo or are we actually doing it on Sunday, the 18th? That's great for me, actually, since the playoff finals are on the 17th.

Also, if I can make it, I'll be bringing a plus-one. At least as long as I can manage to not buy any more wine (read: have any more wine shipped to the house) for a couple weeks.

Sorry, that's a typo. it's the 17th, unless there is push to change the date.

I'll also add your +1 to the list.

cjsiege wrote:Sorry, that's a typo. it's the 17th, unless there is push to change the date.

I'll also add your +1 to the list.

No worries. I'll try my best to make it, but if it conflicts with the finals, those take priority (sorry!).

I've already scoped out a couple wines to bring, and whether or not I show up I'll make sure you guys get your grubby paws on them.

OK So I am working on it, not sure yet but put me down as a maybe. I will let you know for sure ASAP. Hope to see your guys again!

k1avg wrote:Also, if I can make it, I'll be bringing a plus-one. At least as long as I can manage to not buy any more wine (read: have any more wine shipped to the house) for a couple weeks.

Small note - I'm still planning on bringing a plus-one if I come, but it won't be SWMBO, who is leaving for vacation with her family in South Carolina that day, and instead will be another moderately wine-aware female friend of mine.

Just so no one gets confused or embarrasses me.

k1avg wrote:I've already scoped out a couple wines to bring, and whether or not I show up I'll make sure you guys get your grubby paws on them.

Well, I had picked out two varietals on Schneider's website that weren't yet tasted on the Wine Century list, Vernaccia and Vermentino, both light Italian whites, but when I got to the store they were both sold out when I got there.

Instead, I got a 2006 Violante Nero di Troia (aka Uva di Troia, which hasn't been tasted), and a 2009 Cuatro Rayas Verdejo (which has been tasted). The Uva, a Southern Italian grape, was described to me as similar to a Rhone blend, but a bit more fuller-bodied, while the Verdejo is a light Spanish white and a little fruitier than Sauvignon Blanc.

I'm not particularly optimistic about either, since Schneider's isn't very discerning about the quality of wines they sell, particularly those in the $10-20 range, and instead go for a simply overwhelming quantity of different wines with cool-looking labels to put up on the shelves, but they should at least be interesting.

I'm still on the Maybe list, but if I can make it I will bring the 2006 St. Supery Virtu White Meritage.

But only if I can keep from drinking it until then. :-)

Hey, I've got nothing going on that weekend (thus far). Put me down as a maybe, if nabrunk is willing to host me ( we'll get to hang out twice in one month!).

darlenee1 wrote:Hey, I've got nothing going on that weekend (thus far). Put me down as a maybe, if nabrunk is willing to host me ( we'll get to hang out twice in one month!).

Done!

k1avg wrote:Well, I had picked out two varietals on Schneider's website that weren't yet tasted on the Wine Century list, Vernaccia and Vermentino, both light Italian whites, but when I got to the store they were both sold out when I got there.

Instead, I got a 2006 Violante Nero di Troia (aka Uva di Troia, which hasn't been tasted), and a 2009 Cuatro Rayas Verdejo (which has been tasted). The Uva, a Southern Italian grape, was described to me as similar to a Rhone blend, but a bit more fuller-bodied, while the Verdejo is a light Spanish white and a little fruitier than Sauvignon Blanc.

I'm not particularly optimistic about either, since Schneider's isn't very discerning about the quality of wines they sell, particularly those in the $10-20 range, and instead go for a simply overwhelming quantity of different wines with cool-looking labels to put up on the shelves, but they should at least be interesting.

Don't get hung up on finding something esoteric or mapping to the Wine Century list. That's too much like work.

It's summertime! The theme is supposed to be fun and a little bit off the wall. Not stressful! Either the wine will be good, or it won't. That's the way these things roll. We *always* have more than enough!

cjsiege wrote:Don't get hung up on finding something esoteric or mapping to the Wine Century list. That's too much like work.

It's summertime! The theme is supposed to be fun and a little bit off the wall. Not stressful! Either the wine will be good, or it won't. That's the way these things roll. We *always* have more than enough!

Well, I'm going to be a lawyer, so if I don't find work fun, then I'm pretty well screwed. And besides, I'm just trying to make a good first impression.

darlenee1 wrote:Hey, I've got nothing going on that weekend (thus far). Put me down as a maybe, if nabrunk is willing to host me ( we'll get to hang out twice in one month!).

Dar - you and Steve are always welcome to crash with me!

deals alert for Nova Folks 6/16/10 http://www.groupon.com/washington-dc/

RaiderSPE wrote:deals alert for Nova Folks 6/16/10 http://www.groupon.com/washington-dc/

You want us to take pole-dancing lessons!?

I'm guessing that you meant to link to here instead

Not sure why I got this dandy duplicate post. Sorry...move along...nothing to see here.