Note the new date! April 30!

PM me or cmaldoon for address info. Start time is 6:30pm.

So cmaldoon and I are going to host this next one at his house in Santa Clara, near Apple HQ.

April 30 is now the chosen date. We've also chosen a theme of unusual wines. Think: unusual/rare varietals, non-standard blends, wines from unusual places, wines from grapes not normally associated with that region, etc...


Who's in? We will probably also do either a semi-potluck for food or chip in to order some tasty food.

Also, if a couple people need to crash on the Peninsula, I can offer some couch space.

In for fun
klezman +1-5
cmaldoon
andyduncan
tenuki
mewalk
kittykris + DH
random122
Tassadar2k03

Assumed to be joining in the fun but not confirmed
worstveg
J
webdev511
duckduckgoose

Can't join in the fun this time around
CAGrl
JOATMON

klezman wrote:So cmaldoon and I are going to host this next one. Tentative date is somewhere in April/May.

Throw your hats into the ring if particular dates work/don't work and if you have a theme in mind. Unless something else interesting comes along, I'd say a fun theme would be lesser-known varietals.

Who's in?

If I'm here, I'm in.

This might help me in my quest for the 100% century club.

I can bring a few obscure varietals.

JOATMON wrote:If I'm here, I'm in.

This might help me in my quest for the 100% century club.

I can bring a few obscure varietals.

If I'm around I'm probably in as well and will check with friends. May's a little ridiculous for me except first weekend but I think that's when klez is in Vegas anyway.

I took #8 for the proposed 2/26 barrel tasting but I don't think that's going to happen anyway.

klezman wrote:So cmaldoon and I are going to host this next one. Tentative date is somewhere in April/May.

Throw your hats into the ring if particular dates work/don't work and if you have a theme in mind. Unless something else interesting comes along, I'd say a fun theme would be lesser-known varietals.

Who's in?

I'm good for this! Any weekend besides April 16-17 when I'll be in Mariposa firing at confederates (Civil War Reenactment)

I'll figure out whether my place will accept hosting (have to ask the 2 housemates I rent with) And everyone will have to accept that it wouldn't be the beautiful mansion of a wealthy 40 something.

cmaldoon wrote:I'm good for this! Any weekend besides April 16-17 when I'll be in Mariposa firing at confederates (Civil War Reenactment)

I'll figure out whether my place will accept hosting (have to ask the 2 housemates I rent with) And everyone will have to accept that it wouldn't be the beautiful mansion of a wealthy 40 something.

Ditto if I host. I just finished grad school at Stanford 8 months ago.

April 16-17 is also out for me - Passover trip. Actually, the weekend after would have significant food restrictions, so that would be a last resort as well.

Well, when I move back to San Jose area, I'll have to host one. Wish I could be there with you all.

In like Flynn.

CAGrl wrote:Well, when I move back to San Jose area, I'll have to host one. Wish I could be there with you all.

It'll be great to have you come back!

To make things more concrete, let's say May 7. That's a Saturday night. Menlo Park/San Jose corridor, specifics tbd.

It's also Mother's Day weekend, so the theme could instead be something motherly? Thoughts?

klezman wrote:To make things more concrete, let's say May 7. That's a Saturday night. Menlo Park/San Jose corridor, specifics tbd.

It's also Mother's Day weekend, so the theme could instead be something motherly? Thoughts?

That's also Vincent Arroyo Open House, so Sparky might also be in town if we want to make a long day of it. Was just about to put up thread for 7th. Also a reminder to invite loweeel's two friends who were with us this weekend, ironically I know their real names and not w.w names, that's a first.

May 7 is great for me!

About the time I need to reduce my stock for fear of heat damage anyway. Would get a bigger wine fridge but SWMBO would kill me. Something about 52 bottles being enough.... When is 52 EVER enough?

tenuki wrote:That's also Vincent Arroyo Open House, so Sparky might also be in town if we want to make a long day of it. Was just about to put up thread for 7th. Also a reminder to invite loweeel's two friends who were with us this weekend, ironically I know their real names and not w.w names, that's a first.

Damn that was good last year. It's pretty far north, though....hmmm...

Is whichever event happens first going to be officially #8 and the next one #9? (*Tracking purposes only*)

cjsiege wrote:Is whichever event happens first going to be officially #8 and the next one #9? (*Tracking purposes only*)

Nope, this is going to be such a fantastic event we are claiming both numbers, move the next event to #10 ;-)

The wife and I might be able to make it, but it's a bit far out to say for sure.

klezman wrote:To make things more concrete, let's say May 7. That's a Saturday night. Menlo Park/San Jose corridor, specifics tbd.

It's also Mother's Day weekend, so the theme could instead be something motherly? Thoughts?

Gribblesnarf.

That's the night of the Gilroy Crab and Cioppino feed, which I have missed the last two years, and have already committed to.

And I fly out the next morning for yet another meeting.

All of the Lot 18 Madness allowed me to pick up 2 dozen wine glasses for all of ~$50 so I can provide decent stemware for everyone (just as long as there aren't too many. Heck, 24 glasses is enough to do some parallel tasting with 8-12 people. I just hope people don't mind drinking reds from white glasses and vice versa.

cmaldoon wrote:All of the Lot 18 Madness allowed me to pick up 2 dozen wine glasses for all of ~$50 so I can provide decent stemware for everyone (just as long as there aren't too many. Heck, 24 glasses is enough to do some parallel tasting with 8-12 people. I just hope people don't mind drinking reds from white glasses and vice versa.

The horror!!
PM me your email and we can work on some details?

JOATMON wrote:Gribblesnarf.

That's the night of the Gilroy Crab and Cioppino feed, which I have missed the last two years, and have already committed to.

And I fly out the next morning for yet another meeting.

Hmmm...is one of the surrounding weekends significantly better? Crab and Cioppino sounds pretty tasty...although why in Gilroy instead of Monterrey?

klezman wrote:The horror!!
PM me your email and we can work on some details?

PM for you!

Bumpity bump, updated to officially take NorCal #9 since #8 actually happened, and updated the first post.

Curious since y'all are closer and the San Jose Groupon is a Pinot Noir Santa Cruz winery thing. Have you hit the wineries down there? How are they?

tenuki wrote:Curious since y'all are closer and the San Jose Groupon is a Pinot Noir Santa Cruz winery thing. Have you hit the wineries down there? How are they?

Assuming that you are referring to the Pinot Pathway event: there are many very good wineries/pinots (Black Mt.,Storrs, Heart o' the Mt., Silver Mt., etc.). I have been to the Grand Tasting (the day after the Pathway) several years....highly recommend.

duckduckgoose wrote:Assuming that you are referring to the Pinot Pathway event: there are many very good wineries/pinots (Black Mt.,Storrs, Heart o' the Mt., Silver Mt., etc.). I have been to the Grand Tasting (the day after the Pathway) several years....highly recommend.

I've only been tasting in the Santa Cruz Mtns once and I did enjoy it. I found the wines to be generally good with a few specific standouts. The prices tended to prevent me from buying, though, as I thought the QPR wasn't quite there. I'm sure the pinot tasting event will be good, but it's a passport thing, not all in a building like ZAP.

duckduckgoose...you joining for the gathering?

klezman wrote:I've only been tasting in the Santa Cruz Mtns once and I did enjoy it. I found the wines to be generally good with a few specific standouts. The prices tended to prevent me from buying, though, as I thought the QPR wasn't quite there. I'm sure the pinot tasting event will be good, but it's a passport thing, not all in a building like ZAP.

duckduckgoose...you joining for the gathering?

Thanks for the invite...I will discuss with the wife. Have been member of Century Club for over a year.

The Grand Tasting on Sunday (vs Pathway on Saturday)is indoors under 1 roof (like ZAP)...25-30 wineries pouring pinots. Agree that pricing for SC pinot tends to be a inflated due to SC Mt pinot rep.

duckduckgoose wrote:Thanks for the invite...I will discuss with the wife. Have been member of Century Club for over a year.

The Grand Tasting on Sunday (vs Pathway on Saturday)is indoors under 1 roof (like ZAP)...25-30 wineries pouring pinots. Agree that pricing for SC pinot tends to be a inflated due to SC Mt pinot rep.

Thanks for the info both, might do it just because I've never been down there and worstveg likes Pinots. Personally if I'm going to go, driving through the mountains would be part of the fun, though the wineries to look pretty spread out, and the map of wineries pretty much advises having a gps

klezman wrote:Hmmm...is one of the surrounding weekends significantly better? Crab and Cioppino sounds pretty tasty...although why in Gilroy instead of Monterrey?

It's a fundraiser for the Gilroy High School Athletics.

Either weekend before or after works for me.

JOATMON wrote:It's a fundraiser for the Gilroy High School Athletics.

Either weekend before or after works for me.

Hrmmm.. With a number of RSVP's already in, I'm hesitant to suggest a change in date. If we set the time either early or late, would one or the other allow you to hit both events? (or is there a "Normal" time for these things?)

Edit: I see you also have something the next morning *sighs*

cmaldoon wrote:Hrmmm.. With a number of RSVP's already in, I'm hesitant to suggest a change in date. If we set the time either early or late, would one or the other allow you to hit both events? (or is there a "Normal" time for these things?)

Edit: I see you also have something the next morning *sighs*

Wouldn't mind a change in date. Driving two and a half hours after Vincent Arroyo to drink more wine would be a little taxing so I'd probably have to skip. Of course I think it took a bit to settle on this date anyway.

Guys - Would Moving it Left a week work for everyone on the Fun list? It would for me. (Apr 30)

cmaldoon wrote:Guys - Would Moving it Left a week work for everyone on the Fun list? It would for me. (Apr 30)

May 7 is ok. Apr 30 would be better. Whichever is decided add me to the Fun list.

Dang it! If it wasn't Mother's Day on that Sunday, it would be a good weekend to drive up .... especially with the Vincent Arroyo Open house and Dinner then.


But Mother takes precedence. Dagnabit!


And moving to the 30th doesn't help either, since the son's bday is then. Although .... flying is a possibility, but not if I buy anything at VA. Hmmm. Wonder if Nostrom0 is back then?

Tenuki? AndyDuncan? Klez? How's 4/30 work for you three?

cmaldoon wrote:Tenuki? AndyDuncan? Klez? How's 4/30 work for you three?

I'm supposed to be going to Vegas that weekend, but I will double check. May 14 also works for me at this point.

klezman wrote:I'm supposed to be going to Vegas that weekend, but I will double check. May 14 also works for me at this point.

You so should change plans to 5/14 for Vegas, there is a bottling there then, and we can do this on 4/30 ;-)

cmaldoon wrote:You so should change plans to 5/14 for Vegas, there is a bottling there then, and we can do this on 4/30 ;-)

If I wasn't meeting a friend there from Toronto, that'd be an easy easy call. I will talk to him soon, hopefully, and see what the deal is. It's possible that Friday night that weekend could work if I'm flying out Saturday.

cmaldoon wrote:Tenuki? AndyDuncan? Klez? How's 4/30 work for you three?

I'm pretty free up until 5/14. Haven't mentioned anything to worstveg or J yet, will bring it up if a date's decided.

cmaldoon wrote:Tenuki? AndyDuncan? Klez? How's 4/30 work for you three?

works for me.

Ok, it is currently still 5/7. That being said... Klez - have you figured out your 4/30 weekend? If it would work with you, then it looks to be the best, if not, we'll keep it on 5/7.

cmaldoon wrote:Ok, it is currently still 5/7. That being said... Klez - have you figured out your 4/30 weekend? If it would work with you, then it looks to be the best, if not, we'll keep it on 5/7.

Urg, not yet. I think he's out of email contact for a bit. I'll increase efforts to get in touch.