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may have slipped up on you, but over the last year, "wine"
has been quietly and steadily entering the lives of many new
converts. It has taken it's place at more tables, concern
over it's quality has risen in purchasing habits, and more
people have come to identify it with good living--"bon
vivant." While teaching & talking about wine does
not bring home the earnings I once had, the rewards of meaningfully
touching people's lives are priceless. And when I think about
folks this year whose newly-found passion is without boundaries
(like Christa Davis, Ed Wagner, Stephanie Barber, and Michelle
Fischer) the spell-binding powers of wine are at work.
If
you feel the urge to grow your interest in wine, I encourage
you to check out wine events everywhere. But I also admonish
you to be selective in your pursuits. As wine becomes more
"common'" so do your entrepreneurs trying to earn
a buck--pretty soon every soccer mom will have a magnet on
her car saying "wine education." Do your homework--seek
out experienced, credentialed instructors, and ask around.
The
monthly tasting sheet reviews 40 wines and includes a few
stars, namely the Lindauer Sparkling wine from New Zealand,
the Castillo di Fonterutoli Chianti Classico, and a dessert
wine--the Samos Grand Cru White Muscat--all of them under
twenty. This go-around is heavy on New Zealand and Grecian
wines...and if I was sloppy and didn't catch the vintage,
you will see a (--) in the year column. Download it here
-- MS Word file.
Lastly,
as you spend money entertaining at home (or at the office)
this year, I bring your attention to a nice touch that has
garnered many comments at our private events--ice sculptures
from IceCaters.com.
If you visit the site and purchase something, at checkout
input the coupon code "freeicebucket" to receive
$30 off your total bill! A nice promotion indeed. |
Give
A Little While Saving Alot With Paxdine.com!
At Paxdine.com you can buy dining certificates that allow you
to save 40% at great Atlanta restaurants. These "Dollars
for Dining" certificates spend like cash in participating
restaurants in and around Atlanta. The certificates have a value
of $10 each but only cost you $6 (and a portion of proceeds
benefits Cystic Fibrosis) and are good at over 40 restaurants.
You can buy as many as you like and they are good for food and
alcohol. Try them today and start saving right away! Visit our
website www.paxdine.com and watch restaurant video on all participating
restaurants. Dollars for Dining certificates make great gifts
so buy some today and help out a good cause! |
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As
holiday cocktail parties quickly approach, you may want to learn
a few facts about the bubbly you’ll be offered. Armed
with this knowledge, you can impress your co-workers, friends
and family during this festive season.
The Rest of the Article...
Job
Opportunity
Major Wine Importer seeks Regional Sales & Marketing Manager.
Must have experience in wine trade, and willing to travel 75%
of time. Salary+Commission. Interested candidates should email
their confidential resume to info@connectwithwine.com
Holiday
Gift Ideas!
Atlanta Wine School is offering a hand-made gift certificate,
with authentic raised-wax seal, in $20 denominations--give the
gift that quenches the thirst. More
Information |
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Atlanta
Wine School Course Calendar, January - February, 2005
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January
5th - February 9th, Introduction to Wine,
$299, 7-9pm, Signature
Events Facility
The classic how, why, where of wine. An essential to
finer living. *7 seats remain.
RSVP
Now
January 9th - February 13th, Introduction
to Wine, $299, 4-6pm, Oughtabee's Restaurant
The brand new Oughtabee's Restaurant, at 5192 McGinnis
Ferry Rd in Alpharetta, will provide a convenient location
for you North-enders. *19 seats remain.
RSVP
Now
January 20th, The World of Reds,
$40, 7-9pm, Location TBA
Travel around the world with us as we hit both hemispheres,
cool & warm climates, with light and full-bodied wines.
Ten (10) wines for sampling with only 24 seats.
RSVP
Now
January
31th - February 21st, Mastering Wine,
$199, 7-9pm, Signature
Events Facility
For those beyond the novice level in wine, who are
interested in examing the characteristics of more varietals,
more obscure regions, and expanding their vocabulary of professional
tasting terms. Introduction to Wine is a pre-requisite OR
successfully passing a short exam. Limited to 16 people.
RSVP
Now
February
3rd, Wine
& Cheese, $49, 7-9pm, Location
TBA
We're bringing fromager Matt Bonano back for another
course--this time NEW Artisanal Cheeses, and NEW
Artisanal Wines. Also, we are limiting this to 24 seats so
everyone get's plenty of TLC.
RSVP Now
February
23rd, Weird Wines, $40, 7-9pm, Location
TBA
Sparkling Cabernet Franc Ice Wine, Pasteurized Wine, Non-Alcoholic
Wine, White Port, Pineapple wine...the list goes on, and on.
Join us as we sample some of the wine-world's strange concoctions!
This will be a fun, slightly rambunctious class we think.
RSVP
Now
>>>>To
the Atlanta Wine School Website |
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| Advertisement |
Trade
Sponsor |
|
American
Gold Medal Wines, Inc. has released American Gold Medal Wines 2005,
the premiere edition of its comprehensive guide to the gold-medal-winning
wines of the United States. Aggregating the highest-ranking medal
winning American wines from the country’s 20 most influential
wine competitions, the annual directory lists wines first by varietal
and then by price—the way most consumers shop for wine. A handy,
affordable reference, American Gold Medal Wines has a suggested retail
price of $11.95, with an additional three-year subscription available
for just $24. American Gold Medal Wines is available nationwide in
bookstores and online at their website.
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| The
December Monthly Drawing |
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Wait
a minute, isn't this a newsletter for WINE Enthusiasts? So
what is the "cookie connection?" First of all, Donna
at Cookie Creations of Atlanta doesn't just make little bite-sized
cookies--these things are 5 inches tall! Ok, and I personally
LOVE cookies, the treat on the go, the dessert you hold, and
every shape is different...and the short-bread versions are
good with ice-wine. But now I sound like I'm justifying.
For
December, Cookie Creations of Atlanta is providing our drawing
winner with a certificate good for 20 hand-made, large cookies
in a wine theme--wine bottles, wine glasses, bunches of grapes,
etc. The certificate is good until 6/30/05 and is only "blacked-out"
2/1 - 2/16/05.
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Tips,
Tricks & Trivia
| Special
Section: Wine Shipments Across America for Consumers |
This
week the United States Supreme Court will begin to hear arguments
on the ability of small producers shipping wine into otherwise
non-shippable states. The ramifications reach beyond wine,
including setting precedence for internet purchasing and fulfillment
of age-sensitive products.
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- The
NEW Non-Screwcap Solution?
The Vino-Lok system aims to meet both the quality but
more importantly the aesthetic demands of connoisseurs. More
here
- Wine
and the Stock Market
From
January 2001 to June 2004 publicly traded wine producers performed
40% higher than their respective country's average stock performance.
More
here
- Website
Compiles Wine Reviews
Poppingcorks.com provides wine reviews from disparate
reviewers and plops them onto one site. The
Review Section
- Had
it Up to HERE with Restaurant Service?!
How many times has someone described their restaurant
experience as poor--not because of the cuisine but how they were
served when dining. More
on this real problem
And if YOU own a restaurant or work at one, this article talks
to the importance of maximizing
the customer relationship while they are in your clutches!
Now if we can just train for better wine service!
- New
Wine Bar Concept Starts in California
( of Course!)
Thanks Jim Morris for turning us onto a new wine bar concept,
that uses argon gas to preserve bottled wine after an
auto-dispenser has poured a one-ounce portion into a glass. More
- How
Much Money Does a Winemaker Earn?
Average salaries of winemakers are skewed upwards toward the larger
producers, but before you think these guys have dream jobs AND
make lots of money, just remember that most wineries make less
than 10,000 cases (small production). Results
of study
- How
Does the White House Select Wine?
The
process is somewhat shrouded in mystery to escape criticism, but
this article sheds some light on the method of selection, as well
as the history of serving wine at our nation's capitol. More
- The
Controversial Practice of "Watering back" Wine
Author
Karen McNeil likens a California wine to “a woman with gaudy
makeup, dressed in stiletto heels and fake furs" due to it's
naturally high alcohol. This process is more common than originally
thought. More
on the story
- Is
Your Fave "Small Producer" Actually Owned by a Giant?
With
a dizzying number of new wine labels entering the market these
days, it's easy to be duped into thinking the "artisanal-looking"
label, with the description of the winery history of husband-and-wife
team is a small producer--when in fact it is owned and financially
supported by a billion dollar company. More
here
- Wine
& Age
Jancis Robinson talks about a subject near and dear to all those
who would lay down wine with expectations about it's positive
evolution. More
here
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