Mini-Tasting - “The High & Low of Cabernet Sauvignon”

Sam Wendy
Sam Puzzo & Wendy Taylor

Last call for the February 25 Mini-Tasting featuring Cabernet Sauvignon under $20 or over $40 per bottle. The over $40 is above the starting point for Premium Cabernet Sauvignon in the OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition. Simply put, we will do a blind tasting of lower end wines paired with the higher-priced wines. A good blind tasting can surprise you and educate you. To make this work we are selecting Gold/Chairman Award wines or wines that have come with exceptional reviews at the lower end, and mixing them up with higher end wines that usually get finished first when they show up at your party. As usual, it will be at various host sites around Orange County. If you would like to host, please e-mail Sam Puzzo at sam@ocws.org. You may need to sign up and pay until hosts are selected. If you host any fee you paid will be reimbursed.

Host sites and directions will be announced to those attending approximately one week prior to the event. We try to place you at the location nearest your home or to accommodate your site-specific request. However, your assigned host site is also based on the order in which your sign-up is received in the OCWS office. If you serve as hosts, you attend the Mini-Tasting for free. The cost to attend this tasting is $30 for members and $35 for guests. A little more than usual due to the cost of purchasing the higher end wines.

Each person attending is requested to bring a potluck dish (appetizer, entrée, side dish, or dessert) to serve a small portion to 18 people and designed to match the theme of the tasting. Please call your host site with your food selection to assure diversity in food pairings with the wines. As usual, there will be a special bottle of wine that evening as a prize for Chef-of-the-Evening. Our winning Chefs-of-the-Evening may have their recipe published on the OCWS website.

To attend, just complete the sign-up in this newsletter or on the OCWS website. We are planning a maximum of six sites so the limit is 96 attendees. Due to advance purchase of wines you will not be refunded your money if you cannot attend unless there is a waiting list. Cut-off date for on-line event sign up is Monday February 13. After this date, call Sam as to availability. Cancellation deadline is February 17.

Due to high attendance at our Mini-Tasting Programs, we encourage you to sign-up early as some sites tend to fill quickly. The next Mini-tasting will be April 28. Theme is Anderson Valley AVA. Watch for Wendy’s article and sign up in the March newsletter.

Sam Puzzo & Wendy Taylor
Co-Chairpersons