Wining at the end of the year...

The Goddess of Wine took off a couple of weeks from writing this month because this time of year always stops me in my tracks. Like pretty much everyone, I've been musing on the year that's passed; great moments, terrible losses, everything in between. This year we've lost some dear friends, and happily, made some new ones. We've seen some great theater and some dreadful. Attended some wonderful events, and some...not so much. Like all years, a mix.

This was the year I got my shoulder fixed after damaging it a second time. The first was saving a case a wine from falling at a LearnAboutWine event 5 or 6 years ago, rupturing my rotator cuff in two places; the second was this April, pulling my chair up to my desk and ripping my long-head biceps tendon. Six months post-surgery, I'm doing great, with full rotation and upper arm strength returned.

This year JD also had some relatively minor knee surgery after tearing his miniscus earlier in the year. I fear that this is just the precursor to a full knee replacement, but we'll see how his recovery continues.

Wining around SLO County...Day 2

After an early evening in Morro Bay, we had a semi-healthy breakfast (see Facebook for photos) at the Blue Skye Coastal Cafe on the Embarcadero and headed to our appointment at the Paso Robles Wine Services custom crush facility to meet General Manager, Aram Deirmenjian, of Kiamie Wine Cellars. The rain was just beginning, so we took our time, especially along the 46, but we still got there a bit early, which was good, as Aram was ready for us.

Kiamie is a collaboration between three guys with diverse yet complementary backgrounds. Winemaker Steve Glossner has been making great wines in Paso for a long time, and is the winemaker who made the first Isosceles for Justin. Aram Deirmenjian’s family has been farming grapes in California for 30 years, and Greg Johnson has extensive retail wine experience.

Too much wining going on?

I can't keep up! JD and I have been attending so many wonderful events and evenings that I don't know how to get everything written. This would be much easier if I didn't have a day job that really gets in the way of my writing during daytime hours. Yet another reason why I need to make this wine education gig start to pay off.

Wining and dining all over the place...

It has been quite a weekend!  And now I have the chance to really catch up on everything that's been going on.  Maybe.

Back in February, JD and I attended an event put on by I'll Drink to That, a networking group organized by Xochitl Maiman, where we had the opportunity to taste the wines made by Dutcher Crossing, a Sonoma winery.  Proprietor Debra Mathy (left) brought several of her wines, which were perfectly matched by the delicious cheeses and breads provided by Melody of the Artisan Cheese Gallery in Studio City.  I was lucky enough to be gifted with a bottle of Dutcher Crossing Zinfandel, and I'm saving it for the right meal.  Winemaker Kerry Damskey makes big, fruit forward wines in small quantities.