The Shenandoah Valley Wine Growers Association

Two years ago, almost to the day, we had the privilege of holding a benefit celebration for my one of the best wine tourist in the world, Charlie.  Charlie had been diagnosed with inoperable cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments to help reduce the tumor he had in his neck to an operable size.  This benefit was going to be free of charge for entry for the general public so some way was needed to raise money.  Now what could we come up with to raise some money?  We needed to draw people in and no longer rely upon single donations from people who could not afford it.  We opted for selling food , hold a silent auction and have a raffle table.  It took quite a while to find businesses willing to donate items or people who could give any item of worth for this charitable cause.

One of the other wine tourist, who lives quite a distance away, could not make it to the benefit and yet wanted to give something for the raffle table.  By mail, she had sent two wine gift baskets  These unique wine gift baskets were set in the corner of the room we used to store the donated items and gift cards.

As this benefit gig approached closer and closer there were times we wanted so badly to open one of those bottles of wine and eat the delicious chocolate covered strawberries that were included with the wine because this was one of the hardest and frustrating things we had ever done.  We worried, we fretted , pictured all kinds of things going wrong instead of this project being a worthwhile task.

Finally there was no going back and the day of the gig was at hand.  We loaded the car early in the morning with all the food , donations for the silent auction, and raffle items, each  having a separate can properly marked.

There weren’t too many good raffle items and this concerned me.  A few of the tourist held vigils over the tickets for the raffle items and each chance we got we checked out to see how it was progressing.  Little by little tickets were dropped into the cans and by the time the raffle was to be drawn it was obvious which cans held the most tickets.  It was the cans that were beside the wine gift baskets.

In the middle of the show, to take a break and set up for the next band, we held the raffle.  One by one, the items were handed to the winners with looks of delight on their faces, but the brightest of faces seemed to be the ones who had won the golden state wine gift basket.  The only exception to this was probably us.  Surely we had the brightest smile.

At the end of the show, we was one exhausted tourist, yet well pleased with what had happened and were eternally grateful for the generosity of so many people who helped with this endeavor in any way they could, but especially to my friend for her donation of unique wine baskets.  They were the biggest seller of tickets.

Charlie has made it these last two years in spite of the cancer coming back and I will never forget this wonderful gig and generosity of people for aiding  the cause to help such wonderful people through such a difficult time.

Taking a tour of a winery can be a fun event whether you want a romantic date or a fun filled day with a group of friends. Wine tours can be taken in large or small groups. In a large group you just sit back, on a bus, and relax while tasting some delicious wine here and there. A small group tour lets you decide the pace you would like to tour the winery.

No matter what size group you tour the winery with, you will leave with a wonderful wine basket. Baskets of wine are given out to everyone that takes a tour of the winery each day. This offers a great way for you to sample some wines before having to purchase them. It is also a good idea to write down the wines that you like.

That way when you are looking to purchase a wine you will know what type you like. Remember, wine baskets will be given out to every touring guest so set up your tour soon and experience the fun of touring a winery.

Received wisdom would have us believe that white wine is best served chilled while red wine should be served at room temperature.   Like most well known “facts” there is some basis to this thinking. Few can deny that a chilled white is more attractive to the palate than a lukewarm one.

But the wine drinker who sticks rigidly to these rules may well miss out on some treats. There are many factors to be taken into account; the wine itself obviously, but perhaps more importantly, the ambient temperature.

To wander round a German market town at Christmas time without sampling the hot Gluhwein (mulled warmed wine with spices), is to miss out on an essential part of the seasonal experience. I still savour the shock and delight of having local red wine served chilled overlooking the Adriatic on a blisteringly hot summer day. One of my particular favourites on a cold winter’s night is a hot toddy made simply from port and hot water. To mix a metaphor, it’s horses for courses or wines for all seasons.