Wine Tasting to get ready for Sonoma

Yesterday we had some people over for a mini blind wine tasting, to gear up for our trip to Sonoma this coming week. Mike and I invited the Guests, the Yuparis, Rob and Yoko over. Each couple brought over a bottle of red and white wine to taste. We covered them up in paper and labeled them. Then we sampled 2 wines at a time and compared them. We printed out some score sheets we found online and a wine wheel that tells you all the different kinds of tastes, aromas that are present in wine. To accompany our tasting, we had a selection of cheeses (cheddar, pepperjack, brie, blue cheese, gouda), crackers, some grapes, and pinwheels filled with a mixture of cream cheese with red, green, and orange peppers. The snacks were yummy. Here is what our spread looked like prior to beginning (well you have to picture it because I lost all of the pictures prior to dinner.) Actually, Becky is to the rescue for taking some and sending them my way.


Next is just the ladies. Yoko was unable to make it for wine tasting, but joined us for dinner. So here is one of us as we started and then one of us as Yoko arrived before we left for dinner


So in between the white and red tastings, the boys decided they need to play fooseball.

But then it was on to red wine, yum. Funny how the tasting went. Everyone scored all the reds higher than any of the whites. I think this group just enjoyed red wine more than white. So after tasting, it was on to dinner at Lawry's restaurant, which is this really good steak/prime rib place. Here is a great group shot right as dinner started and then one of us!


And to my dismay, I was unable to eat meat. The meat carver came to our table and cut each slab (b/c it was a slab, not just a piece of meat) in front of us. Mmmm, look at how good it looks


So, my lovely husband decided he was not going to give up meat and had this juicy slab of meat right next to me.

I ordered the seafood entree, which consisted of lobster tails, so I didn't quite miss out on a good dinner. And, I'm such a nice wifey, that I let Mike have a taste of my lobster.

We ended dinner with dessert, which was also yummy. I had the chocolate cake and Mike, of course, had the cheesecake.

Then it was on to karaoke, for about an hour. I took quite a few shots, but a good portion of them were slightly blurry. Here is a good one of most of us singing.

It was time to go home and go to bed. This morning, I woke up feeling like I had drank alot of wine last night, which I did. After some lunch, I felt much better and so did Mike. He went to get lunch and didn't get me a cheeseburger like I asked, but came back with a fish sandwich. He is being a stickler about me not eating meat, but one of these days I think I am going to drink beer and possible eat a pizza in front of him. hahahha

Anywho, it was fun night and I think everyone had a good time. We are definitely ready to head to wine country this week for barrel tasting.