Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

This week it’s a special celebration! It’s the Carpe Vinum One-Year Anniversary! That’s right! We’ve been here for a year serving some of the finest wines we can possibly afford! I suppose it’s more of a birthday, of sorts, and we’re one year old! So how are we going to celebrate? We’ll do it in the same way that most of us celebrated on our respective first birthdays: By discovering the squishyness and aerodynamics of birthday cake: Squashing it up, throwing it around, and mashing it into our hair!

Okay, not exactly. . .but we are serving up some great Viognier from around the world, one of the hottest (not literally) white wine varietals around! In considering the 100-degree temperatures around town, a chilly white wine sounds great about now.

Now back to cake. Ever since I was one year old, and first experienced that cake-to-hair phenomenon, cake has been my favorite dessert. It’s possibly one of the best motivations to go to birthdays and weddings. In fact, this one year anniversary/birthday might be the excuse I need to have some cake, so I’ll do my darndest to find some cake and have it available. Fortunately for me, chocolate cake is the best. Unfortunately for Viognier, chocolate cake is not the best accompaniment. Therefore, I’ll have to get something more in the ho-hum white cake category. But, hey. . it’s still cake!

And as another extra-special bonus, I found a certainly perplexing wine for the Super-Special Sweet Pour this week. It’s Trentadue Viognier Port! The following question resounds with authority. “They can make Port from Viognier?” And the following resounding noncommittal response: “Guess so. . .”

So while enjoying your Viognier and cake tomorrow, just remember. . .it’s cute when you’re a one-year-old, but expect scornful glances if you decide to wear your cake.

So Friday, July 22nd, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Carpe Vinum Turns One!
Domaine Astruc 2003 Viognier, Languedoc, France
Fond Crozes 2002 Viognier, Cotes du Rhone, France
Rosenblum 2002 Viognier Kathy’s Cuvee, Lodi, California
Valley View 2003 Anna Maria Viognier, Rogue Valley, Oregon
Terra Blanca 2003 Viognier, Yakima Valley, Washington

The Extra-Special Premium Pours:
Whitman 2003 Viognier, Walla Walla, Washington
Stag’s Leaqp 2001 Viognier, Napa Valley, California

The Super-Special Sweet Pour:
Trentadue 2000 Viognier Port, Dry Creek Valley, California

Next week is Cool Refreshing Summer Slurpers!
M