Wine Tasting Without Wine?

So this was the online conversation I had with a few friends before heading out to meet with Julie Swanson from The Mountain Winery in Saratoga for what was offered as a wine tasting but due to my being a non-alcohol drinker became a bottled water tasting paired with fruit and cheese. My friends had pretty much made me aware, in no uncertain terms, that they found my going to a winery to drink water? Completely appalling and wrong.

K: Stacie, seeeeeriously................. you can't go to a wine tasting and not taste wine! You're not even supposed to really DRINK the wine... you just sniff it and sip it. Pleeeeease for my sake taste some wine!

D: Wine tasting without tasting the wine, shaking my head

H: I'm shaking my head with you. Too bad we couldn't be designated tasters, huh?

K: I think wine tastings shouldn't be wasted on the unappreciative

H: Stacie should have them send us all a bottle of wine so we can write a thorough review for her blog

W: STACIE drink some wine!!!! I would be tasting it all and then I might need to re-test some of the ones I liked.

Please note: In this exchange "K" is the same person who DID THIS to me a year ago.

Thank goodness Julie was a better sport about my preference for water then my friends. Though I will say at the rate the medical community continues to post stories about the health benefits of drinking red wine I just might have to give it another try.

I can say the water, fruit and cheese were delicious and that more importantly I was thrilled to go up to the winery to see their new events building and their new concert venue.

I'd been to one concert at The Mountain Winery years ago. Like a lot of years ago. It's one of those really cool, small and more intimate venues that was recently upgraded with new seating and luxury boxes among other things.

So this is what it feels like to be onstage with everyone watching you! I'll leave that to the pros. I'd be much more comfortable sinking into one of the new seats to take in a show. I'm sure I'll attend at least one show here next year. I can't wait.

Here are two of the luxury box areas.

This photo provided by The Mountain Winery

This is what one of several patio areas looks like when set up for an outdoor wedding. There are two patios adjacent to each other where you could hold both an outdoor wedding ceremony followed by an outdoor reception. I really want more brides and corporate event planners to know about all of the recent and ongoing improvements being made to the property. There's a gorgeous view of the valley... at night it's a sea of darkness full of twinkling city lights. If I had a better camera I could have taken a photo to show you... But that's for a future post.

This photo provided by The Mountain Winery

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a wedding industry event at the winery. Here is what the winery building looked like set up for our evening reception. Imagine this room filled with flowers, wedding guests and a bride and groom. It's a perfect venue for couples that want a nice setting that isn't super formal.

A NACE Event

(National Association of Catering Executives)

That night we were treated to snappy music by The Magnolia Jazz Band.

Dinner and dessert (pumpkin cheesecake piped into a miniature chocolate grand piano) were excellent. After seeing the venue, twice, and sampling an actual dinner I would highly recommend The Mountain Winery as a place to consider if your dream wedding is a wine country or vineyard wedding.

Oh and if any California wineries ever need some out-of-state wine taste testing volunteers? I have several lined up and at the ready. Just let me know if they can be of any help :P

Visit The Magnolia Jazz Band on The Flirty Guide.