by Leslie R. Fisher
Greetings All - Read on for details on the May 16 wine event. I attended a similar professional networking event at Tenuta last fall and it was the most fun I've ever had at a networking activity. I didn't know anyone when I arrived and before I left I had made fond new acquaintances.
On Saturday May 16 San Andreas Chapter will host another wine activity in the Bay Area. This time we will visit a winery with crush pad and bottling resources located in the Livermore Valley.
Tenuta Vineyards, located a bit above the valley floor, is the third largest wine producer in the Livermore Valley. Yet Tenuta's business model calls for only three paid employees. How do they do it? Volunteers! Total production includes crushing, bottling and storage of wine for numerous wine growers in the region. They even provide vineyard maintenance services from their team of vineyard specialists. Tenuta produces their own wines from a wide variety of mostly red varietals. And Tenuta was the first winery in the Livermore Valley to produce Pinot Noir.
Being located at 633 Kalthoff Common in Livermore, the word idyllic is very suitable for describing this setting. With a bit of vantage above the valley floor, Mount Diablo and the East Bay Hills are visible from the patio off the wine tasting room. Surrounded by vineyards and rolling hills, an illusion of the Italian country-side is easy to conjure. The wine tasting room is roomy and homey and lively and fun. It truly feels more like being at a gathering or party than at a business. Nancy Tenuta and her companion Rich bring a gracious and playful demeanor to the business. Their motto is, "Give us thirty minutes and we'll be friends for life."
For this event we'll convene at 2 p.m. at the winery. (Transportation on your own.) You're welcome to arrive early and familiarize with the location and even, perhaps, the wines. When everyone has arrived we'll start off with a tour of the operations and cellar. Then we'll divide into teams for a little friendly competition. At first the competition will be amongst your own team. After some demo and coaching on blending wine, your team will compete with itself to come up with a favorite blend from three varietals. Once you've come to an agreement (or an agreement to agree) on the best blend, your team will compete against all the other teams. The judging is by all involved, in a blinded, group tasting. You may be surprised that you don't even recognize your team's wine. Or perhaps the very blend you promoted to your team will be the one that takes the vote of the whole group!
When we finish the festivities, there will still be time to taste the Tenuta blends in the friendly tasting room, or to buy a bottle to share out on the patio. Throughout the afternoon there will be exquisite little noshes available. Here is a menu I already selected for the day.
- Bon Appétit black pepper almonds - spicy and substantial
- Dried apricots topped with Blue Sage Boursin, dill and a sliced almond
- Puff pastry cups served warm with Italian sausage, olive tapenade and topped with cheese
- Hot jalapeño, crab & artichoke dip served with an assortment of crackers and breads
- Fresh fruits of the season served with imported and domestic cheeses
- Selection of vegetable crudités with sun dried tomato spread and garlic aioli
If you like wine, wine country, tasty nibbles, play, competition, and mingling with colleagues and friends, please join us for a fabulous time at Tenuta. Cost per person is $46 - no difference for members or non-members.
For directions and a preview of Tenuta Vineyards, check here. http://www.tenutawinery.com/contact.html Contact me if you have questions. Registration information below.
Leslie R. Fisher
2009 President, San Andreas Chapter SLA
Associate Manager, Records & Information Management
Gilead Sciences
Foster City, CA
650-522-4299
To register for the May 16th Wine Event, please mail this form with your check to:
SLA Reservations
c/o AIM Library & Information Staffing (AIM)
P.O. Box 391210
Mountain View, CA 94039-1210
Name: _____________________________________________
Telephone: ________________________________________________
E-Mail: ___________________________________________________
Employer/Affiliation: _________________________________________
Total attending (@$46 ea) ________
Check (payable to San Andreas Chapter of SLA) enclosed for: ____________
