Saturday night’s Spin the Bottle launch event at Heights Chateau was, if I do say so myself, quite the success. There was a great crowd, the folks at Heights were so kind to let me host my event there, Sarah’s flowers were lovely, and oh yes, the wines. Savio’s wines are a little out there, in the best possible way, and I was thrilled to see that people responded so well to them. My favorite moment when I’m teaching a wine class is watching the expression on a student’s face as she tries something she’s never had before and she realizes just how interesting wine can be. It’s a mix of shock, curiosity, and delight. I got to see that expression many times as I poured Savio’s wines, all of which come from small producers who are very much looking to do their own thing.

I knew that the Agapé Pinot Blanc, a versatile, food-friendly white with subtle fruit and the Latitude 50 Dornfelder, a soft, medium-bodied red with pomegranate and pleasantly leafy green flavors, would be hits — both offer lots of personality for less than $15. But I was pleasantly surprised to see much people liked the Brunet “Le Naturel” Vouvray. Fuller and less effervescent than champagne, it found some fans even among people who confessed they weren’t that into sparkling wine. (Some people just like fewer bubbles…who knew?) The 2005 Castell-Reynoard Bandol also found some love. One guy, after taking in the wine’s earthy, smoky nose, just smiled and said “wow, this is really me.” I loved that — loved that he took the time to smell the wine, loved that he knew exactly what he liked, and loved that he identified so closely with it. It was such a good reminder that when it comes to wine, people often know what they want — they just need to find the vocabulary to express it. And, of course, that’s where I come in … if this picture is any indicator, I’m so good at helping people learn about wine, I can do it with my eyes closed.

Thanks again to Heights Chateau, Savio Soares, Sarah Brysk Cohen, my dear husband Paul, the PWIP, and everyone else who showed up and helped. Check back for video, which I’ll be posting later in the week.