Cheers! Popular Myths about Wine Explained

 

 

 

I found this article on Meetings Industry Gurus about wine, very intoxicating!  Cheers!!

Put A Cork In It: Six Wine Myths Debunked

Posted on May 02, 2008

By Michael Green

In the last few years, America has embraced wine with a passion, though some persistent wine myths still prohibit many event planners from making educated, informed wine selections. With the right wine facts though, you can impress clients and guests, branding yourself through unexpectedly delicious wines. Here are six wine myths that need debunking:

1. There’s a direct correlation between price and taste: No. Price is solely a function of supply and demand. There are tasty and memorable wines available at all price points; many can be found for less than $30 on restaurant or hotel wine lists.
• When planning your next event, give the beverage director or sommelier a clear price point and ask them for their favorite selections. You’d be surprised how often they name some of the most affordable on the list!
• With advance notice, often wine can be special ordered if there’s nothing on the menu that suits your needs.
Why should you care? Offering unique and delicious wines at lower price points reduces overall cost without sacrificing quality.

2. Drier is better: Nope. Maybe because we’ve been brought up on sweet soft drinks, people think sweeter wines are unsophisticated and bad quality. Not true. Many slightly sweet wines (a.k.a. containing “residual sugar”) are some of the best in the world.
• The best of the slightly sweeter wines available are a complex marriage of acidity and sweetness, the perfect accompaniment to all sorts of food.
• Spicy and sweet dishes, from fiery Indian curry to roast pork with apples, match sweeter wines like German or Austrian Rieslings perfectly.
Why should you care? Perfect wine pairings elevate the food, wine and experience. If a sweet wine works best, don’t be afraid to serve it.

3. Rosés are always bad: Not true. One of the hardest wine myths to dispel, but thankfully the long-standing belief that there aren’t any world-class rosés is fading fast.
• Sparkling rosés, with bright color and playful bubbles, are the perfect beverage to kick off an evening of celebration.
• Most rosés are dry! Unlike America’s favorite wine, White Zinfandel, most rosés are not in the least bit cloying. In fact, rosés can be just as elegant and refined as any other style of wine, and in the warm weather nothing’s better than a nice glass of these blushing beauties.
Why should you care? Rosés boost people’s spirits! It’s hard not to enjoy something this colorful and fun.

4. Screw caps are for cheap wine: Au contraire. Screw caps are often found on young wines, less expensive than older bottles but not at all low-quality.
• Today many stellar wines are coming out of newer wine producing countries like New Zealand, who love this “twisted pleasure” as much as I do.
• I would much prefer a screw cap wine to a “corked” bottle, where a rotten cork has transformed a great wine into one that tastes like cardboard.
Why should you care? Great screw cap selections convey casual chic, and you can be sure that every bottle will taste great.

5. Large producers produce inferior wines: That’s crazy talk. In years past, big bulk wine producers sometimes made inferior wines. But today, many prolific producers have begun crafting wines of outstanding quality.
• With modern winemaking technology, it’s becoming more and more difficult to produce low-quality wine, and many large wineries now produce amazing, affordable wines that rival even the smallest producers.
• Your guests may recognize the name of the wine they’re drinking, and the quality will knock their socks off.
Why should you care? Big wineries produce consistent, crowd-pleasing wines that you can bet on people enjoying, and unlike smaller producers they’re easy to find, anywhere, any time of year.

6. A wine with a high rating must be good: Sadly, no. It’s an unfortunate trend that evaluating wines has become reduced to numerical ratings. Reducing it to a point scale sucks all the life and nuance out of this wonderful beverage.
• Imagine if we valuated other things in such a way: your Zinfandel-braised short ribs get 82 points.
• Ratings don’t tell you anything about a wine other than that it’s probably heavy and alcoholic enough to overpower its more subtle (and perhaps more appropriate) peers in a comparative tasting.
• A better way to find great wines is to talk about flavor profiles - consider pre-tasting wines and find the best selections that fit your needs. I say throw out the numbers, and tell me how a wine tastes.
Why should you care? Selecting wine by just looking at point ratings does nothing to distinguish your selections, or your event. If you don’t trust your taste enough to make worthy wine choices, why should anyone else?

Born and raised in New York City, Michael Green has been a fixture in the beverage industry since the age of six when he first began accompanying his father to work at the venerable wine store Acker Merrall & Condit on the Upper West Side. Michael maintained his post at Acker Merrall & Condit throughout high school and college. After graduating, Michael embarked on an aggressive self-education of the world’s appellations while importing wine for the company. His renewed passion for the grape resulted in a series of wine tastings performed at the store and paved the way for his relationship with Gourmet magazine. At the age of 26, Michael began making pairing suggestions for the Gourmet Dining Room and, over the course of a decade, has become the magazine’s exclusive wine and spirits consultant.
Michael’s wine-and-dine wizardry takes many forms, including designing customized corporate wine dinners, directing tasting programs for conferences, festivals and auctions, and building private wine collections. Harnessing the power of wine to build relationships, Michael has the unique ability to articulate a company’s mission through the exploration of wine, making him a favorite talent for Fortune 500 companies nationwide who look to create memorable, brand-building events.

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An New Way to Dine - Table Clothing Optional!

I found this interesting design concept on BizBash New York.  Enjoy!

Table Linens Not Required

Party Rental Ltd.’s new square tables are covered in faux leather. Photo: Courtesy of Party Rental Ltd.     You can cut linens from the budget by renting the new Parsons table from Party Rental Ltd. Part of the company’s new spring line, the 66-inch square table has a sturdy wood frame and is covered completely in a shiny faux-leather material, with a textured surface that eliminates the need for tablecloths. The tables come in black, white, and bark and can be rented in the New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., areas, with prices available upon request.    —Danielle O’Steen

 

Source:  (http://www.bizbash.com/newyork/content/editorial/e10991.php)

A Very Cool Gift for Wine Lovers!

I found this little gem on BizBash Toronto.  Enjoy!!

 

 

What to Give Budding Wine Snobs

The Fusebox set includes seven half-bottles of wine, wine evaluation cards, and pipettes. Photo: Courtesy of Fusebox                                   A bottle of wine is a standard gift, but the Fusebox wine kit from Crushpad goes a bit further. Each set is geared toward groups of four, who learn about D.I.Y. winemaking and then split into teams of two for a game that tests their newfound knowledge about characteristics of grape varietals and wine blending. The box includes seven California wines, as well as tools of the sipping-and-swirling trade: pipettes, recipe cards, tasting placemats, a graduated cylinder, a vinography aroma card, and wine evaluation cards. After learning how to taste and blend various wines, participants compete to guess the components of a special mystery bottle, also included in the kit. Each set retails for $120.    —Jenny Berg

Source:  (http://www.bizbash.com/toronto/content/editorial/e10899.php)

10,000 Visits Already!!! Let’s Party!!!

 

It’s incredible, that there have been over 10,000 unique visits to this blog already!!  I have been on WordPress.com for a little over 6 months, and have enjoyed the experience thus far.  It’s been great, seeing how people link to this site, and how they find it in the search engines.  Also, seeing the different links that are clicked through from the posts is very encouraging.  It tells me that you are enjoying the content.  I want to continue to bring you, dear readers, interesting and timely content, relating to weddings, special events and entertaining, and the ideas and people behind them.  I will also keep you up to date on my own events.

I would like to cordially invite all of you to send me your comments and questions.  If you have a topic that you would like me to write about, please feel free to drop me a line.  If you have any pictures from events or ideas that you would like to share, please send them.  I enjoy reading your messages!  I would like this blog to become more interactive for everyone.

So, a Great Big THANK YOU, to all of you for reading, and please, keep coming back to see what’s new!  You may just find the perfect idea for your own celebration!!  Enjoy!!

 

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Do you know your Wedding Trends for 2008?

 

As Wedding Season kicks into high gear, I always like to see which of the predicted wedding trends make a really big showing in my local area.  Several months ago, I posted some of the predictions for 2008.  Here is an updated list by www.TheWeddingReport.com:

Did you know these trends for 2008?

• Designers are pushing wedding dresses with alternative styles and necklines, but brides still favor the strapless gown.
• The biggest trend for bridesmaids’ attire is the wear-again dress.
• Couples still prefer traditional white wedding cakes, but custom-designed cakes are becoming popular.
• Consistently designed invitations, save-the-date cards, programs, escort/place cards, menus, and thank-you cards are becoming trendy.
• Cinematic videography is a new and exciting alternative to standard photography and video services.
• Online photo showcasing, which allows couples, their family and friends to view, share and purchase wedding photographs is a rising trend.
• Extravagant weddings that include big gowns, multiple wardrobe changes, towering lush floral centerpieces, gilded place settings, seven course meals, and elaborate desert displays are expected for 2008.
• 1980’s fashion styles are popular, including textured dresses, bright colors, wide belts or sashes, big jewelry, and cover bands.
• White gold and platinum wedding rings continue to outpace yellow gold.
• Currently in style are antique wedding rings for men and women, as well as exaggerated, big, bold jewelry.
• Destination weddings are growing in popularity due to all-inclusive packages offered by resorts and easy planning through their websites.
• High-end kitchen gear and practical cooking items are currently popular wedding gifts.

Statistics above provided by: TheWeddingReport.com

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Finally, an image to put with the name!

 

 

Have you ever played around with an avatar maker?  There are several to choose from, such as Yahoo!, Zwinky, Meez, just to name a few.  This one that I have created, is through www.yahoo.com.  I will post the link for the avatar maker at the bottom of the page.  You can customize your look, change your clothes, accessories and backgrounds.  It’s a lot of fun to play with, do try it out.

I wanted to create an image that reflected who I am as a special events planner.  Elegant, professional, knowledgeable, yet always friendly and approachable.  I am always willing to lend a hand to make your event truly unique.  I like to showcase the personal touches that make an event especially memorable and successful.

When I plan an event for you, we can include a treasured family recipe in your menu, or special decor that might incorporate crystals, textured fabrics, or exotic flowers.  Lighting and music are also important elements.  Candles and candlelight add instant ambiance, and flatter any skin tone, as do many shades of colored lighting.  Music sets the mood for any event, whether soft and serene, or uptempo and vibrant.  All of these combine to create an event where the guests have a great time, and you as the host receive all the compliments!

 

I would like to learn more about you, my dear reader.  I would like to know what you love about weddings, special events, entertainment, anything really.  If you are planning your own wedding or party, please feel free to share details.  Do you need help?  Please feel free to ask me any questions about event planning.  I am happy to assist!

Until next time, enjoy!!

 

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Butterfly Birthday Bash - An Inspiration Board!!

I love springtime!  I love seeing all of the different colors of butterflies, moths, and dragonflies.  I have been assisting a couple plan a party for their twins’ 1st birthday party.  They have decided on a bright, airy, colorful butterfly theme.  Here is a board I have put together to use as creative inspiration in the planning process.  Enjoy!

A New Invitation Website!!

I found this website about invitations, courtesy of BizBash Los Angeles.  Enjoy!

A New Site for Online Invites

An email invitation from Pingg Photo: Courtesy of Pingg Pingg, the latest addition to the crowded online invitation market, offers a few handy new features for event planners. The site’s free invites are completely customizable: Users can upload their own logos, photos, and PDFs—or, for an extra charge, choose from more than two million stock images. Invitations, event details, and follow-ups can be sent via email, text message, Facebook, another Web site, or with actual print invitations sent through the mail. Each event automatically gets its own ad-free Web page that can be customized with photos, videos, charity registries, Google Maps, news, RSS feeds, guest comments, and R.S.V.P. tracking. R.S.V.P. options include the ability to limit an event’s capacity and to allow invitees to bring guests or transfer their invites to others. Planners can also use Pingg to create and print guest lists for check-in at the door.    —Lisa Cericola

 

Source:  (http://www.bizbash.com/losangeles/content/editorial/e10449.php)

Fantastic Tabletop Design Ideas!!

I have fallen completely in love with Diffa, and Dining by Design!  BizBash New York recently published a series of articles about this company and their innovative tabletop designs.  I hope you will be as inspired as I am.  Enjoy!!

 

News Archive for Diffa Dining By Design

FROM THE EDITORS   04.07.08 5:31 PM Looking at Diffa’s Trove of Tabletop Design Ideas <!– –> A cardboard and plywood dining room designed by Pratt students Photo: Francine Daveta for BizBash Each year when the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS Dining by Design benefit hits New York—recruiting designers to dream up elaborate tabletop looks—we record the myriad inspirational ideas the event offers. This year was no exception, and our style editors were on the prowl last week, spotting new place setting concepts, identifying color trends, and (lucky you) highlighting the event’s 10 most steal-able ideas. You can find an archive of our coverage of the event here.     RELATED TOPICS Diffa, Diffa Dining by Design THE SCOUT   04.04.08 10:15 AM Diffa’s 10 Most-Steal-Able Ideas <!– –> Kravet Inc.’s collection of inspirational items Photo: Francine Daveta for BizBash Designers at Diffa’s Dining by Design showcase always offers a multitude of concepts to adapt to other events. This year’s most-likely-to-reappear concepts included patterned seat cushions, veggies as centerpiece fodder, and napkin rings made from colored paper swatches. Here’s a list of ideas that made an impression. READ MORE RELATED TOPICS Diffa, Diffa Dining by Design, Domino, Pratt Institute, Parsons the New School for Design, James Coviello, Michael Tavano, New York Design Center, Architectural Digest, Vicente Wolf, The New York Times TREND SPOTTED   04.04.08 9:45 AM Diffa’s Color Trend: Yellow <!– –> A rich goldenrod-colored linen covered Ralph Lauren Home’s table. Photo: Francine Daveta for BizBash Perhaps as a nod to spring, many designers at Diffa’s Dining by Design event incorporated yellow accents into their tables this year, with shades of the color popping up as table linens, vases, statuary, and flowers. Here’s a look at an array of the warm settings. READ MORE RELATED TOPICS Diffa, Diffa Dining by Design, Gourmet, J.C. Penney, Ralph Lauren Home, Michael Tavano TREND SPOTTED   04.03.08 4:25 PM Diffa’s Sparkling Chandeliers <!– –> Stolichnaya Elit’s illuminated ceiling featured suspended prisms. Photo: Francine Daveta for BizBash Crystal-studded orbs, vintage-looking fixtures, traditional cut-crystal chandeliers, dangling pendants dressed up with fabrics, and mod prisms embellished lighting at many of the tables at Diffa’s Dining by Design event at Skylight. Here’s a selection of the glittering installations. READ MORE RELATED TOPICS Diffa, Diffa Dining by Design, Baccarat, Architectural Digest, Stolichnaya Elit THE SCOUT   04.02.08 4:20 PM Diffa’s Place Settings That Popped <!– –> Kravet Inc. used Lucite-topped books as place settings. Photo: Francine Daveta for BizBash Books, picnic baskets, film reels, logs, and fabric encased in plexiglass were among the unusual props and decorative devices that topped tables at Diffa’s Dining by Design event at Skylight. Here’s a look at some of the most striking settings.   —Lisa Cericola & Mark Mavrigian RELATED TOPICS Diffa, Diffa Dining by Design, Allsteel, Apherea, Fashion Institute of Technology, HOK, Kravet Inc., The New York Times EVENT REPORT   04.02.08 3:44 PM Diffa Showcases Big Tabletop Designs in Smaller Venue <!– –> David Stark’s dining environment for Benjamin Moore was made mostly out of paint swatches and paper. Photo: Francine Daveta for BizBash This year, Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS’s annual Dining by Design fund-raiser moved from its most recent home at the Waterfront to the downtown venue Skylight. The new location had a strong impact on the experience of walking through the showcase, which recruits a slate of designers and sponsors to build imaginative dining environments. Compared with the Waterfront, with its exposed brick and steel beams (and the benefit’s previous homes at the Hammerstein Ballroom and Roseland) Skylight’s big white box provided a brighter, less distracting background for the designers’ intensely layered creations. And the new site’s smaller size necessitated a tighter collection of tables (cut down from more than 50 to 39) that made for a more focused—and more easily navigable—forum for locating trends and gathering ideas. “It’s always a challenge to find a venue here, and for us, [Skylight is] a very user-friendly venue, with two load-in points—plus it’s a blank canvas for us; it’s a gallery,” said Diffa’s special events manager, Steven Williams. “It’s a little more exclusive because it’s smaller, and we have more sponsors this year.” So, speaking of trends and ideas, how did the designers fill the new location? READ MORE RELATED TOPICS Diffa, Diffa Dining by Design, Architectural Digest, Benjamin Moore, Beringer, Domino, Gourmet, Hewlett-Packard, Kravet Inc., Nautica, New York Design Center, The New York Times, Skidmore Owings and Merrill, Stolichnaya Elit, Vivienne Tam

Source:  (http://www.bizbash.com/newyork/archive.php?t=Diffa+Dining+by+Design)

Modern Victorian - An Inspiration Board

 

I love vintage and Victorian styles.  They are very romantic, and if I could decorate my whole life like this, well, I would be in heaven.  But this is only one theme in the world of weddings and events.  There are many other influences that can make up your personal wedding style.  For this inspiration board, I used elements that had a vintage feel, but are modern at the same time.  Enjoy!!