A bit of Good Taste: Girl's Night Out with Tanji Patton

As the Christmas season started, Texas' new favorite for the best of food and wine, Tanji Patton, hosted the last Girl's Night Out of 2012. This holiday themed event took place at the Westin La Cantera in San Antonio and spotlighted some great shopping and treats as the attendees geared up for the holiday season.

First a little about Girl's Night Out for those new to the concept. This event started as a way for Tanji and her friends to get together and enjoy themselves -- a difficult thing to do with the busy lives these women lead. Their first event was a huge success, with 100 attendees. Since then, Tanji and her friends have hosted these events throughout San Antonio -- and now Houston -- where women can gather to enjoy great drinks, wonderful food, and lots of good company. The event allows friends to gather and have fun, but it also allows for networking and the development of new friendships.

The most recent one was my first -- and I attended as a guest of Tanji's after meeting her at the San Antonio Cellar Classic. This event was hidden from the hotel's major traffic in one of the large meeting and conference spaces on the grounds. Wine, beer, and a signature holiday cocktail were available (all guests were given two drink tickets and could purchase more drinks after that); these were chosen by Tanji and her staff (as I was told by Westin sommelier Steven Krueger who made a quick appearance after his nightly wine tasting). A wonderful collection of hors d'oeuvre was available, topped off by a chocolate fountain. Live Christmas music provided our backdrop (though I felt it was often too loud for the space), and representative from local businesses and establishments came out to provide an array of shopping possibilities.

As this is primarily a wine blog, I will focus there, but I did want to share a little about the rest.

The food

The variety was great. Everyone could find something to please their pallet -- even unfortunately picky me. I had already eaten after a LONG day teaching, so I stuck to the desserts, which mainly meant the chocolate fountain. This went for the middle and provided milk chocolate with an array of expected and unexpected dipping items: strawberries and marshmallows, but also pretzel sticks and gingerbread men. For those more interested in savory, there were Mediterranean-like vegetables, breads with accouterments, and a number of dumplings and similar meat friendly appetizers. A guest could easily make a well rounded meal from the food.

The shopping

Honestly, I was a bit disappointed. I had hoped for neat gift ideas; most of the shopping, unfortunately, was more personal. Many of the businesses provided great indulgences like jewelry, handbags, shoes, clothes, and other quality accessories. The Westin did come out with great gift packages for the spa and the golf course -- too bad no one on my shopping list wanted either. My favorite for the night was a longtime favorite from the farmer's market scene: Ms. Chocolatier. She had many of her regular favorites -- I brought home the Mexican chocolate and chocolate pecan toffees. Her array of specially made truffles were a nice gesture for the holidays. I did find out she will be working through the holidays and her goodies will be available.

The guests

 At first, I found it difficult to meet new people. I am a bit shy -- though some people might not think so -- so just introducing myself was tough. And to be honest, at this event, most people were in defined groups and were focused on just associating with their friends. On a good note, Tanji was approachable and friendly -- we chatted several times (often by accident); she also introduced me to a few people. However, after awhile, I suddenly found myself meeting others. On the advice of Texas Wine Lover, Jeff Cope, I wore my new signature hat. It attracted people as the evening wore on. Groups and single ladies would come over to ask about it. It was a great starting point to meet a number of interesting people. I even spent some time with the social media contact and other organizers from the Westin -- these ladies were friendly and helpful. Once that began, the night improved greatly.

The wine

So, this is a wine blog, right? Of course, I was set for some great wine, especially knowing the menu at the Westin. Well, that was not the case. The night had a limited selection of wine, primarily wine from Hob Nob Wines (In the San Antonio area, these wines can be found at Costco, Green Fields, and WalMart). I realize this was likely a budget issue -- how do you provide wine for 200+ people without blowing your budget on it? I have since found that these are solid wines at a great price.


Luckily, I did find one nice choice from the group, and it was not a surprise: the Hob Nob Malbec. I recently went to their site to find out about it, but there is no mention of the strongest wine of the evening (Tanji and I both agreed that it was a nice wine, but she longed for the Malbecs from her recent trip to South America). I did some online searching and found out that if you can find it, the wine runs from $9-$14 (though I have yet to find a local retailer for this wine). This is a good price for a smooth, rich Malbec that was easy to drink. However, don't expect a wine to mull over and experience; this is a pleasant drinking wine that can be enjoyed right after opening.

Wicked Red: From HobNob Wine

I decided that since the Malbec was a solid wine, I would try the red blend, The Wicked Red. It is described as very aromatic with a hint of citrus. I found it to be a bit muddled, with no definitive taste coming out. The citrus made the wine seem like it should be sweet but was instead a light dry wine. It was easy on the pallet, but not as solid as the Malbec.

Unfortunately, I wasted my last ticket there instead of on the holiday cocktail. To be honest, the lines for drinks were LONG. They snaked through the crowds and tables; I try to not spend too long in them. With that said, the cocktail was a process that took a bit of time, holding up the line. My thoughts for others kicked in, and I avoided the cocktail so as to limit my time in the line.

In the end...

This bright and sparkly evening ended with a number of prizes that got the crowd anxious. Many of the guests ringed the stage hoping for their chance; it paid off for many. We all left with a nice goodie bag with a shirt, water bottle, nail files, and other great deals. In the end, even nervous-me had a good time. However, I wonder if this was the best one for me to come to. I have heard that some of the other events are less formal than this one; I wonder if I had attended one of those if it would have been easier to meet new people and network more. Well, I'll just have to wait till 2013.

For pictures and a quick look at this event, check out Tanji's site here.

San Antonio Cellar Classic

Texas Wine Month was celebrated in San Antonio with the second annual San Antonio Cellar Classic hosted by Max's Wine Dive and their new establishment the Boiler House (official opening tomorrow). I enjoyed the chance to meet with other wine lovers and wine folks (the staff from Max's and the representatives for the wineries were very knowledgeable and affable). The chance to taste and experience such a variety of wines of all price ranges, types, and regions was also wonderful. The problem, though, was the event was way too short -- three hours was not enough time for someone with a VIP ticket. Another small issue was the limited selection of Texas wines; few were available with the main winery being one of my regular favorites, Bending Branch. In the end, the wines were all well chosen and interesting, the people were friendly and helpful, and it was an overall good time.

The Basics

First, let me explain the set-up. There were two options -- the general admission tickets and the VIP ticket. The general admission ticket offered a selection of about 40 wines that were all generally under $30. The VIP ticket included an additional 30 wines that ranged in price from the low $20s to Tanji Patton's choice champagne wine at just over $100. The VIP ticket also came with a special "coupon" that could be used towards a wine purchase. No matter the admission, all guests were able to purchase the wines after the event. There were additional discounts based off of case and ticket (there were better deals for those with a VIP pass, etc.). By the end, we kept our spending under control and bought our top six wines.

General Admission

The general admission wines offered the greatest selection and variety. Here, whites and reds went nearly hand-in-hand. The varietals were diverse but leaned toward the most popular ones, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The wineries were also diverse, but provided the largest amount of US wines. This also had the majority of the Texas wines -- three.

One of the Texas choices: El Sueno: Tinto de Tejas from McPherson Cellars

The general admission wines were solid options. Unfortunately, I didn't get to taste as many as I wanted, so Sean and I picked and chose carefully. For us, that means sticking with the reds. There were standouts and memorable wines in this bunch.

Beringer Cabernet

 The standouts in the reds included one of my go-to's, Terraza's Reserve Malbec. It is a commonly found wine and pairs well with a number of meats, especially those with a good hint of spice (which would include nice red sauces). Another was one I was eager to try, the Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon. They had recently followed my Twitter feed, so I was eager to give them a nod back. Well, this wine did not disappoint. It was one of the strongest when it came to complexity and balance. I was quickly taken in by the feel of the wine and was reminded why California is a place for good Cabernet. However, they weren't my favorite Cab. Go figure, it was the special release of the day, Bending Branch's new High Plains sourced Cab (it is to be officially released this Saturday -- Nov. 17 at the winery with the new Tempranillo). This wine shows the beauties of what the High Plains can do, ranking with many of the other strong wines made from grapes from the same region. It was also nice to see Texas wine go toe-to-toe with a longtime California producer. And of course, what made this extra special was that winemaker John Riverburgh came to share the new wine.

John and the new Cab

For us, one of the must have's to try was The Crusher. We didn't really care how it tasted, we just had to try it. Just before the event, Wil Wheaton had posted a picture on his blog with an added blurb on the label. We had to taste a wine that can both be a Star Trek Next Generation joke and a Big Bang Theory Joke. And a side note, Wil is a gracious and friendly guy. We meet him recently and shared our feelings about a role playing game we all play.

Our tastings of The Crusher

VIP

The VIP wines were heavy on the reds and provided a greater amount of less traditional wines and locales. The varieties included popular choices such as Cabernet and Pinot Noir, but lesser known options such as Tannat (the Silver Tannat from Bending Branch to be specific) and South African Shiraz. Here, the wines coated the palate and excited the taste buds; it was clear why this was the VIP selection.

There were a few wines we were VERY encouraged to drink. Well, they were right. At our first tasting, we started hearing about Chocolate Box. This was our favorite Shiraz of the day -- the Fairview Eenzamheld Shiraz being the other (which I will cover for a forthcoming Wine Wednesday). These two wines had such an earthiness to them. The earth sang in them, transporting the drinker to wide wind swept lands.

Fairview Shiraz from South Africa

Two other great reds included one of the most expensive (and well worth it) Urbina Gran Reserva and the Alessandro Pedro Ximeniz Sherry. The Urbina practically knocked me off my feet. This primarily Tempranillo blend from the Rioja area of Spain sparked notes of earth and spice, like many Texas Temps, but had the smooth balance that elevates many of the best Spanish Temps. I was so taken I had to buy a bottle. The Sherry, though, we almost missed tasting; we got in right at the wire. This Spanish Sherry was all caramel and nuts; the fruit provided a beautiful roundness and sweetness to the other flavors. I plan on opening my bottle at Christmas, but some days I just want to open it up and drink the whole thing.

I do have to mention the one white that caught my eye. Vicius Albarino was a great wine that was full of flavor. I have only had Texas Albarinos, and it was nice to have a Spanish one for once. And this was a treat. This wine is actually aged, in bottle, on the cool floor of the Atlantic Ocean. This is the passion that drives me to drink and write about wine.

Tanji Patton's Selection

One of the best additions to the VIP ticket was having Tanji Patton from Good Taste with Tanji sharing three wines of her choosing. She provided a rose' champagne, the Ruinart Rose'. After my education during Rambling Rose at Becker vineyards, I was prepared for this treat. It was dry with soft berry fruits. I rarely drink champagne, but this wine was a whole different story.

The Overall Experience

Sean and I enjoying the last of the event

The San Antonio Cellar Classic was a great introduction to many unique and interesting wines. I would recommend San Antonio area folk to attend, especially if you want the chance to explore wine in a relaxed and fun setting. For more on all the wines, check out this year's list.

There are also nice additions. The music was upbeat and created a great mood, though it made talking and learning about the wines difficult -- I enjoyed learning about the wines and the wineries. The food, from great establishments from around San Antonio provided a nice break from all the wine.  Be here again, time caused its share of problems; it was hard to actually enjoy any of the food and really get to enjoy a good selection of wine. Honestly, I am eager for next year and a whole new round of wines. Until then, I will enjoy my bottles and head to Max's for my fix.