Just a sip, and then it's gone

first taste
Originally uploaded by Lifeinfoto.

Tonight I dragged Jenn to an Aussie wine tasting at the lovely Tasting Room on West Randolph. I was taken to this bar on my second night in Chicago and I have never forgotten the impact that it made on me. The night time view over the city of Chicago is just breathtaking. Still, tonight was about business and Jenn and I were dedicating ourselves to the task of tasting the 30 wines for $30 that we were promised.

One of the tables was manned by a dork, so we steered clear of him and decided that none of the wines on offer were anything to write home about. But for every other table, we circled at least one wine we really enjoyed.

Would you believe it, I ran into my friend Tracy at the wine tasting?! I was only speaking with her on the phone last night, lamenting how long it has been since we caught up. We made plans to see one another on Sunday at Guthries, but I never expected to see her tonight - it was a lovely surprise indeed.

Then Jenn and I went back to the Cult for some champagne and catching up with friends before we retired back home. It has been a busy night but still an early one. It was lovely to sample Aussie wines that aren't necessarily famous back home (there is something to be said for the export quality wines with their very dodgy names). At the same time, it's nice to see familiar names like Peter Lehmann and regions like the Barossa Valley getting a chance to shine at wine tastings so far from home. Blissful.