Pick 24 at Vine and Table

With so many options when it comes to buying your next bottle of wine, where do you begin to narrow down your selection? Well, if you live in or around the Carmel, Indiana area look no further than Vine and Table. Not only does Vine and Table offer weekly tastings every Saturday from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM, they hold various events throughout the month to get you in and to wet your palate.

The Saturday tastings are free and there is no need to RSVP for those. You can come in, taste a handful of wines and even get a lesson in what makes these wines special. I have been to several of these tastings and each time I am hit with a different experience. But no matter what wines are being poured this is a great chance for you to take some notes and learn what varietals you like and dislike. It takes time to develop a nose for a fine wine and the folks at Vine and Table are here to help. It is events like these that help the general public learn more about the beauty hidden inside these grapes.

However, if you want to experience more wines than the few that are poured every Saturday, you will need to check out one of their monthly mixers. Around every corner you can find one of these events, and I had the chance to attend their most recent gathering.

The event that I attended was titled Pick 24. This event featured twenty-four different wines being poured by a number of Vine and Table’s familiar faces. Each table had twelve different wines, six reds and six whites per table. The table on the left was filled with wines that were all priced under $24, while the table on the right was filled with wines that were all priced under $12. Also take note that these were not just your average wines but are all 90+ rated wines. From the first sauvignon blanc that I tasted, to the port that finished off my evening, each wine was carefully selected for this event.

In the middle of the room you could find a variety of light hors d’oeuvres from the gourmet market at Vine and Table. Here the guests and I all tasted a handful of cheeses, some fresh strawberries, a variety of dips, and even some tasty meatballs covered in a tangy glaze. The food, although not a huge selection, was the perfect combination to go with all of the wines that we tasted.

If you have not been to an event like this, you need to consider attending next month’s gathering. These events take place every month on the first Wednesday and run from 5:30 PM until 7:00 PM. The beautiful part about these events is the price. You would figure an evening like this, that includes all of the food and the twenty-four wine samples, would cost a fortune. But that is not at Vine and Table. The Pick 24 costs a mere $10. You can’t beat that price. And, to help make this deal even sweeter, Vine and Table offers an added discount to these already discounted wines on the night of the event. So, if you try something you like, such as the Hey Mambo that I can’t seem to get enough of, you can save even more.

(The discount, for attendees, is 10% off on twelve bottles, 5% off on six bottles, and 3% off on three bottles. This is additional to the already low prices associated with these wines.)

These events, as well as their Saturday tastings, are a great way for you to try before you buy. There is no better way to shop for wine and spirits than being able to sample them first. This gives you a chance to train your palate as well as see how many options are available to you. These events do require that you register before hand, as the space is limited. Based on the number of people at this previous Pick 24, I would suggest registering early. So next month head on over to Vine and Table and experience the best wines and snacks that they have to offer.

Wine List for the Pick 24 held on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

2008 • Provence SB

2008 • Brancott Reserve SB

2006 • Steele “WB” Rous.

2006 • Baileyana Chardonnay

2007 • Matua Parretia SB

2009 • Crios Torrontes

2008 • Ch. Ste. Michelle Chardonnay

2008 • Ch. Ste. Michelle H3 SB

2008 • Penfold’s T. Hyland Riesling

2006 • C&Y Marq. CasaCon Chardonnay

2007 • Hey Mambo White