Initial Wine Tasting Update/Invite

This is for all my wine-tasting peeps, regarding the 2011 trip:

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Hi All:

We're very late on this, this year. Honestly, I am just not motivated to get it done. But, I guess I do still want to do this, on some level, so I'll update you here.

We lost our bus of previous years. That company is just not doing charters anymore. I went through a painful search but I did find a bus that I think will work. So, this year will be different, in some respects, but it is nothing we can't work with. (The biggest change (well, 2nd biggest) is that we aren't to have glass on the bus. I did negotiate caveat for wine BOTTLES, promising that we would secure them, so that they didn't fall on the floor and that no one would break them and attempt to use them as a weapon. Seriously. But, we'll need to drink from plastic only.)

The only bus we could afford is from a one man business. This is part of the reason for the delays...This guy doesn't do email or faxes, so everything is phone calls and snail mail. ugh. I STILL do not have the contract and, personally, I am uncomfortable calling it 'set in stone' until I get it. But, there is no reason to think I won't (He promised me moments ago to send it 'this week') and the hour is late, so I think we have to start putting this together officially.

The cost is going up. I never really appreciated how good a deal we had with Dave until it’s gone. L At this stage, with our normal complement, it’ll be $60/person. Previous years have been $45 and $50 and once was $60 but it included lunch. This year, $60, no lunch. (It does include the driver gratuity.) And this was the best deal I could get. It’s the economy, what can I say? Plus the usual spending on the day of. You know all about that.

Logistically speaking, same deal. Date is October 22nd. Leavin’ at 6 am. From New Horizons. Breakfast/Utica Pick-up at Burger King around 8 am. But there is something new this year. This year, we are visiting wineries we’ve previously visited. I guess it had to happen and on year 6, it did. The wineries, this year, in order:

1. Belhurst Winery (tasting and lunch)

2. White Springs Winery

3. Torrey Ridge Winery/Meadery

4. Fox Run Vineyards

5. Ventosa Vineyards

6. Montezuma Winery

So there’s still a couple of new ones in there. And the old ones are KNOWN to be good. Last time, we didn’t any time in the Meadery but this year, we have a dedicated tasting time there. So that should be nice. As per usual, home around 1ish.

We got no place for dinner yet. I can call Borio’s again. I like that place…good, quality comfort food. But someplace new might be nice…We could try Turning Stone again ;)

I can’t think of anything else for now. Let me know if you have any questions or if I missed anything…

We need to get to 30 people to make it happen. Right now, the Facebook group shows 14 attending and 14 maybes (including the Mexican, so really 13. J) So that’s damn near 30. So you think I’d not lose any sleep but…I am still. You can reserve your seat by giving me cash when you see me. Or message me on facebook or at genwarr@gmail.com for my mailing address. I’ll probably have to start bugging people quick, as the hour is late, as I said. I’ll keep updating the Facebook page as things develop…

P.S. Sorry there is no cutesy funny email. NO inspiration. If you're new or jonesing, I could send you last years...let me know...*shrug* probably never found it funny anyway...