 In
Honor of the Super Bowl . . .
This Saturday, January 25th, we
are changing our normal afternoon Prairie Wine Sampling. In honor of
the Super Bowl, we will present the Super Bowl Challenge, a tasting of our
premium beers.
Just in time for Super Bowl
Sunday, you can sample from our varied collection of domestic and imported
beers. And in case you're thinking
"I don't like beer," think again - we have some lambic ales that
will REALLY surprise you!
Plan to stop by on Saturday
afternoon between 1 - 6:30 p.m. for this special sampling. We are
also featuring a Beer Bucket of assorted beers and snacks - perfect for a
Super Bowl party!
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In this issue:
Start a Wine Tasting Club!
Join Our Wine Club
For Valentine's Day
Schedule of Events
Store Location & Hours
Legal Notice on Ordering Wine
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Feature Article
For
Wine Lovers: Start a Wine Tasting Club!
How can you learn more about wine in a fun, relaxed
social setting? One way is to
join or start a wine-tasting club. These
types of gatherings can be a great way to learn about wine, share your
wine appreciation with others and develop new friendships.
Lisle mayor Joseph Broda knows first-hand how enjoyable
a wine-tasting club can be; he and his wife Joanne have belonged to one
for 20 years. “We joined
our wine-tasting club when we first moved to Lisle,” Mr. Broda said.
“It has been a wonderful experience that we look forward to each
month. People in the group
have become good friends over the years.”
The format and structure of Mr. Broda’s club is simple
and easy to follow. The group
meets once each month from September through June, and the hosting
responsibilities rotate each time. The
host selects the wines to be served and provides coffee or other drinks. Different people volunteer to bring bread, cheese and
dessert. At the end of the
evening, those in attendance split the cost of the wine.
“Sometimes the host will pick a theme, such as
‘Chardonnays Around the World,’” Mr. Broda explained.
“One time we hosted ‘Wines from Where?’ which highlighted
wines from unusual countries. That
was a fun evening, and people learned something new.”
Mr. Broda further explained that with his club, the
evening starts with casual mixing. After
30-45 minutes, the actual wine tasting program is conducted by the host(s)
and/or a guest speaker. Once
the tasting program has concluded, the group enjoys coffee and desserts to
wrap up the evening.
Mr. Broda said that for the ongoing success of such a
club, it’s important to remember that the goal is to learn about wines.
The hosts do not need to be experts – they can learn about
particular wines from books or magazines, or ask for help from local wine
sellers.
Other ideas to consider that can make hosting easier:
-
If the thought of hosting in people’s homes seems
like too much, start by attending different wine tastings with us. (Each of our tasting events is organized around a
theme.) When your group
feels ready, you can move to a format of people hosting the group in
their homes.
-
Sharing the cost of the wine each time eases the
burden for the hosts.
-
Ask everyone to bring their own wine glasses, so the
host doesn’t need to worry about supplying numerous glasses.
-
Appoint someone new to be the coordinator each year;
this person maintains the sign-up lists and schedule.
-
Choose whether to focus on a wine tasting format, or
offer hors d’oeuvres or plan a dinner party.
-
Consider following a book or game format, such as
“Winerd.”
Definitely ask us for help in selecting wines and
gathering information about a specific region or type of wine. For example, we at Wine Expressions can provide several
selections based on country, region, or other theme. We can also suggest food pairings to enhance the wine and
point you to information resources.
You can start planning such a club by talking with your
friends and neighbors to find others interested in learning about
different types of wines. A
monthly wine tasting club could be just the answer, providing good
company, interesting wines and ongoing wine education.
Take some time to stop by our store and talk with us
about your ideas and format – we’re happy to help you with materials
and information to get started.
Getting Started is Simple!
-
Choose a theme for the first event.
-
Select the wines.
-
Learn a few pieces of information about the wines
chosen.
-
Choose complementary hors d’oeuvres, or simply
bread and cheese.
-
Invite people to come.
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How
Did You Get this Newsletter?
The
mailing list for this newsletter was generated from the personal email
archives of Wine Expressions' owners and from direct requests received
from our customers.
We
hope you enjoy the newsletter and decide to remain on our distribution
list. You are welcome to pass this newsletter along to a friend, or
click unsubscribe to
be removed from our lists.
By
the way, we never share your email or address information with anyone
else.
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For
Valentine's Day
Be
sure to visit our store for your Valentine's Day gift shopping. We
have put together a wonderful selection of gift bags that are sure to
please any wine lover!
Our
"sparkling" gift bag features a bottle of Mar de Gelida NV
Penedes, complimented by Lindt truffles and champagne
biscuits. $24.50
For
white wine drinkers, we selected Hedges 01 Washington Fume Chardonnay,
Lindt truffles and white wine biscuits. $23.50
Red
wine fans will enjoy our Vega Sindoa 01 Navarra Tempranillo Merlot,
combined with Lindt truffles and red wine
biscuits. $21.00
All
of these gifts are assembled in one of our beautifully decorated gift bags
and accented with a red or pink wire ribbon bow.
For
a more personalized gift, you can select your own combination of wine,
chocolates and snacks. We're happy to assemble your gift by
request.
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Schedule
of Events
Plan now to attend one of our
upcoming events. We look forward to seeing you at the store!
January
25 Super Bowl
Challenge Beer Tasting, 1-6:30 pm
February
1 Prairie Sampling wine
tasting, 1-6:30 pm
"Wines from Oregon"
February
8 Prairie Sampling wine
tasting, 1-6:30 pm
"Wines from Washington"
February
15 Prairie Sampling wine
tasting, 1-6:30 pm
"Wines from the Rhone Valley"
February
20 Prairie Cellar Tasting #2 -
French wines
6:30 - 8 pm, includes educational
presentation, hors d'oeuvres and wine.
$25.00 per person.
Purchase tickets in advance by calling us
at (630)435-9463.
February
22 Prairie Sampling beer
tasting, 1-6:30 pm
"Belgium Beers and Ales"
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Store
Location & Hours
We
are located in downtown Lisle at the southwest corner of Burlington Ave.
& Main St.
Hours
of Operation:
M - Sat 11 am - 7 pm
Closed
Sundays
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An
Invitation: Join Our Wine Club
Why join a wine of the month club? In
short, it's the perfect answer for learning about wines and trying new
varieties, with almost no effort on your part.
With our Prairie Wine Club, we
send you a monthly shipment of either two or three bottles (your choice). Each
shipment includes notes about the wine, suggested food pairings and special offers for purchasing
additional bottles at a discount.
When selecting these wines, we
look to expand your exposure to great value wines; we'll usually include a
combination of red and white. Most of these wines go to club members
before they reach our store shelves, so as a club member, you get a
preview and first chance at buying these selections in volume.
Subscriptions are automatic for an
initial six-month time period, but you may have them cancelled or extended
at any time.
Our wine club can make the perfect
gift, whether for yourself or the wine-lover on your list. Contact
us with questions. You can sign up at the store or on our web site.
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Legal Notice
on Ordering Wine
You must be 21 years of age or older to order any alcoholic beverage.
By law, we are allowed to ship wine to only the following
states: California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa,
Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
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