Less shush, more lush, all while wearing a perfect hat.

My fellow librarian Hope flagged me down awhile ago with an invitation to attend a wine tasting that was to be held in an area close to where we both live.

She didn't need to twist my arm to get me to agree to go.

I had it written on my calendar, in ink, in no time.

Bernie had it written on his calendar too.

The only one who didn't get it written on his calendar was Bernie's boss, who called for a company meeting that required Bernie to be in Philadelphia on the day after the wine tasting.

That meant Bernie wouldn't be able to go to the wine tasting.

Drat. Oh well.
I broke the news to Hope that Bernie wasn't going to be able to come.

Hope's husband had attended a previous wine tasting with her and had a grand time, but this time he decided if Bernie wasn't coming to this event, then he would let just us girls go.
No problem-o.

Bernie left a nice note on my lap top before he left asking that I enjoy the event and think of him.

Honey, I surely did.

And I took pictures, just like you knew I would, just so you could see.

Here's the nosh selection. The cheeses and meats were great!

Hope said there were only about half as many people as last time, but everyone was really friendly. The guy who purchases all the wine for HEB grocery store in Kingwood did the talks on each wine.

Here's a flash: He says if you have a question about a wine that he is unfamiliar with at the HEB, he will open the bottle for sampling right then and there in the store.

Now doesn't that make the idea of running to the store for milk and bread sound much more interesting?

Hope was adorable as usual. She taught me a few things about wine, and we had a good time comparing our impressions about the wines that we sampled.

Hope is all about the bouquet. That's the hardest part for me. I'd rather just let the wine infuse my entire palate and concentrate on the flavors, and enjoy the color of the wine.

Structurally, a wine glass, a hand, and the shape of the pool of wine combine to create a very pleasing composition, wouldn't you agree?

Back as alway to millinery...

A few years ago I bought a hat on eBay solely because it had a self fabric grape cluster design on the side and veiling.

At the time, I thought to myself: This is the perfect hat to wear to a wine tasting!

It cost something like five or ten bucks...but oh, how fun it would be to taste wine while wearing a hat with BOTH grapes and a saucy little veil.

I never dreamed it would be this many years before a wine tasting invitation would come my way, but I was right. It was fun.

It was well worth the wait. I enjoyed six wines, plus a flute of champagne as a welcome.

I've discovered the perfect way to keep a wine diary too. Just take a digital pictures of the wine label, then write notes on paper about the wine. Later load the pictures into one file dedicated to wine, and export them to Picassa web, where you can add your notes about the wine, and the occasion.

I suppose if you like your handwriting you could even take a picture of that.

Later it becomes possible to have the book published, with the pictures and the text neatly together.

Isn't that better than just writing alone?

I think so.

This was the best Pinot Noir. Pretty color, several flavors rolled out as I sipped.

I absolutely LOVED this one. It tasted exactly like butter and a bit of pear. I'll be getting some of this for our collection for sure.

Our college has recently added a hospitality and restaurant management course. As librarians, it is our duty to collect books to support the curriculum of each course on campus.

The addition of a degree in hospitality has made it necessary for Hope and I, as collection development librarians, to search out the very best resources to enable students to learn about and understand fine wines.

The library is amassing a fine collection of wine books and videos thanks to our efforts.

As reference librarians...well, let's just say that after last night, I think we now know a bit more about how to answer reference questions that might possibly come to us about wine.

But wouldn't it be wise for us as information professions to continue to seek to become even more knowledge on this subject?

Of course it would.

Dedicated librarians. We gather information any way we can.

Every chance we get.