1. (Not so wine-y, nor so good) Although I have disabled all commenting on this site, I am still being barraged with attempted SPAM comments to the tune of 100+ per day. Commenting will remain turned off until I can figure out how to stop this.

Stage Left Cellars, in Oakland. Their friendly tasting room.

2. Stage Left Cellars is open for tasting this Saturday from 11am to 5pm. (Serious wine-y goodness) If you live local to the San Francisco Bay Area, I think venturing into this district of Oakland for some urban wine tasting is worth the effort. Their facilities are conveniently located off Highway 80 just south of Jack London Square. Visit Stage Left’s website for maps.

Go Niners!

3. The 49ers are in the Super Bowl and we just realized that nobody coming to our party is a wine drinker. How do we know these people? Beer? Really? Sigh.

4. Last, but not least, it is time to prepare for El Dorado Winery Association’s Passport 2013. The two day wine tasting / food pairing event is offered on two weekends. You can sign up for either the weekend of 4/13-14, or 4/20-21. Tickets are $70 per person for two days of tasting. This is a VERY popular event for those of use who are Sierra Foothill wine geeks. Some hotels are already booked. I would book your hotel before you buy tickets, because it will be room

You go to Gold Country for the Wines

availability that determines when you can go at this point. With 32 participating wineries this year, it is going to be worth the effort. We’re actually staying in Folsom this year. It’s about 45 minutes from the nearest winery. Our merry band of wine-o’s will be cavorting through El Dorado County on the second weekend of the event. If you see me, I will have copies of my book in the van.