Buccella: Wines that'll make you weep!

There are a few times that I really enjoy a good boo-hoo. Most of them revolve around weep-worthy food, wine, and film. Call me sentimental or downright silly, but when I am moved to the point of tears by a good wine (whether an outward heave or an imperceptible inward display), that is a good day. It’s been a while since I boo-hooed over anything wine or otherwise (is this a sign of maturity or bad moviemaking?) so I was plum-excited when I got to suck down some Buccella wine. I wouldn’t exactly say that I’ve ever been in MER-love, but their Merlot turned over a new grape leaf for me. I fell head over heels in Merlove for their 2007 Merlot. It’s one of the beefiest of its kind that I've slurped as of late. A bodacious mouthful of a wine. A bounty of berry flavors banging around, smooth and hearty (heart pun mildly intended) to the last drop. Frankly, I'm at a loss for words, because it was just that good. I decided to not take notes, and just savior the wine, “in the moment” as they say. So I suggest you do the same, by conjuring up an excuse to celebrate and then using Buccella as your drink of choice. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.8 grapes

Spin your way to svelte now, so you can slurp wine later!

Stop the flab, rediscover your abs! Wednesdays, 6-6:45PM, at Epiphany Yoga & Pilates Center. Let’s face it, that wine swilling habit of yours is wreaking havoc on your midsection. So here is your chance to work off all that vino from the night before, and or to crush those bad cycling nightmares you’ve been having quicker than a bunch freshly plucked grapes! Never spun before? No worries, that's what teachers are for. Accomplished peddler? I swear on my best bottle of vino, that you’ll sweat yourself senseless. Even Dwight on ABC’s the Office is doing it, proving that getting your spin on can be fun and funny in one breathless pump of the pedals. Bring your yellow goggles if you dare!

If you're still on the fence here are some mantras to kick your bootie off your rump and over the hump…

• Sweat now, svelte later
• Stop swilling, start spinning
• Stop the flab, rediscover your abs!
• Spin now, slurp (wine) later
• Spin your way to thin!

If all of this exercise nonsense is making you squirm, please forward this blog link to anyone that would squeal at the chance to spin on your behalf. For info on classes, location, and online signup, read on:

Epiphany Yoga & Pilates Center (drop in rate $16)
1299 Pine Street Saint Helena, CA 94574
707.963.9642
www.napaspin.com or www.epiphanyyogacenter.com

TAR - bringing theater arts back without busting the bank!

Times are tight and dollars scarce, but that’s no reason to assume the entertainment circuit is faltering as much as the economy. Coinciding with the kick-off of summer, Theater Arts Revival (TAR) is stepping onstage to jumpstart the performing arts scene. How you ask, sarcastically, since the theater scene is dead in these parts, right? Think again my wine swilling peeps. Try TAR's mission on for size: bringing theater and arts programs back to the community without busting the bank and or being bored to tears with tentative shows and the people that attend them. Stand back, catch your foot before you stick it in your mouth. The company’s inaugural show “Pastiche,” is a musical comedy of the absurd. What am I talking about, exactly? If carnivals make you cringe and cackle, these performances will offer a bounty of both, right along with a glimpse into all things good and evil in the wacky world of carnies, and you know how much we here at WineSense love the "wack" factor in all that we choose to promote. But don't take our word for it, the Bohemian voted this stage romp their critic's pick of the week. Here is a taste of what the show will serve up, along with wine, cookies, and a silent auction with many goods up for grabs including sought after garb from Carlos Santana himself. Carnival Pastiche is a second-rate, small time freak show that’s seen better days. A fake Hungarian countess, who may’ve spawned the “cougar” craze sits at the helm of this posse of misfits that includes sideshow attractions, singers, dancers, gypsies, dreamers, and even an Elvis impersonator, none of whom can sing or dance! No, not really, just wanted to make sure you're paying attention. These carnies can croon as good as Sinatra and howl as good as Michael Jackson. When Pastiche’s glossier, alter-ego-of-a-show competitor, Pablo Fanque’s Faire accidentally burns down (foul play anyone?), the fabulous Fanque players (the ones that did NOT get kicked off Dancing With The Stars and America Idol) threaten to replace Pastiche for good. The show is loosely based on characters from the John Lennon song, ‘Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite,' which was written about a real carnival and its performers. So turn off the boob tube, temporarily cork up your wine bottles, and grab your footloose-and-fancy-free alter ego, and prepare to be Razzle Dazzled, as you sing your way through this and other loosely recognizable Broadway show tunes that are sure to make you sizzle and stick to your seat. Performances are set to take off at Calistoga’s Tucker Farm Center at 8PM on Friday and Sat (May 28-29) as well as a 3PM Sunday matinee on May 30th. So go on, shut down your BBQ for a couple hours and get your "wack" on for one night or more. Score some seats now before all the good ones get slurped up!

They came, they went, they CHEER!ed

Frankly, I'm still recovering from all the spellbinding wine, food, and frolic that this month's CHEERS! St. Helena served up. And no, not from too much wine, I'm a professional. I was traveling. Read on for a full wrap-up of the good, bad, ugly, and evil (hint the latter 3 aren't really applicable).Lots of happening things to report. First, CHEERS! was full of frolic just as it was last year, but bigger! Or, as I will now reference the events from this day forward, CHEERS! Full Throttle! Am I dangerously close to sounding over-the-top? Great, I’m doing my job. Random bits of goodness that was uncorked. Gaggles of informal street music performing up and down Main St., in addition to the 3 headlining bands. Thank you CHEERS! for helping the town to rise to this acoustic occasion. We quite literally rocked from blues, to classical, and classics. Well done! Miner (who I lavished on about at the end of last year) poured what I like to call their "pink lady" wine, otherwise known as the Mendocino Rosado. The perfect "lady's lunching/bridal shower wine." Light, fruity, frilly. You feel fancy drinking it. I can't thank you enough Schramsberg, you can "blanc de blancs" me anytime you please. Don't just sit there! Play your seat, won't you? - Chris Vorland, took me up on the offer as he banged bongos and his wood crated seat (is this really a drum disguised as a milk crate?) while strumming a guitar, as he sat tucked in a corner of the always posh Martin Gallery. Between the music, swank decor, and the Orin Swift Prisoners wine that was flowing freely I was hard pressed to find a reason to escape that spot. But more adventures awaited. Varozza Vineyard's Petite Syrah, I hesitate to even get myself started on this wine, as I may never stop yammering on about it. Brevity is the new pink, so here I go: sturdy, zippy, cherry-berry delightful. This wine sings like a Sinatra song. Quintessa's 06 Faust Cab. Rich, robust, rockin. Speaking of rocking (an unexpected new theme for my posting) as I wind down my rantings for the moment. The Odd Fellows' after party bash showed us that St. Helena is not a sleepy wine town after all. When we put our minds to it we can host a shindig when we want to. I'm not sure how they got CRV (CA Rasta Vibes) to play all night long, but thank god they did, they rocked like only a big city band could. Rumor has it that the Odd Fellows might make this post-party thing a stable of the First Friday scene. So CHEERS! to all that showed up, slurped, poured, and opened up shop for one of the highlights of the season. Missed this months rendition? Get yourself together, you have one month to prepare for the next First Friday CHEERS! social. Until then keep your wacky ways about you.

Hop Aboard the Good Times Express – CHEERS!

Time is short and money tight, what better reason to celebrate! Leave the economic woes behind and enjoy where you are – smack dab in the middle of another season of sun, fun, and frolic. The bears have left their winter caves with the promise of a bright and bountiful spring and summer season – exactly what CHEERS! aims to deliver, if you’ll let them. I’ll be concise since there is lots to do before the good time express gets rolling at 6PM tonight, in and around the main drag of the town of St. Helena! Join the Wacky WineSense community as we hit the streets to enjoy wine from gaggles of your favorite local and generous vintners, stroll and shop until you drop, boggie and bop to local bands, learn to juggle and decide to believe in magic for just one night (magicians will be on hand to help you ‘get’ the trick). New in town? Make some friends. Townie local? Outstretch your social wings and introduce yourself to someone new. So sip, mingle, jingle, and jazz. Most of all, toast the town and the onset of another season and reason to CHEER! If your still swinging when CHEERS! rolls up their reindeer games at 9PM, hit the Odd Fellows POST-PARTYto extend your very good time.

Some ODD FELLOWs Keep the Good CHEERS! Flowing with a Post-Party!

For the short attention spanners of the community – CHEERS! after-party this Friday. Read on to learn more! If you live in the Up Valley or threaten to keep up on it’s antics you should be aware that this Friday (May 7) marks the onset of another CHEERS! season of slip, slurp’in, and slid’in good times. If none of this sounds familiar it’s time to step out from under the rock you’ve been sleeping under in your fruitless attempt to ward off the wet season. More on the actual CHEERS! shindig later this week. For now, let’s cut to the “after” party high-jinx. If you’re like me, CHEERS! is so much of a good thing it leaves you yearning for more. Why should a good time have to end at 9PM when most tweens are allowed to stay up well past nine, shouldn’t we, as residents and visitors to St. Helena be allowed to stay up too? Hell Yes!

For those of you that are with me on these sentiments, the good fella’s of the St. Helena chapter of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows are answering our call by keeping the good times rolling this Friday. The after-party kicks up its boots at 9PM, exactly when CHEERS! is rolling up its wine soaked carpet. Here is what ten of your hard or easy earned beans will buy ya:

1. Entrance to the hippest (my words not theirs, they're far too humble to boast) post-party in town (located in the exclusive and often times elusive Odd Fellows Lodge @ 1352 Main Street - entrance between I.Wolk and Martin galleries)
2. Live Music provided by CRV = boogieing and bopping until you drop
3. Fresh Mex plates from Villa Coronoa, beer, and more wine (all available for purchase)
4. Be a part of random acts of kindness - a portion of the proceeds from the event will go back to local communities in need
5. You’ll finally receive answers to your burning questions about what “gentleman’s” clubs like the Odd Fellows are really up to during their secretive meetings.

It’s a tell-all kind of night! So yell and tell everyone you know.