Bernadette Fideli
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, a sense of nostalgia usually arrives along with childhood memories of wonder, warmth and comfort. With these thoughts Kathy Perry, Charlene Cottingham and Bill and Bernadette Fideli invited the Wine Stewards to enjoy “An Evening of Shared Friendship.” Members were encouraged to come dressed in their favorite Christmas morning outfits: PJs, robes, special sweaters, holiday colors. Arriving members were greeted with a glass of La Vostra Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine. La Vostra means ‘yours’ in Italian and is meant to embody all the special moments that shape your life. It has flavors of apple and white peach with aromas of honeysuckle. A sit-down dinner followed featuring comfort foods of Southern mac and cheese, grilled sausage and red velvet cake. A variety of wines was made available for tasting during the dinner. Among them were a gewürztraminer, an unoaked chardonnay and a grenache. The House of Arthur Metz winery is located in the Alsace region of France and is a major player in Alsace wine. Their gewürztraminer has aromas of flowers, spices and exotic fruits such as litchi and passion fruit. Estancia unoaked chardonnay comes from Monterey, Central Coast, California. Estancia is roughly translated from the Spanish word for ‘estate.’ It dazzles with aromas of pineapple, pear, orange blossom and fresh citrus flavors that are enhanced by crisp acidity. Fabla Garnacha comes from the Calatayud region of Spain. It features notes of roasted plum, ripe black cherry and raspberry with sweet spices and pepper. It has good balance and velvety texture. As the evening progressed, members were asked to share an unusual piece of holiday trivia or a special family custom. Fortified with food and spirit and surrounded by friends and special moments, the Wine Stewards were well prepared to greet the holiday season.