winonelson

I'm telling ya, check out Rob Stewart's class - it's great for beginners and sophisticates - hell, I even learned a few things at his advanced burgundy class .

I highly recommend Rob Stewart's "Wine Captain's Course" which he puts on about three times a year - it's about 8 weeks and it is fun and educational - lots of tasting, little quizes to make sure you pay attention, and Rob's commentary is the perfect combination of entertainment and education. Email him at winehead@earthlink.net and ask to be placed on his email list for tasting class schedules.

I'm waiting for them to do "tax lawyers try aged grand cru Burgundy." I'll be happy to help.

Dino's, newly opened in Cleveland Park, states on its web site that corkage is $10 per bottle. Please note, however, that wine pricing is very very fair at that restaurant.

Yes - I believe it is $350 but with $220 deductible. Call Heidi Arnold, see if she'll give you a "friend of Maureen" price.

It is totally worth it - a fabulous event.

and part of the cost is deductible! This is a fundraiser for the American Heart Association called "Heart's Delight" and the centerpiece of three days of events is a seated Bordeaux tasting led by Serena Sutcliffe, the head of Sotheby's wine dept, flanked on the podium by the winemakers/chateaux owners of the wines being tasted. After the tasting, there is a very large silent auction but interspersed with the auction items are stands set up and staffed by chefs from around the country passing out plates of items they've prepared. Also more wine, etc. Then there is a live auction, accompanied by cheese and dessert - and more wine!

The event takes place on Saturday, April 30, at the Reagan Trade Center in DC, and tickets may be purchased by calling Heidi Arnold at the American Heart Association at 703 914-3720. You can see a description of the whole group of events here: www.heartsdelightwineauction.org/event.htm - and here's a list of the wines and some of the chefs that will be there:

Château Angelus

Château Bahans Haut-Brion

Château Branaire Ducru

Château Brane – Cantenac

Château Canon La Gaffeliere

Château Carbonnieux

Château Chasse-Spleen

Château Climens

Château Corbin

Château Cos d’Estournel

Château D'Issan

Château Domaine de l’A

Château Fombrauge

Château Gazin

Château Guiraud

Château Haut-Bailly

Château Haut-Brion

Château Jean de Gué

La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion

Château La Couspaude

Château La Lagune

Château La Mission Haut-Brion

Château La Tour Blanche

Château La Tour Haut-Brion

Château Lagrange

Château Malartic – Lagraviere

Château Pape Clement

Château Paveil de Luze

Château Palmer

Château Pontet Canet

Château Rauzan-Ségla

Château Rol Valentin

Château Suduiraut

Château Vieux Château Certan

Come schmooze with Stéphane Derénoncourt, Bernard de Laag de Meux, Eric Prissette, Bérénice Lurton, HRH Prince Robert deLuxembourg (Director of Domaine Clarence Dillon of HB and LMHB), and Jean-Philippe Delmas, the commercial director of same, just to name a few. Eat food handed to you by the chefs of some of the hottest restaurants in the country, such as Avenues, La Tache, Nacional 27, Spring, and Green Zebra from Chicago; Flying Fish and Rover's from Seattle; Cypress in Charleston; Le Bernardin in New York; and DC Coast, Tosca, and Taberna del Alabardero in DC, just to name a few.