Sip & Shop for Toys for Tots! (Nov. 28, 2012)

Please join us on Wed., November 28th from 6-10pm at the annual Holiday Mingle Jingle marketplace and benefit for our last BIG event of the year. Enjoy complimentary wine tastings and craft beer, live entertainment, food trucks and more while finding the perfect gift for the foodie, fashionista or wine enthusiast in your life. Donate a new unwrapped toy and YOU could be the winner of a free home or office wine tasting party (valued at $500), tickets to see the Cake Boss (LIVE in Atlanta) and other cool prizes! MORE INFO




Cheers!

The Grape Girls
http://facebook.com/grapegirlsatlanta

Host a Wicked Wine Tasting Party!

Halloween heralds the start of the holiday season - and where there is a party, there is wine! A wine tasting party doesn't have to be a stuffy affair, so mix things up a little by throwing a unique Halloween bash that is sure to be a treat.

Host a wicked wine tasting party in 5 easy steps:


1.Invitations - Get crafty and make your own wine bottle shaped party invitations. Use construction paper or poster board, flat sheets of cork to make a life-like cork stopper for the top, a label in the middle of the "bottle" should provide party details.

2.Decor - Create your very own haunted wine cellar with equal amounts of sophistication and spook factor. Use old wooden barrels to hold platters of food and wine and decorate with large glass jars, grapes, pumpkins, gourds, faux leaves, lots of candles and scary touches like fake spider webs and spiders.

3.Food - Set up a nice assortment of fruit, cheese, crackers, bread, nuts and a few heavier appetizers (think stuffed mushrooms or a hearty pumpkin soup). Be sure to label your assortment with toothpicks that have labels attached - use a ghoulish computer font or eerie hand writing for maximum effect!

4.Wine - Use an old wooden door, wine crates or designate a large coffee table to display your wicked wine collection. Be sure to include some spooky brands like Vampire Wines (from Transylvania!), Poizin Zinfandel (comes in a coffin shaped box), Owen Roe Sinister Hand or Evil Cabernet Sauvignon. Add some dry ice to the display area for a ghostly effect!

5.Attention to Detail - Be sure to have great music, lots of candy, plenty of dump buckets and bottled waters handy. Place small gift bags or containers near your candy station so guests can help themsleves to take-home treats as parting gifts.

Wine & Candy Pairing Tips:

• Almond Joy and Sparkling Wine

• Snickers and Sangiovese

• Three Musketeers and Ice Dessert Wine

• Hershey’s Dark Chocolate and Syrah

• Caramel Apples and Sauvignon Blanc

• Candy Corn and Chardonnay


With these spook-tacular tips from the Grape Girls you are sure to pull off the perfect Halloween wine party. So, dress up, party down and enjoy the wine.

Want to have more fun and less work? Well, book a private Halloween wine tasting party for your home, office or venue!

Send an email to tastings@grapecrushevents.com to ask about our special rates for a professionally guided wine tasting experience now thru October 31st.

Cheers!

Wedding Wine Tips

Say "I Do" to fabulous wine on your wedding day...

Every bride and groom wants to put a mark on their memorable day. Set the tone of your wedding simply by personalizing the details. What is meaningful to you as a couple? A love of travel, or a memorable song or color... Use what is meaningful as a starting point for developing a theme that will carry through your wedding, reception and even the pre-event activities.

Here are tips for incorporating your love of wine into your wedding:


The First Impression
When guests arrive at your reception, the first thing they will look for is a beverage, which becomes the first impression of what's to follow. Why not have servers line up at the entrance with beautiful flower-adorned trays filled with sparkling wine.

Reception Wines
Wine tasting bars at receptions add an element of elegance, and can serve as an icebreaker at the beginning of the reception. Consider hiring a local expert, such as Grape Crush Productions, to help your guests with their wine experience. The wine station can be a preview of your honeymoon destination, favorite region or a collection of the couples' favorite varietals. We'll even take into account the food you are serving to ensure great pairings!

Cost-Cutting Tips
Doing it yourself or on a budget? Keep it simple by selecting one white and one red to serve. Best Bet: Chardonnay & Cabernet or Sauvignon Blanc & Pinot Noir for wines your entire crowd is sure to enjoy.

Gift Ideas
When choosing wine for gifts, take the packaging into consideration as well as the taste. Choosing one with an attractive label can eliminate the need for gift bags - just tie a beautiful bow and personalized card around the neck. For an even more useful favor, simply attach a corkscrew engraved with the couple's names. A great gift for engagement parties or bridal showers is putting together the couple's first "wine cellar" by filling a wine rack with different bottles of wine designated for special occasions. Attach tags with pretty ribbon and notes such as, "Enjoy on your one-month anniversary" or "For a romantic movie night in." A group of friends can give this gift together, or family members can each contribute one bottle of wine with a special note.

Before the Big Day
If the bride or groom is a wine lover, consider making the bridal shower or bachelor party a private wine tasting event. Grape Crush Productions can bring the tasting room to YOUR living room or venue!

Contact us today for help in making your wedding or pre-event activity a wine lover's dream! Send an email to info@GrapeCrushEvents.com.

EXCLUSIVE EVENT INVITATION: Join us on June 9th from 6-8p.m. at Bloomingdale's Lenox Square for a "Pre-Wedding" Wedding Party with Get Married Media!
Click here to read our latest newsletter for RSVP details.

Wine & Chocolate Tasting Party

SIP, SAVOR & SHOP!

Lenox Square Mall - Feb. 10th from 5-8p.m.

Level 2

We're treating YOU to a wine and chocolate tasting!




The Grape Girls will share the basics of wine and chocolate pairing as you enjoy fabulous shopping deals. Here's a taste of the fun:

• Sample delectable chocolates and fine wines


• Purchase $1000 or more in Bloomingdale's New View's fresh spring looks from your favorite designers to receive a $200 splurge card and a pair of tickets to Diana: A Celebration, the new exhibit honoring Princess Diana at the Atlanta Civic Center


• You'll also receive spring's most stunning new accessory, an exquisite multi-media necklace (a 125.00 value!) with your purchase (while supplies last) and complimentary alterations


• Buy more, Save more in Ladies Shoes, Fashion Accessories and Handbags

Click here for more information.

RSVP: Send an email to VIP@GrapeCrushEvents.com with your full name and primary email address no later than Noon on February 9th. Please, no more than 2 guests per party. Must be 21 and older with valid ID to attend the tasting.

UPCOMING EVENT: The Atlanta Winter Wine & Jazz Festival sips into town on Sunday, February 21st. Come on out to sip, savor and jam with the Grape Girls and friends! Click here to purchase tickets, or vist http://winejazz.eventbrite.com.

Cheers!

WANTED: Volunteers for the Atlanta Winter Wine & Jazz Festival!

WANTED: Experienced Special Event Volunteers!

Grape Crush Productions invites you to volunteer at the Atlanta Winter Wine & Jazz Festival on Sunday, February, 21st!

Volunteers must commit to a 4 hour shift and will assist with set up, break down, registration, hospitality, wine tasting, beer tasting and other general duties. In return for your service, you will be able to enjoy the event at no cost and participate in volunteer-only prizes and giveaways. Great opportunity for young professionals, wine/beer enthusiasts and volunteer organizations!

Follow these instructions to be considered:

1. Send an email to Volunteers@GrapeCrushEvents.com with your full name, mailing address, primary email and phone number no later than Feb. 10, 2010.
   
2. Indicate if you prefer to work the early shift (11:30am - 3:30pm) or late shift (3:00pm - 7:00pm).
   
3. Be sure to state your past volunteer experience and list the last 3 events you worked.

You will be contacted with a confirmation (if selected) and more information. Space is limited, so submit your interest today!

Would you rather attend the event than work? Click here to purchase tickets or visit http://winejazz.eventbrite.com/. The event benefits the Children's Restoration Network.

Cheers!

Fun & Fashion at Festivity Boutique!

Thanks for joining us for Shop for a Cause on Nov. 19th at Festivity Boutique in Buckhead!

The Grape Girls joined Ginger Emas, author of Back On Top - Fearless Dating After Divorce, for a unique charity shopping event to benefit the Atlanta Women's Foundation.

The event featured a wine tasting and preview of Tree of Life's pomegranate wine (3 times the antioxidants of other red wines!), makeovers, fabulous door prizes and great shopping deals.

Click here to view event pics.

UPCOMING EVENT:

Wednesday, December 2, 5-8pm

Holiday Style Soiree & Wine Tasting

Bloomingdale's Perimeter Mall

YES Level 2

RSVP required, click here for details.

NEW:

Join the Virtual Grape social network and connect with Atlanta foodies and wine lovers! Create a profile, get exclusive event invitations, share news and more: http://virtualgrape.ning.com.

Cheers!