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!

Cheers to Earth Day!

April 22nd is Earth Day, toast with a glass of organic or biodynamic wines!


The good news is that organic wines are becoming much more widely available making it easy to discover the great taste and many benefits of "green wines" wherever you reside. These wines have come a long way in quality and acceptance, and that's great for the planet since grapes are among the most pesticide-laden produce.

So you can feel confident at a wine store or when dining out, here is a simple guide to what these emerging labels mean:

100% Organic carries the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic seal (the certifying agency must be listed) and indicates the wine is made from 100% organically grown ingredients and has been monitored throughout its entire production process. This wine can contain only naturally occurring sulfites (or sulfur dioxide, an antimicrobial substance) in less than 100 parts per million (ppm).

Organic also carries the USDA organic seal and indicates the wine has 95% organically grown ingredients (the other 5% must not be available organically). Again the certifying agency must be listed and the wine has the same sulfite requirements as 100% organic.

Made with Organic Grapes or Made with Organic Ingredients means the wine contains at least 70% organic ingredients. It can have artificial sulfites added, but it may not contain more than 100 ppm. (It does not have the USDA organic seal.)

Biodynamic is based on the precise observation and an attempt at balance of nature, a concept originated by the early 20th-century Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. So, biodynamic wine is not only 100% organic, in addition, the grower has gone beyond to try to bring the farming process more closely in tune with nature. For instance, biodynamic wine growers may make their own compost and/or watch the stars and planets to time what they do.

How are you celebrating Earth Day? Do you have a favorite organic or biodynamic wine? We'd love to hear from you!

Cheers!

Ga Representative Alisha Thomas Morgan - Book Signing & Wine Tasting on November 16th!

Georgia Representative Alisha Thomas Morgan will be on hand to sign copies of her book No Apologies: Powerful Lessons in Life, Love & Politics at The Colors of Wine on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 6pm.



First elected at age 23, Representative Morgan quickly ascended as a political star on both the national and regional stages. Now, in her signature “truth-telling” style, Rep. Morgan’s debut book offers no apologies for standing up for what is right and provides practical insights for how other leaders can “live life unapologetically.”

“I’ve learned and experienced a lot during my eight years of service in the Georgia legislature,” said Rep. Morgan. “I’ve learned being a ‘trailblazer’ means more than meets the eye and that challenging the status quo can mean living through some very lonely seasons, but more than anything, I've learned to never, ever, apologize for my convictions.”

Visit The Colors of Wine to meet Alisha Thomas Morgan and enjoy a wine tasting with the Grape Girls featuring a variety of fine wines from around the globe. Click here to read an excerpt from the book No Apologies: Powerful Lessons in Life, Love & Politics.

RSVP now to attend the No Apologies book signing and wine tasting. Send an email to VIP@GrapeCrushEvents.com with your full name and the full name of any guests. The Colors of Wine is located at 2355 Cumberland Parkway Boulevard, Atlanta, Ga. 30339. A $5 donation is requested for the wine tasting.

Join us for Sunday Wine Socials at St. Regis!

SIP. SAVOR. SOCIALIZE.

Sunday Wine Socials
Upcoming Events: Nov. 7, Jan. 16, Feb. 13








Join us on select Sundays from 4-6pm in the St. Regis Wine Room for personalized tastings around the marble-topped sommelier counter! Learn about the subtleties of fine wine and its history and traditions as we sample artisan wines from around the globe.

On, November 7th we're featuring Italy's best grapes. Plus, enter-to-win fabulous door prizes including tickets to Friday Jazz at the High Museum of Art, a FREE home or office private wine tasting party (valued at $500) courtesy of the Grape Girls and special giveaways from William David Salon in honor of their new location in Buckhead at the Terminus building.

For more information and to RSVP, visit www.winesocial.eventbrite.com.

Hosted by Grape Crush Productions and Harry Constantinescu, Wine Director at the St. Regis.

Taste of Atlanta 2010 Photos!

Did you know? Grape Crush Productions provides more than 100 wine volunteers and professionals for the Taste of Atlanta VIP Wine Experience each year!

The 2-day foodie fest was filled with great food, fun and wine.
Cheers to Gil Kulers and Bob Townsend for great educational seminars all weekend including the Brashness of Barolo and Refinement of Ribera del Duero, American Craft Beer and Farmstead Cheese, Greatness of Greece, Passion of Paso and more!

Click here or visit us on Facebook for more photos.

Event Pics - Sunday Wine Social!

Thanks for joining us for the October Sunday Wine Social featuring Antonio Hildalgo- winery owner and importer of Spain's best grapes.

Next event is Nov. 7th featuring the best of Italy!
More info: http://winesocial.eventbrite.com.
Use discount code BACCO to save $5 OFF tickets!

More pics: http//tinyurl.com/grapegirls

Join us for Sunday Wine Socials at St. Regis!

SIP. SAVOR. SOCIALIZE.

Upcoming Events: October 17 & November 7











Join us on select Sundays from 4-6pm in the St. Regis Wine Room for personalized tastings around the marble-topped sommelier counter! Learn about the subtleties of fine wine and its history and traditions as we sample artisan wines from around the globe. Plus, enter-to-win fabulous door prizes including tickets to Friday Jazz at the High Museum of Art, Taste of Atlanta VIP Wine Experience and a FREE home or office private wine tasting party (valued at $500)! For more information and to RSVP, visit www.winesocial.eventbrite.com.

Hosted by Grape Crush Productions and Harry Constantinescu, Wine Director at the St. Regis.

Cheers!

Taste of Atlanta VIP Volunteers

WANTED: ENTHUSIASTIC WINE VOLUNTEERS!

Grape Crush Productions is seeking experienced volunteers for the VIP Wine Experience at Taste of Atlanta on October 23 and 24, 2010.

The popular foodie event features "tastes" from the city's best restaurants, cooking demonstrations from national and local celebrity chefs and live entertainment. The event takes take place in an 8-block area of Tech Square located in the heart of Midtown.

A highlight of the 2010 festival is the VIP Wine Experience, open only to VIP ticket holders over the age of 21. The "Experience" will feature a series of highly anticipated wine tastings and educational seminars led by top industry professionals. Wine enthusiasts and experienced volunteers are encouraged to register to help with this one-of-a-kind event. Volunteers are rewarded with "taste" coupons to enjoy the festival after their shift.

VOLUNTEER:
Interested participants should send an email to volunteers@GrapeCrushEvents.com for more information.
Registration deadline is October 8th!

TICKET DISCOUNT:
Purchase tickets at www.tasteofatlanta.com.
Use our special discount code GRAPE to save $5 OFF VIP or General Admission advance online tickets!

Taste of Atlanta dishes up flavors to satisfy every taste. So, grab a fork and a glass and prepare to stimulate your mind, body and taste buds. Cheers!

Champagne & Culture in the City

Friday, May 21, 2010
@103 West, 7-10PM
103 West Paces Ferry Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30305

Tour de Champagne features tastes from prestigious Champagne houses combined with samples from Atlanta's finest restaurants and chefs. This year's special silent auction will benefit Angel Flight of Georgia. The evening ends with a fin de soirée (after party) at Bluepointe where VIP guests will continue to mingle and enjoy live music and additional complimentary champagne and cognac. Guests may then head across the street for a nightcap at the St. Regis hotel which is offering special overnight and weekend packages to enhance the total experience.


Did you ever wonder who invented Champagne?

Well, here's a brief history of what some call "culture in a glass":

French monks were the first to bottle a sparkling form of wine called Champagne, named after the Champagne region of France. The method of making "mousse" (another name for bubbles) in a bottle was invented by the efforts of Frère Jean Oudart (1654 - 1742) and Dom Pierre Pérignon (1639 - 1715), Benedictine monks and cellarmasters at the respective abbeys of Saint-Pierre aux Monts de Châlons and Saint-Pierre d'Hautvillers.

The region of Champagne has a colder and shorter growing season. Champagne grapes had to be picked late in the year, with less time available for fermentation. During fermentation yeasts are used to convert the sugars of the grape juice into alcohol and cold winter temperatures stopped the process. The monks developed a method of making Champagne wine by using a second fermentation process that took place in the bottle during the following spring. The second fermentation created carbon-dioxide bubbles that are the sparkle of Champagne.



TICKETS: Click here for more information or visit www.tourdechampagne.com.

For updates on local food and wine events follow the Grape Girls on Facebook and Twitter or join the Virtual Grape.

You're Invited: A Spring Wine Tasting & Bites on May 4th!

Join Us for a Spring Wine Tasting...


Tuesday, May 4, 6:30PM
Social - 12 West Peachtree Place Atlanta, GA 30308
http://www.Socialintown.com

Located in downtown Atlanta, Social is comprised of two sprawling floors of scintillating Euro-Mediterranean flavors. A 25 foot marble bar and communal tables are perfect for an after-hours drink or neighborhood gathering. An elegant split level dining room overlooks the trees below on West Peachtree place, resulting into a perfect private culinary experience. Don't miss this fabulous tour of great wines from Bacco paired with yummy bites for only $25/person!

Wine Pairing Selections:

Giribaldi Gavi, Piedmont, Italy
Eggplant Caviar

Printhie Chardonnay, Orange, Australia
Mussels au Pernod

Mas de Bazan Rosado, Utiel-Requena (Valencia)
Roasted Portabella Mushroom

Heredad Hidalgo Tinto, Rioja
Grilled Chicken Livers on Toast

Mas de Bazan Bobal, Utiel-Requena (Valencia)
Andalusian Meat Balls

Bodegas Hidalgo Marqués de Pagollano, Cigales
Cheese Plate

RSVP:
Telephone: 404.525.2246
E-Mail: info@socialintown.com


Cheers!

Atlanta Food & Wine Month 2010 "Sips Off" on April 1st!

Discover the Art of Wine! Join us for the Atlanta Food & Wine Month 2010 launch party on Thursday, April 1st at Kai Lin Art.




About Atlanta Food & Wine Month:

At Grape Crush Productions we believe the culinary arts are a vital part of a city's culture. In partnership with the City of Atlanta (Office of Cultural Affairs), we are celebrating the local food and wine scene for an entire month with exciting events at diverse venues. Atlanta Food & Wine Month, now in its second year, effectively fuses the love of food and wine with all art forms in a series of special events highlighting the best venues, chefs, restaurants, sommeliers, art galleries, retailers and more that our city has to offer. April is also Jazz Appreciation Month and many events will feature live entertainment from Atlanta's best jazz artists. From wine tasting parties at art galleries and clothing boutiques, to hot restaurant meal deals - locals and visitors alike are encouraged to eat, sip and savor all around town!

Click here for tickets or visit www.foodwine.eventbrite.com. Don't miss the early bird ticket specials!

Come on out to celebrate Atlanta's fabulous food and wine scene...

Cheers!

You're Invited to a VIP Wine & Dessert Reception!

Tie on your aprons and join the fun at the 3rd Annual Great American Baking Contest as we raise funds for Share Our Strength, a national organization working to ensure no child in America grows up hungry. Professionals, amateurs and children will compete for cash prizes courtesy of Domino Sugar.

Share Our Strength’s Great American Baking Contest
Presented by Domino Sugar
March 11, 2010
Strength.org/bakingcontest

Not a baker? Buy your tickets today to attend the judging and Wine and Dessert reception at The Cook’s Warehouse Midtown, featuring tasting by Atlanta’s premier pastry chefs as well as our amateur entrants.

VIP Reception Host & Emcee
Jenn Hobby, Q100

Judges for Professional Category
John Kessler, Food Writer, Atlanta Journal Constitution
Mary Moore, Founder and Owner, The Cook’s Warehouse

Judges for Amateur and Children Categories
Jonathan St. Hilaire, Chef and Owner, Bake Shop
Alon Balshan, Chef and Owner, Alon’s Bakery & Café
Kathryn King, Pastry Chef, Aria Restaurant

To learn more about Share Our Strength and buy tickets, please visit: strength.org/bakingcontest

GENERAL ADMISSION: $25 per person to attend the event judging and dessert tasting; reduced price of $35 for VIP tickets which includes an hour earlier admission to the event and a special reception with
Q100’s Jenn Hobby.

We hope to see YOU there...
Cheers!

Happy New Year - Our Gift to You!

Thanks for voting Grape Crush Productions one of Atlanta's Best Businesses of 2009 - what an amazing honor!

You're invited to become a Grape Guru and have even more fun with wine! A Grape Gurus club membership is the perfect opportunity to expand or develop your love of wine.



Grape Gurus enjoy:

*FREE and discounted wine tastings, wine dinners and special events
*Wine education opportunities
*Advance notice of special events and travel excursions with priority registration
*Complimentary welcome gift and more

SPECIAL OFFER: Join for only $20.10 (Reg. $59, a $250 value) and enjoy complimentary admission to the Atlanta Winter Wine & Jazz Festival coming February 21st. To receive the special discount link, send an email to info@GrapeCrushEvents.com.

This offer has been extended thru Monday, January 11th.

Cheers!

Holiday Style Soiree Photos!

The Grape Girls and fashion stylist Amanda Atkins "decked the halls" of Bloomingdale's Perimeter Mall on December 2nd to spread a little holiday cheer! The event featured exquisite wines from Montaluce Winery and Two Friends Imports, styling tips, informal models, sweet treats by Chay J's New Orleans Candies, hot shopping deals and cool door prizes.

Click here to view event pics.

Featured Wines:

WHITE WINE FLIGHT
2008 Montaluce, Viognier
2008 Montaluce, Chardonnay
2007 Bovin Chardonnay

RED WINE FLIGHT
2005 Popova Kula, Vranec
2005 Popova Kula, Merlot
2005 Popova Kula, Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Montaluce, Cabernet Sauvignon

BONUS: Tree of Life Pomegranate Wine

Don't miss our next "Grape" event! Click here to join our email list today.

Cheers!

Holiday Style Soiree & Wine Tasting

"Holiday Style Soiree" with the Grape Girls & ALA Styles

Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Bloomingdale's Perimeter Mall
YES Level 2, 5-8PM

Learn how to make over your look so you sparkle and shine in every holiday setting. Join us as we launch the fabulous style of Amanda Atkins, Atlanta's newest "Rachel Zoe" inspired style maven. Plus, enjoy a wine tasting with the Grape Girls and enter to win a FREE home or office wine tasting party courtesy of Grape Crush Productions.

RSVP: Send an email to VIP@GrapeCrushEvents.com with your full name and primary email address, along with the names of your guests no later than Dec. 1st.

You're Invited: Pre-Holiday Wine Mixer!

Sip-Off the Holiday Party Season at WineStyles on November 18th!

Join the Grape Girls to explore fine wines, artisan cheese and delectable desserts while mingling with local wine enthusiasts. Plus, make a donation to our food drive for your chance to win fabulous door prizes including a FREE home or office private wine tasting party! Click here for more information or visit http://winemixer.eventbrite.com/.

Sip and savor fine wines
Learn how to select cheeses to complement your favorite wines
Sample delicious desserts and place holiday orders
Donate to our food drive
Purchase specialty wine gifts
Live entertainment
Door prizes
and much more!

Early bird tickets are only $15, special offer ends Monday, November 9th. Click here to purchase a ticket and help us spread a little holiday cheer. Food donations benefit the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Complimentary admission for Grape Gurus wine club members - RSVP by Nov. 16th: VIP@GrapeCrushEvents.com.

Not a member? Click here to join today and reap the rewards! The Wine Stimulus Plan ends November 30th so consider giving the gift of an exclusive club membership - gift certificates are available.

Come on out to mix and mingle with local wine enthusiasts - all for a good cause!

Introducing Montaluce Winery!

Grape Crush Productions welcomes new partner - Montaluce Winery & Estates located on the Dahlonega Plateau, one of the emerging wine-growing regions of the United States!

Blessed with some of the steepest, well-drained hillsides to be found in the U.S., North Georgia's topography, elevation, and long growing season creates an extraordinarily climate well-suited for premium wine grape cultivation. This climate, coupled with the classic "Terra Rosa"

wine- growing soils of the region, serves as the foundation for the new wave of Georgia vintners producing wines of truly exceptional quality. Montaluce is North Georgia's finest!

The more than 35 acres of Montaluce's vineyards include varieties of premium vinifera grapes including, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Sangiovese, and others. Montaluce is dedicated to growing and making premium wines which compete favorably with artisan wines around the world.

The Grape Girls invite you to sample the quality and taste of Montaluce at Bloomingdale's Lenox Square Mall on Thursday, Oct. 29th from 5-8pm in the Ladies Shoe Department for THE SHOPPING BENEFIT. RSVP required, send an email to VIP@GrapeCrushEvents.com by Thursday at Noon. Be sure to state your full name, guest names, email address and phone number. Must be 21 and older to participate. Click here for more information.

Cheers!

Wine-Down at Bloomingdale's on Oct. 29th!

THE SHOPPING BENEFIT
Fashion, Fun & Fundraising!
Thursday, October 29, 2009

Bloomingdale's at Lenox Square Mall hosts its 12th annual charity shopping night to benefit nonprofit organizations in Atlanta. Join the Grape Girls from 5-8pm in the Ladies Shoe Department (Level 2) for a sampling of fine wines. Plus, you could be the lucky winner of a private home or office wine tasting party!

Your $10 donation to one of the featured local nonprofits at the event that evening gives you access to complimentary:

Fine Wine and Food Pairings
Book Signings
Fashion Shows
Live Entertainment
Makeovers & Pampering
Merchandise Discounts
Prizes, Giveaways & More!

Featured Nonprofits:

Amy's Holiday Party
Atlanta Film Festival
Atlanta Union Mission, My Sister's House
Bright Futures Atlanta
Chemoflage, Inc.
Girl Talk
HERO for Children, Inc.
Kate's Club
Senior Connections
Shallowford Presbyterian Preschool
Share Our Strength
Shepard Center Auxiliary
St. Jude's Recovery Center, Inc.
Students Without Mothers
Young Survival Coalition

Click here for more information. RSVP required for wine tasting, please send an email to VIP@GrapeCrushEvents.com. Be sure to state your full name, guest names, email address and phone number. Must be 21 and older to participate. Space is limited, RSVP today!

Give a little, Get a lot!

Pinot, Pearls & Poker: Facebook Pre-Sale Ends Saturday!

The Grape Girls Present...



Pinot, Pearls & Poker

A Sophisticated Ladies Night Out

Saturday, December 12th at 6PM
-Private Event Location-

5 Wines - 5 Cards - 5 Times the fun!

Pinot, Pearls & Poker offers all the fun, glitz, mystery and thrills of Sin City without the risk:

*Interact with other fabulous women

*Explore the country's "trendiest" grape and enjoy tasty treats

*Learn the basics of poker or advance your game

*Win cool prizes for the best (and worst!) hands

*VIP "Lady Luck" spa lounge and deluxe goodie bags

Ante Up for a unique wine tasting fundraiser featuring a fun-filled evening of games, girlfriends and good times! The event benefits Atlanta's Young Survival Coalition (YSC).



YSC Greater Metro Atlanta was formed at the end of 2000 by a 22-year old college student facing a breast cancer diagnosis. YSC Atlanta currently serves 11 counties in the Metro Atlanta area. They focus on education and outreach opportunities and provide peer-to-peer support for newly diagnosed young women. YSC Atlanta provides educational programs, support and long term survivorship planning for a young woman from the moment she is diagnosed throughout her life. For details, visit www.youngsurvival.org/atlanta.

FACEBOOK PREVIEW SALE: Use our special discount code GGYSC to save $10 off ALL ticket levels - this week only!! Special offer ends October 17, 2009. Visit www.ppp.eventbrite.com for tickets and more info. Click here to fan us on Facebook!

Don't delay, purchase your event ticket today!

Two Great Foodie Festivals!

So, 2 of my favorite food and wine events have come and gone! Harvest Midtown was held on October 4th and Taste of Atlanta took place October 10th & 11th - both in new locations this year. Click here to visit our Facebook fan page and view photo albums.

The 6th Annual Harvest Midtown Festival moved to the newly renovated Georgian Terrace hotel and took over ballrooms, mezzanines and terraces for the day. The event gave oenophiles the opportunity to select samples from some 200 wines and tastes from the city's top intown chefs. In between sips and bites, Harvest Midtown presented a variety of live entertainment, vendors and art for the enjoyment of all. An elegant hotel with fabulous food and wine on display - all overlooking the lively Peachtree Street in Midtown - if only I could spend every Sunday this way!

The 8th Annual Taste of Atlanta was truly a foodies delight! The 2 day outdoor festival encompassed eight acres and ten city blocks of Tech Square in the heart of midtown. Taste of Atlanta featured more than 80 of Atlanta's finest restaurants, cooking demos from local and national celebrity chefs, a "farm to table" market, kids activities and more. Grape Crush Productions was an official partner of the highly anticipated VIP Wine & Beer Experience and provided 200 enthusiastic volunteers! I had the opportunity to "talk wine" with Atlanta's leading experts including Gil Kulers, Atlanta Journal Constitution wine columnist, and Gina Hopkins, sommelier and owner of Holeman & Finch Public House and Restaurant Eugene. Gil and Gina's engaging seminar - King of Pinot: Burgandy vs. Oregon - even sparked a 2010 Grape Escape. Hopefully you can come with us to explore Oregon's renowned pinot noirs - stay tuned for details!

Click here to join our mailing list to stay "sipped in" on upcoming food and wine event news. Click here to view more event photos.

Cheers!