Saturdays at Jackson's

One of the things that I have to do is to taste different wines. I need to understand what makes a wine "good". I also need to get experience with a lot of wines that might not normally appear on my dinner table, which in truth is a relatively small set of wines that I know and enjoy.

Since I am retired and living on a fixed income, I also need to be able to do this without spending a lot of money on wines. Fat chance on that! But I have to try.

So one of things that give my life hope is Saturdays at Jacksons. Every Saturday ( they have been doing this for years - more than 12, maybe as many as 20 ) at Jackson's Wine and Spirits in Lafayette, Ca. there is a back-room wine tasting.

You pay $20, pick up a glass, go through the "Employees Only" swinging doors and you now get the chance to meet with other wine lovers and taste 12 wines from around the world, generally 1-2 beers, and nibble on some bree and crackers, if you are so inclined.

The event 'starts' at 1PM and goes until 4PM although people can come and go as they please and taste at their own pace. One time I got there at 2:30 and was the first taster of the day. Other times there will be 7 or 8 tasting and commenting at any one time. When this happens, it is great because you get to hear what others think about a certain wine and you get to pick up aromas, flavors and faults that you might have missed.

Jackson's is great about coming up with a good assortment of wines. Maybe 7 will be from Napa or Sonoma and 5 will be from Europe. The menu for 1 week included: A sparkling Brut, a Bourgogne Blanc, a Chablis, a Chardonnay, a Chianti Classico, Moulin a Vent (Cru Beaujolais), Pinot Noir, a Saint-Emilion (Bordeaux), 2 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, a Chilean Syrah, and Zinfandel.

Plus beer, plus cheese, plus interesting opinions and conversation. How can you go wrong ?
It is a great deal, and I expect they lose money each week. They might pull in $140-$200 in tasting fees, but they probably spend an extra $60 over that in the wine selections.

For a wine student, who preparing for his WSET Diploma Unit 3 - wines of the world exam, probably the toughest one that they offer, next to being an Advanced Sommelier, an afternoon at Jacksons is not only fun, which it is, but it is homework as well.

I would recommend any wine student find a place like this, or if you can't fine one, get together with an active American Wine Society Chapter, and if there is not one in your area then start one. Or just find a group of friends that are willing to taste and bring a bottle to each tasting. It will make a big difference in your studies.

john