This past summer, I led a couple of tastings for residents at my mom’s long term care community.  It may be long term care, but everyone who attends is interested and active and wants to learn more.  It’s terribly gratifying to speak about wine with these folks, all of whom have lived full and fantastic lives.  

My goal with the first one was to introduce the 18 participants to some unusual grapes they perhaps hadn’t tried before.  It was a smashing success.  We opened three bottles – an Italian made from a lemony, floral Grillo, another Italian made from Verdecchio showing peach, nettle and almond, and the last one from Korcula, Croatia made predominantly from Posip grown on a stony island rising out of the Adriatic.

The second tasting combined a slide show of pictures and videos I took during my 10 day trip to Burgundy for the 2025 harvest.   Everyone enjoyed a Pinot Noir (Dom. Michel Briday, 2020, Rully), and a lovely Chardonnay (Maison Perron de Mypont, 2022), alongside some delicious French bread and comté cheese.

I cannot tell you how gratifying it is to introduce these seniors to wines they haven’t tried or heard of before, and to the details of my trip to Burgundy.   Without fail, every person is gracious and interested – no matter what each may be dealing with on a personal basis.

I do these tastings and events on a volunteer basis, and am grateful to be included in the enrichment schedule.  It’s always a wonderful afternoon.