Every Saturday, The Wine Cellars in downtown Smyrna hold a wine tasting. It had been rainy and gloomy for most of the morning, so a friend and I figured this would be a good way to brighten our day. Usually four to five wines are on the sampling menu which means you (I) get to try a variety you (I) wouldn't otherwise try. I'm a red wine lover. Those dry and bold reds that linger on the palate long after the last sip are my favorite. 

Saturday was a day for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. These typically aren't my style, but the tasting was free [with a $10 or more bottle purchase, otherwise it's $5... but there's no way I'm leaving a wine shop empty handed, so] which means they were my style that day. 

Benovia Winery in Santa Rosa, California was this week's host. A nice gentleman from the vineyard spoke for a bit and gave specifics on how they harvest and ferment their grapes, but not before dropping some words of wisdom: "friendship cannot flourish an empty glass." I'll admit, he's [or whomever is first credited for the quote] probably correct. Benovia shared both a Chardonnay: Russian River Valley, and a Pinot Noir: Bella Una - Vintage, that tasted wonderful, but the purchase prices were a bit higher than I typically pay for wine, so I left with a bottle of Kumbaya Red Blend instead. 

The wine shop is my go-to vino vendor in my area. It's small enough so that I always get personalized service and recommendations, but their selection is still pretty vast. They're locally owned and operated and are quite passionate about embracing your local community. They also operate as a cafe-style establishment, which means you can stop by with your laptop, use their free WiFi, and enjoy a glass of wine, although that might be a bit counter-productive if you're actually trying to get work done.


In addition to weekly wine tastings, they also host game nights every now and then, which I'm sure is extremely fun after a few glasses of vino, so I might have to make it one of these days.


Sounds like a good date idea.


^^ Probably the saddest book, ever.