Sure, we got deals and offers just for you but let's talk a little about wine and food and the holidays first. There is so much socializing that goes on from now through New Years that we all need to have plenty of wine around the house. But remember that not everyone is going to like your favorite robust red so you need to think outside your box and stock a variety of varietals and wine types from aperitifs to heavenly desert elixirs and everything inbetween.

Let's begin with aperitifs or wines that our refreshing without snacks and that please a broad range of palates. Afterall, who knows who might drop in for an unexpected visit. Think white, rose and fruity like a Chenin Blanc, our Sierra Dreams, a Viognier or for the more sophisticated our dry rose, Sangre de Montana.

Let's crank it up a knotch and pair some wines with savory snacks. It's easy to arrainge a selection of roasted nuts (not too salty), some interesting cheeses like a ripe brie or camembert and some fresh fruit such as grapes or sliced ripe pear on a wood board with crackers. Uncork a Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, our Queen's Gold, a Reisling or even a Champagne and you've got a perfect impromptu afternoon socializer and some healthy ingredients to sustain everyone as you chat away.

Now as we move into a meal, we can get more serious about our wine and food pairing or just let everyone keep drinking what they like. Staying a little serious, presenting wines that go well with each course is not difficult and there are no absolute answers so the attempt should be as much fun as the result. First ask yourself, Who's one first? Are you showing off your favorite recipe? If so find a good but humble wine to pair nicely without stealing the show. All the raves should go to you for cooking. However, if it's that great bottle of wine you want to show off, mellow comfort food would be more supportive of your goal.

Beware the salad course unless you intentionally omit any vinegar from your salad dressing. Substitute lemon for vinegar or make a creamy dressing. Or just skip a couple sips of wine while you indulge in your favorite balsamic vinegrette and carryon with wine at the next course.

The meat, fish or fowl may be the focal point but be aware of the sauce and all the accompanying side dishes before making your choice of wine(s) to enjoy. Notice I said wine(s) because nothing could be better than to put forth two choices and let your guests have fun finding and discussing which one works best for them. For instance, the traditional turkey dinner may start with Champagne with appetizers or a first course fruit cocktail, a Sauvignon Blanc (Queen's Gold) paired with a spinach salad with a lemon cream dressing,then move forward into a big rich barrel fermented Chardonnay with the main course and finished with Bread Pudding with an Irish Whiskey hard sauce. Or start with appetizers and champagne or our fruity Sierra Dreams, onward with a light young fruity soft red, then onto a more gallant but smooth Pinot Noir, Grenache, even the right Syrah or Merlot with the butterball, finnishing with our Poet's Choice Series of port-style dessert reds with chunks of dark chocolate.

Hopefully this has helped a little, knowing that we're just scratching the surface of possibilities of pairing wine and food. Search the web for 'wine and food pairing' and you can get lots more good information. Just don't worry; you're going to do a great job and everyone will be happy so you should be too!

Saturday and Sunday 12/18,19 WINE PICK UP PARTY for our Green and Gold Winefellowship Members Finally the labels are coming and its time to begin letting the new wines flow. Green and Gold Members are all invited and encouraged to stop by Saturday or Sunday December 18th and 19th to taste the new releases of Joyce's Preoccupations, Z2 Cuvee and the 2001 Estate Merlot paired with sumptuous foods. Green Members pick up their two bottle paks and Gold Members their three bottle paks. If you know you're coming give us a call at 800-245-9166 so we can prepare the right amount of food. Don't hesitate to drop in unannounced too. Enjoy the beauty and quiet of the foothills and the warmth of Fitzpatricks and begin to slow down and downshift your holiday season with Diana and I. Good time to stock up with our great deals. Anyone interested in becoming a Member of our Wine Fellowship is welcome to join that day and enjoy the fun and food. Our Wine Fellowship Members: $Priceless Learn More about becoming a member	Uncork the Magic Collections are a class act! In the quest for the perfect gift, it's the thought that counts. Our Uncork the Magic Collections gift sets packed in fire-branded wooden boxes are designed to please your special ones on your personal or business lists with a very classy rare gift of wine. But more than just a few random bottles, Collections are mini- verticals (three consecutive vintages) of a varietal like Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc. Collections also include a very cool three bottle pak of our ports nestled with two way cool tiny port glasses, called the Poet's Choice Collection. For an impressive power gift, give our new King's Red XI magnum (1.5 liter) in its own special wooden box. For a never before offer, give our Past, Present and Future wood box collection of three barrel fermented Chardonnays: our 2001 Chardonnay just passed, our new 2002 Chardonnay and our very future 2003 Chardonnay. Even Scrooge couldn't balk at the great prices. Here's another great gift to give, perfect for a couple, a good neighbor where there's both red and white wine- Our Royal Family groups a bottle of our King's Red X and 2002 Queen's Gold. And if all our great Collections are perfect enough, you can create your own and we'll pack in the same excelsior wood fiber and fire-branded wooden box. We're standing ready to help you spread that holiday cheer. Our Prices are heavenly $26 - $75 Read more detail and pick out your Collection(s) today!

So, don't fret about your food and wine pairing; you'll be marvelous. Stock up on all different wines. Choose your gifts wisely and, don't forget, unique thoughtful gifts make people very happy and you remembered.

Stay healthy, have fun shopping, the holidays will be wonderful,

Just in time to stock your refrigerator, your wine cubby and a few stockings, we're spreading the cheer with another great deal - this time on everything white and rose. 33% OFF when you mix, match and fill a case or more from the following list of our wines: Chardonnay, Queens Gold, Sierra Dreams, Sangre de Montana and Celtic Cider.

Wow! That's only $6.66 for Queen's Gold or Sangre de Montana, $6.36 for Sierra Dreams, $8 for Chardonnay and $5.36 for Celtic Cider. Come get it or we'll ship UPS right away. Remember Green and Gold members get their extra discount of 5% or 10% on top.

A Great selection of Guinness items 10-50% off, Fitzpatrick Logo wear all 10% off, Keltic Design T- shirts all 10% off... ...Hey! guess what? Everything ( every non-wine item) is now 10% or greater off. Happy shopping!