'Tis the season for tasting

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By KATIE ROYAL HAMPSHIRE - It’s the season for wine. With holiday parties just around the corner, and plenty of hearty cooking to enjoy, there’s no better time to find a favorite wine to pair with some of the best meals of the year. “Thanksgiving is the biggest wine holiday of the year,” said Kristin Galayda, owner of Tuscan Sun Wine and Spirits. Luckily for Hampshire residents, they have numerous opportunities and outlets for fun and educational wine tastings. Just last weekend, Tuscan Sun held a free wine and beer tasting open to the public, while Katie Mathson of The Traveling Vineyard held a private wine-tasting party primarily for past clients and neighbors. The two events together coaxed nearly 100 people out of their homes on a cold and rainy weekend to enjoy new tastes and meet new people. “I’m looking to expand my horizons,” said Joe Linder. “This is a good way to find something new.” Linder, who usually prefers dry red wines, was surprised to find a sweeter red from Romania he thoroughly enjoyed. And that’s the beauty of these events. Almost inevitably people will find something they enjoy, and perhaps didn’t know about previously. White wine drinkers find a red they prefer, and vice versa. People who don’t drink wine are surprised to find there is at least one they enjoy. People who know little or nothing about wine walk away with a little or a lot of knowledge of wine, depending on the event and their curiosities. Some tastings, like the one at Tuscan Sun, are much more informal, allowing tasters to try what they’d like while vendors offer expertise upon request. Other events focus more on education, explaining characteristics of the wines tasted, and offering ideas for food pairings or other similar wines. Tastings like these can be done as in-home events with Mathson. No matter how you prefer to try them, you’re nearly guaranteed to find something you like. Or even the perfect gift for a friend or relative. ‘Tis the season.

Don’t feel bad if you missed out on the weekend’s wine tastings. There’s more where those came from!