Tucson's Wine Brothers has closed!

I was looking forward to some wine tasting a few weekends ago so my husband and I headed over to Wine Brother's to see what they had. Unfortunately there was a big sign on the door saying that they had closed, or should I say "shut down". I found out from a bartender at Bluefin that the owners of Wine Brothers didn't pay their rent. Looks like everyone is falling on hard times!

Arizona DUI laws are tough (thank goodness)!

While visiting Doug Trudeau's blog I came across an article I found interesting but also important. It seems that every week I hear of some type of car accident involving minors and alcohol. It's not just the minors either; a lot of people drive after throwing back a few and just don't realize that their abilities might be compromised. The holiday season is almost upon us and it's important to remember that even one drink can be too much for some drivers. Anyway, I thought Doug's entry was great so I've included a link.

http://www.tucsonrealestateblogs.com/2007/11/01/dui-laws-in-arizona-are-tough/

'Tis the season of toasts with Fleming's Steakhouse

Though I've only visited there a few times, I really love Fleming's Steakhouse in the Tucson Foothills. Besides having a lot of character, this restaurant doesn't hold back when it comes to their advertising mail outs. Fleming's sends out a small booklet, usually about 10-12 pages and mostly about wine, on a seasonal basis. These booklets always offer interesting information about wines, whether it be tips for paring food and wine or a discussion about the red wine spectrum. The Fall edition focuses on the "Red Rapture" Red Wine Dinner that Fleming's has scheduled for November 13th. There's also a great section titled "How to make the most of every toast", and it discusses the fine art of making a toast. I've never been big on making toasts, but since we're moving into the season of celebration and Fleming's doesn't offer their marketing information online, I thought I would include a little summary of the article.

Looks like toasting has been around since 6th Century BC when the Greeks were toasting each other to prove that their wine wasn't poisoned. The word "Toast" comes from the Roman practice of dropping a piece of burnt bread in the wine to disguise the taste of bad vintages. Very interesting!

Today people make toasts for all sorts of reasons, whether it be wishing the happy couple a rich and prosperous life together or the drunken rambling of a family member trying to steal the show. Toasts are fun and even educational, depending on who the speaker is. But as with everything else in life, there are a few rules to toasting properly, so here's the list!

• When making a toast the speaker should always stand unless it's a small, informal gathering. No sitting!
• The "toastee" should never stand during the toast or drinks to himself. If you're the one being toasted, just smile really big and say thank you.
• Clinking glasses is optional, but raising glasses is not. If you're drinking wine or a cocktail, raise your water glass. Try to at least look interested!
• One should never toast the guest of honor before the host has had the opportunity. If the host is a little slow in this area you better give him a push to get the ball rolling.
• Eye contact is considered polite when toasting. In some cultures it's bad luck if you don't make eye contact.
• Never, ever, under any circumstances hit your fork against your glass to get everyone's attention. It's considered de'classe'!

Great Upcoming Events for Tucson Foodies

Lots of exciting food and beverage related events scheduled for Tucson in the next few weeks. The weather is cooling down and it's the perfect time of year to enjoy great food in the great outdoors. Where to begin....

• Check out the Tucson Culinary Festival next week! It's four days of exciting food and "beverage" tastings brought to you by the Tucson Originals, a group of locally owned restaurants that provide food that's distinctive to the Tucson area. It all starts with the "Margarita Challenge" (I hope El Charro wins!) on Thursday night at Cuvee World Bistro . Then the event moves to Loews Ventana Canyon where there's two days of tasting great wines and foods from some of Tucson's greatest chefs. Sunday finishes up with a BBQ Brunch and great Blues music. I checked out several of these events last year and I had a great time.

• Oktoberfest in Tucson? Yes it does exist, and boy do we like to celebrate it! Get your lederhosen on and head out the Tucson Oktoberfest Festival, which starts today at Hi-Corbett Field and continues through Sunday. Enjoy authentic German food and music while checking out the many arts and crafts booths. If you're like me, it's hard to celebrate Oktoberfest when it 85 degrees outside. That's why I trek up to Mount Lemmon for their Oktoberfest celebration! Cruise up the Mt. Lemmon highway any weekend through October 9th and feast on bratwurst and German potato salad while enjoying German music and dancers dressed in authentic German wear. You'll feel like you're in Bavaria!

For Tucson Area Wine Lovers

I'm about to make one of my personal recommendations, so I hope all of you like the vino! For those of you that truly enjoy savoring a nice glass of wine, there's a neat little wine shop you should try called Wine Brothers. The concept of a wine tasting bar in Tucson was relatively new when Wine Brothers opened in early 2007. Though there were a few wine retail stores that also offered tastings at the time, I find that the relaxed atmosphere, reasonable prices and casual Tuscan theme at Wine Brothers is unmatched. It's very easy going and fun; not at all stuffy like some of the finer wine tasing bars are. Besides having an extensive selection of great wines for sale, wine connoisseurs have several different options for enjoying their favorites on the premises. If sampling a variety of wines is your style, head up to the tasting bar and check out the daily selection that's being offered. If you would rather just relax with a glass of your favorite vino, make your purchase and then make yourself comfortable in one of the cozy leather chairs located in the lounge area. Can't enjoy a good glass of wine without something to munch on? No problem! Bring in whatever you're craving and have a seat at one of the many bistro tables in the cafe area. There's even a private room that can reserved for group tastings. If you'd like to make an evening out of it, make sure to stop by on Saturday evenings when there's live entertainment. Another new wine cafe and lounge, Armitage, opened at La Encantada shopping center. A brother to the Armitage wine lounge in Phoenix, I'd expect to find the same premium wines and Old World ambiance as in the Scottsdale location. Once I've made my visit I'll post on it and let you know!