SWILL wine tasting party blog

Kick off the summer party season with a SWILL wine tasting party. Appealing to novices and experts with its easy, humorous approach, the SWILL® Wine Tasting and Club Starter Kit provides instant party pizzazz. Invite your guests, buy some wine and you’re good to go. There’s no better time to buy than now, as SWILLparty is having its semi-annual wine party sale with wine tasting kits only $15.99 including a free SWILL Wine Reminder Journal. Buy two kits and automatically receive a SWILL Wine-To-Go Kit (and two wine journals). Find special summer pricing on T-shirts, corkscrews, watercolor art, and many other fun wine gifts starting at $.099 at www.swillparty.com. Just visit the SWILL store.

Stay local and visit your neighborhood wine shop for cool summer wines. Rieslings are making a strong comeback, so don’t miss out on the 2003 Schmitt Sohne Relax Riesling. Critics have praised it saying, “Relax Riesling was designed to be simple, uncomplicated, yet sleek and alluring. The tagline, ‘Chill and Unwind,’ conveys what this wine is all about. It’s a wine that goes well with anything, anytime with anybody. Relax has a wonderful fruity bouquet, with the flavors of apples, peaches and a hint of citrus. It is a touch sweet and will compliment any meal. Serve chilled and enjoy.”

If the heat doesn’t scare you off reds, try the 2006 Finnegan’s Lake Fin, proclaimed by Prestige as: “A soft, full-bodied California Cabernet especially designed for those who prefer a fruity, smooth style. Excellent choice for the wine newbie or for large groups with diverse tastes — this is a crowd pleaser. Finnegan’s is a quality red that shows the gentle side of Cabernet Sauvignon.”

FineLiving.com says, “The SWILL wine-tasting kit pours out an instant party for eight. The kit is ideal for people who enjoy wine but want to learn more about it in a lighthearted atmosphere.” Stock up your gift closet now. You can’t go wrong with these great summer deals. Order your wine tasting party supplies at the SWILL Store at www.swillparty.com

SWILL®…pairing people with wine!

Grape extract “kills leukaemia”
Friday 2nd January 2009
www.nursingpractice.com
www.winebusiness.com

Scientists have discovered a grapeseed extract can force leukaemia cells to die.

Laboratory experiments show the commercially available extract caused 76% of the blood cancer cells to be destroyed within 24 hours in a process of natural self-destruction called apoptosis. All healthy cells remained unharmed.

Although the research is in its early stages and it has not been recommended people eat grapes to stave off cancer, US scientists believe the results could mark the start of promising new treatments.

It is the antioxidants in grapeseed, including resveratrol, which is known to have anti-cancer properties, that are believed to cause the cells to die.

Previous tests found that the extract was effective on skin, breast, bowel, lung, stomach and prostate cancer cells, but it this is the first time it has been tested on leukaemia.

Professor Xianglin Shi, from the University of Kentucky in Philadelphia, who led the research, said: “These results could have implications for the incorporation of agents such as grape seed extract into prevention or treatment of haematological (blood) malignancies and possibly other cancers.

“What everyone seeks is an agent that has an effect on cancer cells but leaves normal cells alone, and this shows that grape seed extract fits into this category.”

Now that’s exciting news!!! Gotta love those grapes.

Let’s just put it right out there- we’re shameless at promoting our stuff. Why? Cuz it’s great - you know it and we know it. It makes awesome gifts and it’s bargain priced.

Where else can you get a FREE SWILL Wine-To-Go Kit ($15.99 value)???? All you have to do is buy 2 SWILL Wine Tasting and Club Starter Kits. AND you get FREE ground shipping until December 18. How can you beat that? That’s 3 gifts for the price of 2, with FREE shipping and probably no sales tax (if you don’t live in NY). **

Come on, you all know a few winey people who would love this stuff. We’ll even ship it wherever you want. It can’t possibly get any easier. Just go to www.swillparty.com, order 2 kits and we’ll automatically send you the Wine-To-Go Kit. And while you’re at it, shop for accessories and other gifts like t-shirts, watercolor art, corkscrews, and other fun stuff. It’s all under $24.99 and a lot of it’s even under $14.99, and everything ships FREE.

**Oh, one more thing…if you order before December 18, we’ll even throw in another free gift. You’ll automatically get a FREE SWILL Wine Reminder Journal ($3.99 value) with each and every SWILL Wine Tasting Kit you order. So now, you’re getting 2 Wine Tasting Kits, 1 Wine-To-Go Kit and 2 Wine Reminder Journals.

We’re waiting and ready to fill your order whenever you are. All special offers above expire December 18, 2008.

Happy holidays!!

Eva and Anne

Ken from WineExperience.com mails out a great Wine of the Week newsletter. Today’s tip describes what really is meant when one tries to describe fruity wines.

Quick Tip: Fruity

“Now you would think that if wine is fruity it would taste like grape juice, right? Not so. The fruit smells and flavors come from the type of grape, its growing conditions, and the winemaking itself.

So if someone says “fruity” just what do they mean? There are several broad areas of fruitiness to consider - Does the wine have a berry quality like strawberry or blackberry… or is it more like a tree fruit, sort of cherry, peach or apple?

Sometimes the wine is tropical like pineapple or melon or even exotic mango. And other wine may have the aroma and taste of dried fruits such as raisins or prunes or even the cooked density of jams. So “fruity” is really just the start before you hone in on just what kind you’re smelling or tasting in the wine.

Try tasting “fruity” next time you take a sip.”

Help your friends host the hippest wine tasting parties of the year by giving the SWILL® Wine Tasting and Club Starter Kit. SWILL wine tasting parties have a magical way of building fellowship among friends and connecting total strangers by sharing the experience of wine tasting, bringing together novices and experts alike. The SWILL® Wine Tasting and Wine Club Starter Kit is designed to make hosting a wine tasting party or starting your own social wine tasting club easy, affordable and fun. No wine tasting experience required and SWILLparty is offering FREE Priority ground shipping on all orders from November 1 through December 18, 2008.

With lifestyle trends shifting heavily toward gourmet kitchens, custom wine cellars and dual-zone wine coolers as standard fixtures in many homes, this can mean only one thing…we’re staying home to entertain! Jim Donald, president of Tuscan Wine Cellars, says, “It’s becoming more common to have a couple glasses of wine with family or friends…” And that’s exactly what SWILL wine tasting kits encourage…indulging in the good things in life: friendship, family, food, fun, and of course wine! Marthastewart.com declares, “Whether you are a wine novice or aficionado, a wine-tasting party is an elegant, and fun way to entertain and educate.”

Featured on Canada’s www.Wish.ca shopping network, The Wine Buzz and in Baltimore Woman Magazine, and reviewed by Marisa D’Vari as well as many wine blog sites, the SWILL Wine Tasting and Club Starter Kit sells for $24.99. It contains everything needed to host a wine tasting party for eight. The kits feature wine rating cards, stylish invitations, the exclusive SWILL® Hosting 101 Guide, wine glass markers, stamped paper wine bags with elegant ribbons for blind wine tastings, pens, and a corkscrew. These kits can also be expanded to host an unlimited number of tasters by ordering Individual Taster Packets.

SWILL® wine tasting clubs are popping up all over the country in places like Portland, OR; Allegany, NY; and Charlotte, NC. So, host a party or build a larger social network with your free SWILL® wine club. Clubs use the online resources at www.swillparty.com to choose ready-to-use wine lists, gourmet recipes, professional wine reviews, and to order bulk wine tasting club and party supplies.

SWILL®…pairing people with wine!

Company Background:
SWILL® (Several Wine Imbibers Liking Libations) was founded in 2003 on a cold winter night by Anne Conroy-Baiter as a means to make new friends and learn about wine. The first gathering had only 12 tasters, none of whom were serious wine aficionados. With the club’s “invite a friend” policy, the invitation list has since grown from the 12 to 160+. In 2005, Conroy-Baiter and business partner, Eva Potter, founded SWILLparty, LLC. The partners used their many years of event planning and marketing experience to develop the SWILL® Wine Tasting and Club Starter Kit. It’s the only kit on the market you can customize with your business private label for effortless branding (contact us for wholesale pricing).

The nights may be turning chilly, but that’s no reason to hide inside. With the help of the SWILL wine tasting kit, big red Malbecs will chase away the chills and warm up spirits as the cooler temperatures of autumn are welcomed in.

Argentinian Malbecs are renowned as solid-quality big red wines at prices which are well within gas-exhausted, pre-holiday budgets. One knockout at the higher end of the price scale is the 2006 El Falino Malbec, retailing for $17.99. The Wine Advocate wrote that the El Falino is a “full-bodied wine with layers of plum and black raspberry flavor, good structure, and excellent length. It is a sensational value in high quality Malbec.” The 2006 Punto Final Malbec, priced at $9.99, is a knockout value, given that it was chosen as #27 on Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Best Buys of 2007. Be sure to notice berry flavors and a wonderful balance. The 2006 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec, retailing at $9.99, is a top contender for Malbec value. Expect to find balance, a big nose jam packed with berries and fruit, and multiple layers of flavor. One important note about tasting Malbecs—the tannins are tight, so open them an hour or two ahead of time to allow the typically jammy flavors to emerge.

After a summer of grilling, it’s good to know that Malbecs can stand up to Mexican, Cajun, Italian, and even Indian cuisines, so take out may be an easy option for trouble-free entertaining. In fact, everything about your SWILL wine tasting party is designed to be easy, affordable and fun. The kit contains what you’ll need to host a wine tasting party for eight. And here’s more good news…invite as many people as you like using the SWILL Individual Taster Packets and club supplies. For details, visit www.swillparty.com and remember to outsmart high summer gas prices with the essential things in life - friends, food and SWILL® wine fun.

Cheers! Anne and Eva

Finally…a foolproof method of insuring that your wine hasn’t been cooked to death in transit. I’ve often wondered how well shippers take care of the wine I’m buying. This is especially pertinent for your SWILL wine tasting party or wine club gathering.

I know I’ve been guilty of leaving a bottle in my car for a while on a warmish day. Not a good move, but at least I know I’m the one who did it.

Now PakSense has created the PakSense Ultra Label that can monitor temperature throughout the shipping process. It even has a nifty LED that signals green for good, and yellow for temperature compromise. These labels are available in pre-programmed temperature ranges and various lifespans so a shipper can choose the best temperature label for that shipment.

Mind you, I don’t usually buy expensive wines, so I’m hoping that these labels will also show up on mid-priced bottles. I haven’t encountered one yet but am looking forward to seeing that flashing green light!

Close your eyes and picture a blue-sky day, sunshine warming your shoulders, and golden vineyards for miles around. September is the ideal time to hit the road for the wine country nearest you and the SWILL® Wine-To-Go kit is the perfect tool to help you document your journey.

Oh, you don’t live in California? Well you’ll be relieved to know that while California still produces more than 90% of domestic wine, the number of wineries outside California is roughly equal to the number inside it. Over the past ten years wine countries in Oregon, Washington, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, and even Texas and Arkansas have sprung up. With tasting rooms aplenty, visitors are offered a glimpse into the wine making process as well as tastes of the infinite variety of wines created today in the United States.

The SWILL® Wine-To-Go kit is an insulated and padded single-bottle wine carrier containing a pocket-sized SWILL® Wine Reminder Journal, a SWILL® pen to chronicle your wine tasting adventure plus a travel corkscrew. Whether you are just starting your journey into the wine tasting world or you are an experienced wine taster, we all suffer from wine amnesia at some point. When you find that perfect ruby-colored red wine–the one that smells like black cherries and plums with a hint of tobacco–the journal is the perfect place to jot down some notes and buying information. The stylish black carrier is a safe way to get it home, or to the nearest picnic spot. And please, drink responsibly. No winery road trip is complete without a designated driver.

For details on the SWILL Wine-to-Go kit as well as other SWILL wine tasting kits and supplies, visit www.swillparty.com and when you’re hitting the road, remember the essential things in life - friends, wine, food and SWILL® wine fun.

SWILL®…pairing people with wine!

Presenting the August edition of our free, bimonthly, ready-to-use wine lists that have been tasted and reviewed by SWILL wine club members. Keep checking back for more free wine tasting list ratings and reviews that you can immediately use for your next SWILL wine tasting party.

Purchase these wines from online vendors or look for them at your local wine shop. Many will gladly order what you need, especially if you tell them you’re starting a wine tasting club - they’ll love the repeat business. Decipher ratings at How To Rate Wine Page.

Our latest SWILL wine tasting club gathering took place on August 16 and featured Malbecs from Argentina, all of which were inexpensive and delicious.* Our hosts, the Mehtas, treated us to wonderful Indian cuisine and many other delights. While the evening was laced with rain, we managed to thoroughly enjoy their gorgeous backyard patio setting including pool with waterfall. The many flowering plants and trees provided an idyllic setting. We even sat outside to read the reviews warmed by logs burning brightly in their fire pits.

*Note: We opened the Malbecs 2-3 hours before enjoying and this really made a huge difference in flavor and aroma.

Professional Reviews:

STATION #1
2007 Domaine Houchart Côtes de Provence Rosé • $10.99
Bright medium pink. Musky red berries and cherry on the nose, with a light floral quality adding complexity. Spicy red currant and wild strawberry flavors are light in body and gently lifted by subtle minerality. An understated style, and well-suited to aperitif duty. 88 Points, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar on 6/1/2008

STATION #2
2007 Crios de Susana Balbo Rosé of Malbec• $14.99
Medium pink with an expressive bouquet of strawberry and cherry. The wine is medium-bodied with lots of glycerin giving the wine a smooth palate feel. Dry in style, the wine has rich flavors, excellent acidity, and a lengthy finish. Drink this remarkably food-friendly wine over the next 1–2 years. 89 Points, The Wine Advocate on 12/1/2007

STATION #3
2006 Punto Final Malbec• $9.99
Color, power, flavor and commendable balance; that’s pretty much the format for Punto Final, one of Argentina’s go-to brands for Malbec. This youngster is ripe and ready, and it holds form onto a long finish. If it seems a little young and clumsy upon pouring, air it out and it’ll improve. 90 Points, Wine Enthusiast, Top 100 Best Buys of 2007 (#27) on 8/1/2007

STATION #4
2006 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec• $9.99
The 2006 Malbec is a prime contender for the top value in Malbec. Purple-colored, it has an excellent nose of violets, spice box, blueberry, and black cherry. Medium to full-bodied, it offers a creamy texture, layers of flavor, excellent balance, and a long, fruit-driven finish. Although this outstanding Malbec may well evolve for 1–2 years, there is no reason to defer gratification. It is a fantastic value. 90 Points, The Wine Advocate

STATION #5
2006 El Falino Malbec• $17.99
The 2006 El Felino Malbec spent 9 months in French and American oak, 21% new. It is opaque purple in color with a complex nose of spice box, mulberry, and black cherry. This leads to a smoothly-textured, full-bodied wine with layers of plum and black raspberry flavor, good structure, and excellent length. It can be enjoyed now and over the next 6 years. It is a sensational value in high quality Malbec. 92 Points, The Wine Advocate on 12/1/2007

Enjoy and, as always, drink responsibly! Eva and Anne

What better way to beat the high price of gas this summer than by inviting over a few friends, pouring tasty down-under reds, and enjoying your backyard summer breezes? With the help of the SWILL wine tasting kit, an under-the-stars SWILL® wine tasting party is a guaranteed summertime hit that will keep the laughs rolling but the mileage low.

Aussie reds, and specifically Aussie Shirazes, are also a great way to keep the budget in check, but the quality of your wines high. One Shiraz we recommend is the 2006 Marquis Philips Shiraz retailing at $15.99. Anything from Marquis Philips is always a good bet, but this one is particularly rich, dominated by blueberry and blackberry notes. Another fun selection would be the 2006 Strong Arm Shiraz selling at $10.99. The Strong Arms winery features cleverly artistic labels and even printed six different label variations for this one bottling of Shiraz. But more importantly, the wine is of excellent quality, rated a 91 by Robert Parker, the Wine Advocate. Since you’re saving so much by entertaining at home, a top-of-the-line choice would be the 2005 Flinders Run Shiraz retailing at $32.99. This is a seriously good wine with deep color, a fragrant nose, and tastes of pepper, blueberry, licorice, and blackberry. Given it’s a debut wine for Flinders Run, the score of 95 it received from Wine Spectator makes it all the more impressive.

For your backyard SWILL, match these wines easily with grilled meats and veggies. In fact, everything about your SWILL wine tasting party is designed to be easy, affordable and fun. The kit contains everything needed to host a wine tasting party for eight. And here’s more good news…invite as many people as you like using the SWILL Individual Taster Packets and club supplies. For details, visit www.swillparty.com and remember to outsmart high summer gas prices with the essential things in life - friends, wine, food and SWILL® wine fun.

More about SWILLparty
SWILL®, Several Wine Imbibers Liking Libations) was founded in 2003 on a cold winter night by Anne Conroy-Baiter as a means to make new friends and learn about wine. The first gathering had only 12 tasters, none of whom were serious wine aficionados. The group enjoyed the pressure-free party so much that they decided to do it again. With the club’s “invite a friend” policy, the invitation list has since grown from the 12 to 160+. In 2005, Conroy-Baiter and business partner, Eva Potter, founded SWILLparty, LLC. The partners used their many years of event planning and marketing experience to develop the SWILL® Wine Tasting and Club Starter Kit to encourage wine lovers to form their own social wine tasting parties. Kits are available at www.swillparty.com and were recently featured on FineLiving.com.

SWILL®…pairing people with wine!