My emails seem to be overrun this time of year with European cruises where fine European wines are served. Sigh.

But! We here at Woodlawn have planned a series of Sunday wine tastings from now ‘til the end of the year with cruises in mind. Take, for example, the Rhine Wine Cruise I just read about, from Amsterdam to Basel. Wrong time of year to head to Amsterdam (tulip season, please) but the thought of having a lovely fall jacket with a collar to turn up against the wind, sipping a Rhine wine on the cruise deck… Sigh.

So we’ve decided each week to pick a cruise and choose the wines we would offer were we the sommeliers. This week: hearkening back to your parents’ time, we’ll actually showcase Blue Nun Liebfraumilch (remember that, old timers?) and two rieslings, then a pinot noir. Spätburgunder – Pinot Noir –  is the leading red grape of the Rhine. FACT: Germany is the third-largest producer of Pinot Noir in the world.

Also, we are now eight weeks out from our first ever Slack Wine and Fine Things — featuring wine tasting, a silent and live wine & fine things auction, as well as the release of the 2023 Slack Wines (see December 2nd event).

We invite you to help us shape this first ever Slack wine auction to benefit charity. Do you want us to have mostly sparkling on the menu? High tannin wines to match with Holiday season ham? Or has everyone gone the way of the great vegetarians of the world and hefty carrots are on the menu? [Cartoon Credit Gary Larson].

— Maggie O’Brien

PS Here’s a quick primer on Rhine wines.