Have another sip.

On Thursday night I went to a wine tasting at Allyn's Café in Columbia Tusculum. Apparently they hold these about once a month. I didn't know. But I'm glad I do now. We sampled six wines - two whites and four reds - all from Spain. Allyn's also provided plenty of delicious food to go with the wine. Why do I love Swedish meatballs so much when they are on a buffet? I never eat them otherwise. I rarely even eat meatballs with my spaghetti. I loved their hummus too. And the Caesar salad and the tortellini. I found some good wine, too. I even bought three bottles. When you buy at the tasting you get a 10% discount, even if you don't buy a case. Smart sales tactic. They sold a lot of wine last night.

I overheard one woman remark that it's hard to find a good wine tasting in Cincinnati. Really? The paper lists six or seven every weekend it seems and it doesn't even get all of them. There are a lot during the week as well. I realize they vary greatly on the quality and quantity of wine and food served. But why not check them all out until you find the good ones? My favorites are the Casual Friday tastings at Chateau Pomijie and now the monthly tastings at Allyn's. Both offer a good mix of wine and food and conversation. I also love the wine or beer tasting events at the zoo. The food isn't always plentiful, but there are animals! If you're looking for more, check the blog My Wine Education at www.wine-girl.net. She lists a lot of Cincinnati wine events and resources.