Over thirty Knights, Gentle Ladies, Squires, and Ladies in Waiting turned out to celebrate the wines of Grady Family Vineyards at our Inaugural Wine Club Meeting which was held on Thursday, March 9, 2017 at Woodbridge Uncorked.

Upon entering, guests were greeted with a glass of either Pinot Grigio or Pinot Noir.  Almost everyone brought a plate of appetizers or desserts to share, and the food was outstanding and plentiful. For the first thirty to forty-five minutes, the nobility enjoyed the camaraderie, hors d’oeuvres and desserts, while sipping on Jim Grady’s delectable drink.

About halfway through the evening, we moved on to tasting three wines. Jim selected his Pinot Noir Rose, Fine Irish Cab, and Zinfandel. As we tasted through the wines, our host gave an excellent presentation that touched upon a wide range of topics from his experience as a grower and working with winemakers. Naturally, Jim talked about the flavor profiles of the outstanding wines we tried, but he also shared some of the challenges that came with the various vintages. Through a question and answer dialogue with the audience, the discussion included factors that influenced what varietals he would grow, the concerns that came with cutting an entire vineyard down to stumps in order to graft new varietals, and what distinguishes his reserve wines. Jim, generously, made his other wines available for tasting afterwards.

As the evening concluded, Master Commander Emeritus, John Tudor, presented Jim and Beth Grady with a plaque from Knights of the Vine.  Wine club pricing, on all bottles from Grady Family Vineyards, was extended to everyone.  From the amount of wine sold, it appears everyone took advantage of that opportunity.

Jim said he felt the evening was a big success, not only for KOV, but for Grady Family Vineyards. That is what we are hoping for – a big win for Knights of the Vine and a big win for our members in the wine business! Great wine…flavorful appetizers…delicious desserts…in-depth presentations about wine…friendships made and deepened…wine being sold…that is a winning combination that members of Knights of the Vine-Lodi will be able to enjoy for years to come!

NEXT MONTH: Celebrating the wines of Berghold Vineyards and Winery! April 13, 2017 at 5:30 pm.  See Calendar for details