Wine Blog
"Juicy Tales by Jo Diaz"

This is a great question that I was just asked by two of the members of PS I Love You, right after I sent out the registration form for our February 17, 2012 event, to be held at Rock Wall Wine Company in Alameda.

First, I’m going to let Steve Heimoff’s words explain it to you, in a blog that he did after visiting D&D 2011… He was imploring PS producers who aren’t part of our group to help support us, because he sees the potential for something truly magnificent in the future. (So do I.):

Dark & Delicious is one of the more fun events of its kind. There’s tons of great food provided by local restaurants, and scores of wineries pour their Petite Sirahs (plus there’s usually some additional stuff “under the table”). It’s $63.00 a person, which is cheap considering you can eat a bellyful of really good food and drink to your heart’s content. And no parking hassles: There’s a huge lot well staffed by young men who how to direct the traffic.

I had a great time, as I know everybody else did (the event was sold out, even though there was a huge rainstorm)… I’m appealing to the Petite Sirah producers who don’t support P.S.I.L.Y., join this organization that’s done so much to help you. It’s the right thing to do. It will help boost Petite Sirah even further into the limelight, and I can guarantee you that it would make Dark & Delicious absolutely one of the premier wine events of the year in California.

Tom Merle, Bay Area Wine Society, also has a great quote that we enjoy:

This is one of those events that you go to when you see your same friends each year, because it’s a just-right size… You offer far more real gourmet treats than any other of the marketing association tastings.

Next, let me tell you what the brands pouring and many, many of the food vendors tell me each year… “This is their favorite event. They love D&D for the organization, the size, and the quality of the people who attend.

David Shabelman, Artezin Wines (Hess Collection):

Who would not go to this event? Easily one of the best of the year.

Attendees are the following:

• Fully engaged, eager to learn and willing to listen.
• This isn’t a wine festival where people come to drink their money’s worth. Because the foods are so fabulous, people are willing to take their time, because they can (almost) navigate it all for food and wine.
• They love seeing their friends from year to year. It’s a loyal, educated crew that’s upwardly mobile, with sophisticated wine palates.
• Few people are hip to Petite Sirah, but those who are are tremendously passionate, and they’re here.

With more than 50 wine brands and 30 support restaurants and food caterers at one of Northern California’s most delicious wine and food events, it’s no wonder that 800 guests travel from all over the United States to attend this premier event for Petite Sirah. Attendance has always sold out, now going into our sixth-year of history.

Wineries already committed:

1. Andis Wines (Debut of new member)
2. Aratas Wines (Debut of new member)
3. Artezin (Hess Collection)
4. Aver Family Vineyards
5. Ballentine Vineyards
6. Berryessa Gap Winery
7. Bogle Vineyards and Winery
8. Clayhouse Wines
9. Concannon Vineyard
10. Diamond Ridge Vineyards
11. Don & Sons
12. Estrella Creek Wines
13. F. Teldeschi
14. Field Stone
15. Foppiano Vineyards
16. Grizzly Republic
17. Guglielmo Winery (Debut of new member)
18. Gustafson Family Vineyards
19. Handal Denier (Debut of new member)
20. Harney Lane Winery
21. J. Baldwin Wines
22. J. Rickard Wines (Debut of new member)
23. Lava Cap
24. Line 39
25. Line Shack + Lido Bay Winery
26. McCay Cellars
27. Mettler  Wines
28. Michael~David Winery
29. Miro Cellars
30. Mounts Family Winery
31. Nottingham Cellars
32. Occasio Winery
33. Odonata Winery (Debut of new member)
34. Page Mill Winery
35. Parducci Wine Cellars
36. R & B Cellars
37. Ridge Vineyards
38. Robert Biale Winery
39. Rock Wall Wine Company
40. Rosenblum Winery
41. Rutherford Grove
42. Shadowbrook Winery (Debut of new member)
43. Silkwood Wines
44. Stage Left Cellars
45. Stags’ Leap Winery
46. Stanton Vineyards
47. Tercero Wines
48. Trentadue Winery
49. Tres Sabores
50. Trueheart Vineyard (Debut of new member)
51. Turkovich Family Winery (Debut of new member)
52. Twisted Oak
53. Vina Robles
54. Wilson Vineyards

If you’re a winery interested in participating, it will mean greater exposure for your company though ad and social media campaigns. If you join our merry band of eclectic winemakers and consumers, this media blitz goes on from now through February 2012.

Sign-ups for wine companies are now being accepted, and you must be a member of PSILY to participate. (This is a frequently asked question.) You can sign-up here for PSILY. Become a member, or you can sign up on line for all of it… Membership + Dark & Delicious.

Consumers will be able to purchase tickets beginning on Black Friday. Those in our database get a Black Friday discount through an Email blast. Launched last year, this proved to be wildly popular, and so we’re continuing it this year.

Media people are welcome as our guests. You just have to click E-Mail Jo Diaz to get onto the list and have a blog site or write for a hard copy periodical.

A YouTube video that shows what D&D is all about, in case you’ve missed it and are wondering.

Tags: Alameda, Black Friday, Clayhouse Wines, Dark & Delicious™, Foppiano Vineyards, Miro Cellars, Mounts Family Wines, Northern California, Parducci Wine Cellars, Petite Sirah, Steve Heimoff, United States, Wine, YouTube