Week 1 - Virtual Tasting for Charity - Empty My Wallet, Help Me Support Laura's House

As has been the tradition around here for the last several, the holiday season brings a time when we raise a little money for some great charities. As your first week sponsor, I will continue the tradition to kick this off and pay a cash donation for every TN that is posted between the dates of 11/19 to 11/28 (for bottles drank during this time period). The theme? As always for my week, it will be Pinot Noir from anywhere!

What happens? You open and post as many Pinot Noir tasting notes as you like, and I will pay $5 for every TN that is posted here during the time period noted above. I will double the payment to $10 per TN, provided you take a photo of yourself with the bottle (not of the bottle, but you and the bottle, even better if you and others enjoying it with you are in the photo). Why the doubled donation? Because the more we can get out from behind an avatar and show who we really are, the less likely we can operate from disrespect and the more we can get to know each other.

At the end of the 10 days, I will count the notes and make a donation to Laura’s House. They are the recipient of all the money we collect each year during our Falltacular event we have at our house every February. The charity is about ending domestic violence, through emergency shelter services, counseling, transitional housing and community outreach. To learn more, you can click the following:

Starting posting your notes to this thread beginning 11/19 and make me pay!

To see last year’s TNs and photos from my challenge week, you can click here>>> TN Challenge: Empty My Wallet, Support Laura's House. 11/21 - 11/30 - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers

To everyone, we raised $1,900 last year in this single week. Help me beat this #. Post TNs and photos.

This is always a beautiful gesture by you and the WB community, FM III. It’s one of the major things that I respect about Wine Berserkers.

Hey everyone. I am thrilled and humbled too in reporting that we have a matching donor again this year, as we did in 2016. This person, who wishes to remain anonymous, has pledged to match my donation to Laura’s House.

So, when you post to the thread here next month, consider your work doubled in value. I hope you see this news as more encouragement for you to participate here starting on 11/19.

Thank you all.

Frank, don’t we normally “sticky” this at the top of page 1? Makes it easier for folks to find.

Bob, there is some thinking that the sticky isn’t effective, that the top section of the forum gets lost at the top and people just scan down quickly for the subjects they want to read. I will ask Frenchie again for his view on this and then he can decide to sticky it if he thinks it will help. We’re trying to raise money and encourage board member participation so I am game to try whatever works.

I made it a sticky (at Frank’s request, though he left it up to me) because we’re accustomed to these charity threads, for consecutive weeks, at the top for the holidays

Frenchie, thanks a lot.

I also want to send out a shout to the person who PM’d me earlier to say they had made a donation to Laura’s House, in honor of the thread here. The generosity seen in the Board members here is moving to me.

As we get going on 11/19, please post your TNs and photos here in this thread. This is how I count and determine my total donation (which is being doubled because of the anonymous matching WB donor). If you do post a photo, and you want me to double your donation, it has to include your mug in it.

Finally, if you decide to make a private donation to Laura’s House, please put in the comment field before you submit that you are part of the WB community here. They do keep track of that source.

Thanks everyone, look forward to a great week of TNs, photos and raising $$ for Laura’s House.

You traditionally do your pinot challenge the same week as we cook a Thanksgiving banquet for the homeless shelter. Since I am in charge of the kitchen and I provide the wine for the cooks (to make sure I get the ones I want), you will once again get a group photo with pinot. However, next year, could you please choose some wine with flavor so I can actually open some wine that people will like. Last year I did some Quilceda Creek and some Saxum. This year I will open some pinot to help break the bank and then some real wine after that.

Somehow, Ive missed previous years of this magnificent idea. Im in with TNs and photos forthcoming. I also love the statement “Because the more we can get out from behind an avatar and show who we really are, the less likely we can operate from disrespect and the more we can get to know each other.”. That`s beautiful. Get ready for the long haired, pony tailed Jayhawk.

Mr Hack, you’re pretty funny. Just open the PN for your fine cooks and post some notes. In fact, if you get everyone in your photo to give a thumbs up, I will add $50 to my total donation. You better smile though when they are giving the thumbs up or it’s no deal. As for your wine suggestions, you keep trying, but you can count on me for Pinot Noir each year, especially the shrill, acidic, stem ridden ones with low alcohol that I love so well.

Blake, glad you are dialed in now to the charity week, and do try and do all of them. It’s the one month of the year when we can all do something in the spirit of the season.

Thanks for doing this . IMO the thread is too “high” in the list and will get lost. Not sure of the mechanics involved but it should be the lowest listed thread of the “fixed” threads . So just below the Pin Thread .

Opened a 2013 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Olenik Vineyard last night…my tasting note is short - corked.

That’s because you did it too soon - the wine gods punished you!

This thread does not officially open for business until Sunday, Todd - rules are rules .

I know, but it’s not a tasting note, either…I had PLANNED on posting one, on the right date, but since it was corked, no go.

Frenchie, you cheated. You can’t open a wine now, then post on it as if you drank it on the 19th. Dude, your banned.

Folks, for those reading the thread now, if you want to start tomorrow which is a day early, do it. That means that I’ll start accepting notes posted on the 18th, let’s give you all a full weekend as the kick-off.

I don’t want to get all legal and require that people start getting lawyered up here, but your post did indicate that you would donate money based on when the note was posted, and not when the wine was drunk. Your OP states that you would “pay a cash donation for every TN this [sic] is posted between the dates of 11/19 to 11/28.”
I was planning on copying all my CT Tasting notes on Pinot Noir during the time frame.
Good news is that Laura’s House would benefit and we will, as a community, help you to empty your pockets.

Ugh, so many rules up in here. I am not supporting a dump of TNs from tastings that exist prior to the window being open. You’re funny.

I will edit my post(s) to be clear. Drink a wine and post on it, with a photo (if you choose to double my payment for each TN you do this with) for the period of 11/18 - 11/28.

Just having fun. I know what you meant. Although it would have been fun posting notes on some Loring pinots from 2006.

Like this:

• 2004 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (4/13/2006)
  Passover Seder. Nice fruit and flavor but not a fruit bomb. Save last bottle. I think it will age nively for a few years. (92 pts.)
• 2004 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir “Llama Farm” - USA, California (2/22/2006)
  Strong fruit, drunk at OL at Fairway with Victor, Jackie etc. Like other Lorings. Must have Loring horizontal.
• 2004 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (1/13/2006)
  Drunk with client at Smith and Wollenskys after a Chateauneuf. Shared with the table next to us, who were there because they read my thread on the Parker BB about no corkage fee. This was stronger than the Keefer ranch. Similar but more body and a little more complicated. This one will get better with another year or two under its belt. (92 pts.)
• 2004 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Green Valley of Russian River Valley (1/13/2006)
  Light, fruity, cherry on the nose and on the palate, red fruit, drunk with a porterhouse at Smith and Wollensky. Maybe not the best pairing because it was light for the steak, but still a good wine and easy for non-experts to appreciate - like my client and his son. (91 pts.)

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