Five Years Old!

Andrea Baseler, Joanne Baseler, Bonnie Elgin, Peggy Reddy

Thursday night at the ZINO Society biggest party of the year, our 5 year Birthday and Magnum Party, we had a blast celebrating with over 200 members and friends. Our landlord, Terry Thompson of Urban Enoteca, brought a fantastic magnum of Cabernet Sauvignon from Pride Mountain Vineyards, one of my favorite Napa Valley wines. Have you ever made the crazy winding drive up to their winery? JJ McKay and John & Bonny Midby brought huge bottles of champagne which was a great way to get the celebration started. Dozens of very high quality magnums of wine were brought to share, though someone actually brought a magnum of Yellowtail! Ugh! I’m sure it was NOT a ZINO Society  member or wine professional who did that!

The party started early still missing our Wine Professional Member sommeliers who had agreed to help open bottles and pour, so Mary and I went behind the bar for the first 20 or 30 minutes and it was like a comedy routine that we think we may actually have to repeat next year!  Meanwhile Ken Hatch, nursing his bad knee, sat at a table all evening surrounded by his fans.  Someone said to me that, "Ken is like the Pope and everyone is going over to kiss his ring!"

Stacy Lill, Lorna Kneeland, Cathi Hatch

ZINO Society investors, Ron & Bonnie Elgin, brought a bottle from their cellar and ZINO Society brought a bottle too for the special toast of ZINO VINO Cabernet Blend 2005 which was a meritage of Cabernet Sauvignon that we produced at the ZINO VINO Blending Dinner the first year that ZINO Society existed with juice from Pepper Bridge, JM Cellars, Dunham Cellars, and Mark Ryan Winery. It was delicious!

Our esteemed event sponsors Berntson Porter and DeLille Cellars were there to help us celebrate and following a steel drum rendition of “Happy Birthday”, both Greg Porter of Berntson Porter and Greg Lill of DeLille Cellars proposed great toasts. You will have to ask Greg Lill about his toast that celebrates lying, swearing, cheating and killing!

The Z-Team led by Chief Marketing Officer, Mary Holmes, along with Director of Membership, Robin Moore, Events Coordinator, Elizabeth Larned and our unbelievable summer intern, Christine Gilbert were “Masters of Schlep” producing a thoroughly wonderful summer party. But after setting up all day and then standing and schlepping all night, we were all ready for pedicures and a foot massage by the end of the evening!