I have promised a BBQ type off-line at my home for too long. It's time to make good on the offer before we run out of summer. I'm thinking primarily some zins and primativos, but all "sturdy" reds will do. Most certainly there will be some malbec. I'm also researching the possibility of serving a beef brisket. Mrs. CS has given me the OK for Sept. 27. My guess is we'll start a little earlier than usual, say 5:00PM. I sincerely hope that the date is agreeable, and we can get a healthy crowd to usher in the cooler months. Those of you with good connections - pray for no rain.

A September off-line thread with 6 days left in August...with a venue...date...theme...and initiated by cometspider?

What is the world coming to? Next thing you know I'll declare my wines early!!!

27th looks OK so far for us, we're in for 2!

Thanks CS- look forward to seeing you and the Mrs.

I have a nephew's wedding to go to back in PA on the 27th. So I guess I'll catch you guys in October sometime. Have a good one...

I'm sorry to hear that Sibster. I'm sure you'll have fun nonetheless...assuming its not a dry wedding. Been there, done that, and hope to never attend another.

Rural PA wedding with this crowd.......probably be drinking Natural Light and wine from a box.

we are probables at this moment. We'll just be getting back to town the preceding Wednesday from a quick trip to Napa/Sonoma/Frisco.
Put us down as probables.
Haven't seen the Comet Spiders in a long while. Too long.

Nice of you to host CS.

Add us as probables as well. I'm not use to this group booking out so far and frankly don't know how to handle it.

I also want to see PH's reaction to Zinfandel-like wines as the theme

CS - very nice...but, I'm afraid we are not likelies. And I liked the theme...do have fun

Irwin, kylmkev, and Jace thanks for the responses. I'd love to see you all.

For the record PH has informed me that he is attending. Knowing him, his "sturdy" red may be syrah based

I would speculate that Gentleman Farmer's attendance will depend, in part, upon the schedule of his beloved Maryland Terrapins.

If you're still accepting "probables", please put me down for one (1)... plus one "possible". (There's a chick who would like to join sometime, but I don't know about her availability yet. Are newbies allowed, CS?)

I pre-emptively declare a Malbec. A non-Catena Alta!

Lentini, I'm glad to hear that you are likely to attend. We'd love to see Mrs. Lentini north of the Potomac, and your newbie (co-worker perhaps?) is welcome too.

Sarbuze, you technically still have the chance to be the first to declare! On second thought...given the high quality of your contributions, you can take all the time you want. Let's not rush the process.

If I may, I would like to declare.
Everyone here has heard of a "vertical", being defined, I suppose as tastings of the identical wine from successive vintages.
I guess a "horizontal" is two bottles of the same stuff from the same year?
I will bring a "lateral". What, you say, is a lateral?
I will bring a 2006 Seghesio Zinfandel from Sonoma, a very nice QPR. Plus, I will bring a 2006 Seghesio Dolcetto D'Alba,---vitivinicola di Aldo e Poiccardo Seghesio d'Italie.
Capisci?

Intriguing! If only there were a Chinese Seghesio... Seghesios from around the world!

Count me in!

put me down for one. am moving back to the area, arriving the weekend before this soiree. perfect timing!

Welcome "home" newsguy!

thank you, sir!

Great news, newsguy!

Roll Call:

Sarbuze (2)
Irwin (2)
klymkev (2)
Lentini (1+)
GF (1)
newsguy (1)
PH (1)

Festiva - ???
Jace - unlikely
Sibster - out
DC crew...

Declared Wines:

Irwin - 2006 Seghesio Zinfandel from Sonoma
Irwin - 2006 Seghesio Dolcetto D'Alba

We're off and running.

Hanna has turned today into a "movie" day here in Balmer. Let's hope for better treatment three saturdays from now.

thanks, rob. will be nice to be back home, although i'll always consider L.A. my second home.

assuming it arrives here in time, my wine will be...

2005 Valdez Family Rockpile Road Vineyard Zinfandel.

jace turned me on to the '04 version of this bottling, and i loved it. i hear the '05 is just as good.

WOW - newsguy is back - yay. Pleeze let me know how things are ( j r g 3 7 2 at m s n dot c o m ) - sorry I can't make this one (now for one more reason - the Valdez ).

Cometspider-

I'm confirmed as one (1) coming from Virginia. (Ms. Lentini is pregnant again (I don't know how it happened!!??), so she won't join us. She made a point of saying she is sorry to miss an opportunity to offline with the Cometspiders.)

Please put me down for a 2005 Viña Doña Paula Malbec Seleccion de Bodega. I could bring a sticky, too, if anyone can think of a reason to open one.

do ya *ever* need a reason to open a bottle?

OK, how about my return to the area.

Ms. Lentini is pregnant and you don't know how it happened? Well, first of all, congrats.
Second, though I am not a physician, I think I have an idea of how it happened.
Third, don't feel bad. Gov. Palin got pregnant at age 44 or so, while serving as Governor and I suspect that this was an "unplanned" pregnancy.
Maybe you are part Yu'pik.