Mediterranean Summer Wines: First Neighborhood Winetasting

We are finally organizing our own series of wine tastings. But they will be tastings with a twist: each tasting will be in a different NYC neighborhood and will features selections sold by a top wine shop in the 'hood. The first tasting will be held in Kensington, Brooklyn. The cooperating shop will be The Juice Box (http://www.yelp.com/biz/juice-box-brooklyn). Location is my house (in the garden if the weather cooperates). I'll send directions to everybody who RSVPs.

The theme for this tasting will be "Summer Wines from the Mediterranean". Wines to be tasted will include:

Cuvée Des Dames de Verez Rosé 2014 Côtes de Provence
Cristina Ascheri Langhe Arneis Blanc 2013 Piemonte
Château Maris Cru La Livinière Les Planels Rouge 2011 Minervois La Livinière Biodynamic
Domaine Le Couroulu Vacqueyras Rouge 2012 Cuvée Classique
Côtes du Roussillon Villages (2013) M. Chapoutier Bila-Haut

And a few more from this list:

Bodegas Mas Alta Priorat 2012
Bodegas Príncipe de Viana Garnacha Roble (2012)
Casas del Mar Rosé Cava (NV)
Mont Marcal Cava Brut Reserva (2011)
Liotro Sicilia Nero d'Avola (2013)
Picco del Sole Vermentino di Sardegna (2014)

There also will be:

Local artisan cheese
Homemade hummus

And, best of all, the tasting will be led by Robin Kelley O'Connor, one of New York's leading wine experts and educators.

Robin is a wine instructor at the International Culinary Center and was previously Lead Specialist & Head of Wine, Americas for Christie’s Auction House, Director of Sales and Education for Manhattan wine and spirits retailer Sherry-Lehmann, and Trade Liaison and director of trade and consumer education in the Americas for the Bordeaux Wine Bureau (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux) for 20 years. Robin holds Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) and Certified Wine Educator (CWE) certifications from the Society of Wine Educators and passed the Court of Master Sommeliers’ Certified Sommelier exam. O'Connor served as president of the Society of Wine Educators from 2003-2007, is on the board of directors of the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Wine & Food, and has been a regular panelist at the Food and Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen for 20 years.