Hello Wine Enthusiasts!

I hope this message finds everyone well during the holidays and looking forward to a great new year!

Our Holiday Wine Tasting & Toy Drive was a huge success!  With the exception of one unplanned family emergency by someone on our planning committee, we had 100% attendance at the event!  Over 30 bottles of wine flowed, many appetizers munched, twelve lighted wine bottles given away as door prizes, seven silent auction items sold bringing in about $200 to help off-set costs for the party and the website, one wine tasting class admittance for two to Rays Wine & Spirits Tasting Room given away to our wine trivia game winner , and nearly 40 toys (one sled, a football, a basketball, lots of dolls, a tea set, race cars, stuffed teddy bears, lego sets, board games, puzzles, police cars and fire trucks), all donated to the Children's Hospital of Wauwatosa. Check out the photo album for this event on our website to see what a great time everyone had!

During the event we also announced many exciting events that we have planned for 2013! So, if you were unable to be part of the fun for 2012, be sure to sign up to one of our upcoming events.  The event at Indulge is our 2nd Annual Indulgence.  This was well-attended last year. Our event for Indulge is nearly full.  There are only 7 spots left and it is nearly three weeks away.  If it is full, be sure to place yourself on the waiting list, because as the week for this event approaches some of our member's plans may change and it is very likely you will be moved up. I am working with the Bianchini Group again on the wine flight menu.  They have a new sommelier and I should have the menu approved by next week.

I am planning a blind tasting in February at Vino100 in Wauwatosa.  More information about this event  will be revealed later in the month.  Also, for March, we are bringing back the March Wine Madness event.  However, we will be changing it up considerably.  We have yet to nail down a theme, but we are leaning toward making it a regional competition.  We know for sure that two of the four brackets will be whites.  That way our white wine lovers can look forward to at least two whites making it to the final four.  So that it is easier for us to navigate our way through the brackets, I will be recruiting bracket leaders to host at least one bracket tasting event in their homes and our members would sign up for a specific bracket, tasting all the wine in that bracket.  Look for details to be posted about this event by the first part of February. Until then, consider becoming a bracket leader and opening your home to one small event (8 - 12 members). Being an active and participating member of our group comes with perks.  Your 2013 membership dues will be waived should you choose to assist with our March Wine Madness event.  Contact me if you would be interested.

Speaking of dues, the Milwaukee Wine Lovers will also see increased membership fees for 2013 from $5 per member to $7 per member or $12 per couple. If you joined on or before January 2012, membership fees are due this month and will be collected at the door of the next event you attend.  You can avoid the increased membership fees, however, by paying the current $5 per member rate by January 15th via PayPal on the link at the left side of our web-page, right below Membership Dues. Please remember that you do not need to have a PayPal account in order to use PayPal, just a credit or debit card.  The site is completely secure.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will also be cleaning up membership. So, only those members who have joined, but have yet to attend an event and/or pay their dues need be concerned.  More details concerning that will be sent in a separate email later.

In the meantime, enjoy a glass of wine, ring in the new year, sign up for an event or consider hosting one this year!

In Vino Veritas!

Marlene