SML Wine Tasters

My husband and I recently enjoyed a wonderful evening of education and wine tasting with the group to be in if you're a fellow oenophile: Smith Mountain Lake Wine Tasters.

This club has been around for decades and was actually started by one of the founding members of the SML Wine Festival! Everyone we had the opportunity to meet was incredibly friendly and welcoming - all with a shared love of experiencing new wines together. This year they have put together a fantastic calendar that includes social gatherings with a monthly theme, special programs organized by the club leadership, and wine pairing dinners.

We were there for a fabulous program given by local Sommelier, Bob Bryden, who faced down the daunting Somm exam at age 70 alongside a class filled with students who were half his age!

His talk was so interesting and engaging - all about how we can hone our recognition of the different nuances and characteristics found in each individual glass of wine we have the privilege to enjoy. We even got to test out our newly acquired skills with a blind tasting (I got 2/4 right).

There was Q&A time, a trivia section (complete with prizes), and appetizers to accompany the evening's selections.

Here's the best part: SML Wine Tasters is currently accepting new members!!! This is not always the case…over the years there has been a long waitlist for joining, so if you're interested, I'd jump on this opportunity! The monthly meetings rotate between member's homes, wineries, restaurants, and neighborhood clubhouses. If you are considering membership, they happily invite you as a guest to an upcoming meeting to see first-hand what the club is all about.

For more information, contact the President, Kitty Powers, at: smlwinetasters@gmail.com