Grab you coat; don't forget your hat.
Leave your worries, leave 'em on the door step.
Just direct Lafite
down the Santa Barbara street!

I haven't contacted the Wine Cask yet but, why not, let's get this parade organized.

6th Annual Back to the Futures

Santa Barbara Wine Cask Futures
Saturday, March 10th, 2007
Tasting and Dinner
18 people max!

````````` BYOB
````````` $145

Two bottles per person.
One bottle of CA wine and one bottle of Old World wine.
We should try to have two identical bottles each of the CA stuff if possible.
The Old World stuff we can get by with single bottles.

Reservations will be accepted from previous year's attendees only until Saturday, February 3, 2007 on a first-come first-serve basis.
New participants may sign up starting at 12:00am Sunday, February 4, 2007 if space is available.

I have already received requests from
1/2/ ...... davidn/trician(confirmed)
3/4/ ...... Jones #1/Jones #2
5/6/ ...... Jones #3/Jones #4
7/8/ ...... PE #1/PE #2
9/10/ .... PeteyC./Mrs. C.
11/12/ .. Eric/Teri(confirmed)
13/ .........Paul H.
14/ ......... Wendy

I do need final confirmation for you all asap.

I will start a waiting list for past attendees. I can always see if I can talk Doug into taking out a wall or two.

If you would like to read about last year's even click here.



`

We are confirmed

Thanks for again setting up what is always a highlight of the year. I'll provide final confirmation once I talk to the powers that be but I can't imagine missing this dinner. Regarding wine choice are we supposed to bring a "matched" pair of new and old world wines (i.e. Pinot vs. Red Burgundy; Napa Valley vs. Left Bank) or can they be different?

Alas we are already coming out to Cali in February so we will have to miss the event this year.

If anyone doubts that this is the event of the year check my top 20 list of wines from last year. 10 of my top 29 wines came from that weekend and most from the Wine Cask Dinner.

<exiting the board to go open a bottle to mope, sniff, sniff>

That's really disappointing WT - I was already planning on bringing a Burgundy that would compel you to attend the after party at Fatburger...

Fatburger and Burgundy after all of that food...

Fat Burger Party After the Party
Saturday, 3/10/07, 11:00pm
Theme: Cigars and Sine Qua Non (or a bottle of Bressler).
No rsvp needed; Just show up.

1/2/ ...... davidn/trician(confirmed)
3/4/ ...... Jones #1/Jones #2
5/6/ ...... Jones #3/Jones #4
7/8/ ...... PE #1/PE #2
9/10/ .... PeteyC./Mrs. C.
11/12/ ... Eric/Teri(confirmed)
13/ ........Paul H.(confirmed)
14/ ........Wendy

LOL David. We're there. In my experience, Hollerin' M with cheeseburgers, fries, and onion rings is an inspired match.

I will be there.

Hey don't sell my annual seats out from under me yet! I must check all our schedules still (grandma's too).

Well it took almost 10 minutes....we are in for 2.

Please put us down for two David

1/2/ ...... davidn/trician (confirmed)
3/4/ ...... Jones #1/Jones #2
5/6/ ...... Jones #3/Jones #4
7/8/ ...... PE #1/PE #2
9/10/ .... PeteyC./Mrs. C.
11/12/ ... Eric/Teri (confirmed)
13/ ........Paul H. (confirmed)
14/ ........Wendy (confirmed)
15/16/ ...Mountainman/Mountainwoman
17/18/....NCVL/Madame NCVL (1 vege ???)

The pending have until 23/07 to confirm. If not confirmed by then the spot will open to the waiting list. Past attendees on the waiting list will have priority.

I wish I didn't have to limit this event. The room just will not hold any more people.

So If you think you might want to attend get on the waiting list. This will not commit you to the event. You will have the right of first refusal for any spots that may open.

I'm working on the menu. Anybody have any exciting suggestions for the main fish course or the main meat course?

Any recommedations for ~ State Strret lodging is ecouraged as it looks like dogs & mountainboy are in Oxnard for the night. Preferably near Fatburger .

This year we are staying at Tricia's sister's home. We are going down on Friday and returning home on Monday.

Tricia and I usually stay at Hotel Santa Barbara on State St.>www.hotelsantabarbara.com. It is just under a mile walk up to the Wine Cask with Fat Burger being at the mid-point. Rooms are under $250. It is nothing fancy but it is clean. Last year we had a small wine-tasting on Friday night there and all we did was meet in the lobby, sit down in a couple of their over-stuffed chairs and poured our own wine into our own glasses. It was perfect and cost absolutely nothing. You can walk from there to literally dozens (if not hundreds) of restaurants from there.

We have also stayed at the newer and fancier (and more expensive) Andalucia Hotel>www.andaluciasb.com. It is on Carillo immediately off State St. We were not impressed.

I am open for any suggestions for Friday night; maybe a very casual dinner/offline or maybe just an early evening get together for drinks (i.e. wine)(maybe like we did last year at Hotel S.B.) before doing our own dinners.

On Sunday night I am doing the wines for a "very very expensive" dinner purchased at a wine auction last year in Santa Barbara. It is for 12 people at a private estate in Montecito. This should be very interesting.

Just a note that if you are noise sensitive and stay at the Hotel Santa Barbara ask for a room off of State Street. There are clubs on State Street that go late in the evening. I heard a few people complaining about the noise. Our room was off of the street and it wasn't a problem.

Winetex is correct. There is dancing in the streets in front of the hotel until 2:00am. Personally I sleep better with the sound of people having fun in the background. Of course one way to solve the "problem" is to become part of the problem and join them. It is fun and you wouldn't have far to be drug back to your room. Or you can do as Shannon suggests and get a room that doesn't face State St.

I can't remember for sure but I think our favorite room is #104. It looks over the parking lot and is larger than the other standard rooms. It is also on the 2nd floor (one up from the lobby) and near the staires. Another drawback to the HSB is the elevator. There is only one elevator and it holds (maybe) five people. Get on the first floor (I think it's the second floor but it is the first floor that the rooms are on) and take the staires.

You might also want to check out www.spanishgardeninn.com We have only been there for parties but it has good word of mouth. Of course if you don't mind driving then I don't think you can beat the Biltmore.

For the main fish course my suggestion is to go for the best protein match possible with big gun Chardonnay - Lobster.

Sorry for my delay in confirming. The other two people in my party are out of the country and don't get back until next week.