There will be a pre-release tasting of Orin Swift's The Prisoner 2008 at Westport Whiskey & Wine tonight (Thursday, October 29). The Prisoner is a Zin/Cab/Syrah blend that Wine Spectator has (in previous vintages) called "the stuff of legend." Reviews of the 2008 aren't out yet, so if you go to this tasting you'll be ahead of the critics, something we here in Kentucky aren't often.
Also, for those of you who missed Caitlin Pianetta of Pianetta Vineyards last night at Ruth's Chris (and I'm guessing that's almost everyone), she's making an encore appearance tonight at WW&W's Open Bottle Thursday. It's a casual, social kind of tasting with people standing around and flirting. Caitlin will pour and answer questions about her family's small-production wines.
As if a sneak preview of a cult classic and a tour of an entire winery's production by a member of the family weren't enough, there will also be snacks. It's like I've died and gone to heaven.
The cost for the whole shindig is $10. Corks pop at 6:30 and the tasting table is open until 8:30.
Tom Johnson is the writer of LouisvilleJuice.com, a local wine blog that is always willing to taste things ahead of time.