By 2015, we were hosting wine tastings pretty regularly. Nearly an event every week.  In the case of this Throwback Thursday, we did three events in one week.  Not just any week, but the week of our biggest events of the year 'Live on the Lawn' & '99 Bottles of Beer on the Lawn'. Looking back, What the hell were we thinking???

It was Wednesday, May 6. Jon Tomaselli of Torii Mor Winery in Dundee, Oregon, came to town. I chose 5 wines and only prepared three food courses due to the time it would take to clean up after the event. Yes, at the time, we did dishes and glasses with a residential dishwasher and sanitized them by hand after they were washed. It was a lengthy process yet necessary and worth every late night/early morning. Those three courses were full of flavor and protein. 

Looking back at it, I should confess it was a menu I designed, to feed our Southern Napa family, not just wine tasting guests. We were going non-stop! Tacos have always been a staple in this house. If you've been to one of our tastings, especially on a Friday, you've been served tacos and know it's a tradition started by Jim's parents. 

While we enjoyed our proteins, we all got engrossed in stories of the meaning of Torii Mor, LIVE Certified Sustainability and Terroir. Jon made talking about dirt very interesting and funny. 

We were so fortunate to have him visit and provide a memorable experience for our house guests. This time we got to give an unforgettable experience for a winemaker as well! 

Jon canceled his flight back to the West coast to hang out with us Friday at our 2nd Annual Live on the Lawn Concert and 99 Bottles of Beer on the Lawn Saturday afternoon. Not sure if Jon is the diehard Willie Sugarcapps fan that Jim and I are or what his favorite beer was but, we all would agree it was a fantastic weekend!