Wine Down Wednesday. Thanks KSNE! That’s Sunny 106.5 FM!

Sitting at the top of the world in Romance at the Stratosphere where Wine Down Wednesday is currently held, I was fortunate enough to find a table that overlooked what I call the Strip "Money Shot." All of the big houses were in their glory – from the Mandalay Bay in the distance to the Hilton at my feet – and it was like being a tourist again. Sorry folks, but if you are a local and deny yourself the pleasure of the views that this city has to offer, then you are forgetting why this is one of the most famous cities with one of the most famous skylines in the world. In other words, you might as well be in Dubuque if you can’t appreciate and enjoy the sights and excitement of (fabulous) Las Vegas. No offense meant to anyone who’s in Dubuque, but Dubuque is not Las Vegas!

As I sit here and wait for my coworker to join me, I am struck by the almost surreal feeling that I actually *live* here. (excuse the shift to the present tense) What a stroke of luck! While we do have “growing pains” problems to deal with, there’s no place like Vegas, Baby!

And now I’m here, taking in this incredible, magnificent view, enjoying the FREE wine and amazingly tempting appetizers – hand-passed, no less – and pinching myself. What a rush!

Mirassou wines were the star of the night, with the recent releases of the Riesling, Chardonnay, and (yum) Pinot Noir being poured. As always, it was quite busy, but I’m pretty sure that everyone managed to have a glass of each.

The Riesling was minerally, semi-dry, and yet was still fruit forward. The Chardonnay likewise was crisp, clean, and tasted as if it had seen just a touch of oak. The giveaway creaminess was there, but it was very well matched to the green-apple acidity.

And then there was the Pinot Noir (hear angels singing in the background). The typical Pinot Noir nose was there; in other words, it *smelled* like Pinot. My coworker, Jana, said that it smelled like velvet and cherries. Excellent description! Surprisingly crisp acidity and balance for its price point, it proved that it is a food-friendly wine.

Of course the Vegas Wineaux (that would be me) would have one criticism about the event when it comes to wine etiquette. The pourers tried their best to fill up the tiny wine glasses to the brim instead of doing a correct pour, which really made it difficult to enjoy the nuances of the wine until a sizable amount had been sipped away. However, with the number of people asking for full glasses and the time constraints, that’s certainly understandable.

Melanie and Michael tout this event daily during their morning show from 5:00 to 10:00 a.m. on 106.5. WDW takes place at various locations throughout the valley (currently at the Stratosphere), from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on, well, *Wednesday,* of course!

Come down at least once, mingle, rub elbows with the local radio celebrities, drink wine, eat incredible appetizers, and, most of all, take in the view. What better reminder can there be than to view the reason why many of us moved here to begin with. This is VEGAS, Baby!