I’m craving summer.  A nice warm day.  Sunshine.  And the perfect crisp white wine.  Of course, the weather in Seattle hasn’t cooperated with my first three wishes, but I wasn’t going to miss my chance to find a new summer wine for when the weather finally catches up.

About a week ago, I was among the throngs of wine drinkers searching for the perfect summer wine at the “Rose Revival.”  The tasting event featured more than 25 boutique wineries pouring their fun summer wines.

As I walked through the crowds, someone came up to me and suggested I try the offerings from Trust Cellars.  “The riesling is the best wine here.” I was told.  The advice didn’t disappoint.  It was perfectly chilled, not too sweet, but with a nice mouth and a nose that made me think of hot summer days by a pool.

If you haven’t heard of Trust Cellars, I recommend a stop by their tasting room in Walla Walla, WA.  I love their wine and I love their story.  The winemaker took a leap of faith and left a career in TV to start making wine.  That is how Trust got it’s name and it’s start.

Jen Mueller is the founder of Talk Sporty to Me where she writes regular blogs designed to foster good communication skills.  She’s also a reporter for Root Sports NW, and she’s available to speak for keynotes, presentations and workshops.  jen@talksportytome.com

Everyone has a song that takes them back to specific place in time.  The first few notes are enough to bring back memories, stories and emotions.  Those powerful memories keep us connected to special people and places in our lives.   A bottle of wine or an evening at a game carries the same magical, memory-making power.

Mike Stevens of Brian Carter Cellars mentioned this a few weeks ago when we had a chance to talk and Mariners play-by-play personality Rick Rizzs backed it up. 

Here’s why it’s important to note, both wine and sports make great small talk topics.   The key to effective small talk is asking the question he or she is dying to answer.   That’s how you make a connection, build rapport and increase the likelihood of future conversations and possibly business transactions. 

Sports fans enjoy sharing the details of their first baseball game or the first time they saw a particular player in person.  They might not remember the score or any particulars from the game itself, but they can talk about who they were with, why they went in the first place and how excited they were to be there. Tapping into these emotions and feelings helps you make a personal connection.

The same thing happens when talking about wine.  Rick Rizzs loves to make pasta and on a road trip you can bet he finds the best Italian restaurants.  He choice of wine?  A soft, oaky cabernet from Beaulieu Vineyards that retails at about $12 a bottle.  According to Rizzs, he became a fan of their wines one season when the Mariners had an off day in the Bay Area.  He and a number of members from the broadcast crew went wine tasting in Napa.  Rizzs developed instant rapport with the people in the tasting room at BV and enjoyed the wines.  Opening a bottle of that wine now brings back great memories from that day. 

So go ahead and make a few memories of your own and don’t forget to ask people about theirs.

Jen Mueller is the founder of Talk Sporty to Me where she writes regular blogs designed to foster good communication skills.  She’s also a reporter for Root Sports NW, and she’s available for keynotes, presentations and workshops.  jen@talksportytome.com

I just heard a really interesting statistic that couples that pray together – really pray together increase their marriage survival odds from one out of every two all the way up to 300 to 1.
 
I never wanted to admit to other Christians that it wasn’t easy for me to pray with my wife but the more I open to other guys, the more I hear the same struggle. We know it is important but it doesn’t come as natural as we would like. Don’t numbers like those above suggest its worth more effort? Even if your odds only went to ten succeeding for every one that failed – can you imagine the positive impact?

This is where the wine comes in my friends. A little wine goes a long way to loosen the protective bonds we place on ourselves with subconscious thoughts of “ too afraid to look silly” or ‘don’t want anyone to think I am self righteous” .

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It’s a common question among women.  No one wants to be underdressed or over-done for any occasion.  Growing up in Texas, I know all about leaving the house with the required jewelry items, full hair, makeup and perfume.  That works in Texas, and when getting ready for work or a night out, but it’s better to take a more casual approach to a ball game and wine tasting.

I recently had a chance to sit down with Mike Stevens from the Brian Carter Cellars tasting room in Woodinville, WA.   And he shared with me 3 of the biggest mistakes made customers at the tasting room and two of them can be avoided by taking a more casual approach.

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Last week we attended a Winemaker Dinner at Russell’s Dining and Bar in Bothell.  The evening’s line up was a menu of 5 courses paired brilliantly with a selection of wines from O’shea Scarborough.  The food, as it is always @ Russell’s, was top notch and the wine was excellent, but thinking back on the evening it really wasn’t about the food or the wine, it’s about the people.

Now, if you haven’t been to Russelll’s before, stop reading this right now and go, right now, GO! 

Once a month they feature a Winemaker Dinner which you can find the details on their facebook page.  The dining room is laid out family style and the first thing you notice is a very casual vibe, people are introducing themselves to each other and chatting comfortably. 

One of our dining partners was Beverly, a Tech Industry Professional / Traveling Photographer.  Beverly’s stories of Italy are inspiring and her work is fantastic. http://bevhansenk.smugmug.com/

We spent some time chatting with the winemaker, Travis, who shared a fun story about how he and his friends while in college had “borrowed” some grapes from a Napa vineyard they rented a house on to make their first wine. 

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The ability to make small talk is key in business situations and social settings.  Unfortunately many people rely on asking about the weather as a form of small talk.   While that’s a way to get into the conversation, it doesn’t reveal a good deal of personal information or give you a chance to ask follow up questions.  Those questions are really the key to a smooth conversation.  A pleasant and easy conversation helps set the tone for the entire interaction and results in a positive impression.

Last week I interviewed Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry during the Mariners pre game show.  Before the interview I spent about 5 minutes making small talk.  It’s my chance to get a feel for his personality, and set the tone for the live interview.  It didn’t take long for the conversation to turn to wine.  He had just been at a fundraiser in Napa a few days before.  This peaked my interest as much as his fantastic baseball stories.  If you’re curious, Gaylord usually prefers drinking a white wine, but he was raving about the reds he tasted at Pride Mountain Vineyards.  According to the HOFer (that’s short Hall of Famer) it’s a definite stop if you’re in the area.

The “real” interview went off without a hitch, and I like to think it was due in part to the quick rapport we established while talking wine and sports.  So raise a glass and start talking!

Jen Mueller is a sports reporter for Root Sports out of Seattle and the owner of Talk Sporty to Me.

That’s me inside the Green Monster at Fenway Park in Boston.  I’d been to Bean Town twice before, but only for a day each time, and I’d never been to Fenway.  It’s an awesome experience and I learned the best way to take in the city was to follow the locals.  I found great food joints and traded in my wine for Sam Adams beer.  That’s not my usual beer choice when I’m at home in Seattle, but the Bostonians nodded appreciatively when I placed my order, and it tasted wonderful with my lobster roll.

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So Its Mothers Day, you are out to brunch with Moms and the fam and its time to order drinks.  The menu of course features the obligatory Mimosa,  Bloody Mary, maybe a Wine Spritzer.  Now what is any self-respecting man supposed to do here? Order a flute of something sparkling?

No! and not just no but Hells No! I dont want a “flute” of anything - give me a man glass aka beer pint, fill that bad boy with mostly Prosecco and top it of with a little OJ. Kids, I offer you a “ManMosa” a respectable brunch cocktail made from the nectar that the good Lord gave the people of the Veneto mixed with a very acceptable breakfast drink, Orange Juice.

Its a perfect compliment to a Sunday brunch to celebrate the one of the most important roles our society has, Moms.

Love you Mom and Cheers brothers!

The calendar says April, but the weather in Seattle feels more like January.   After sitting out at brutally cold Mariners games for the last week, I’m ready for warmer weather and white wine.

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