I'm Outie

I fly out tomorrow for two wine competitions in California. The first one is the National Women's Wine Competition. This is the first year for this competition and all the judges are women, and there is a special woman winemaker category where I have some of my wines entered. This competiton is supposed to decide "What Women Want" so I'm sure most of the days will be spent trying to not like White Zin, which isn't hard to do. I am most excited about this competition because Gina Gallo is one of the judges. I have always admired Gina, and I hope I don't get tongue tied or say something stupid when I meet her. After this competition, I am spending a day or two in the Bay area, and then head to the New World International Wine Competition that I have been a judge for 8 years now.

I will be gone for 9 days which is the longest amount of time I have been away from John. I am looking forward to the trip, but am also a little anxious, especially since I only know one other lady who is judging with me at the National Women's Wine Competition. I am a little intimidated if only by the fact that I picture them all knowing one another and I know no one. Lesa bought me a Women In Wine book that I plan to read on the flight out there.

I shall return to the blogging world on or around Tuesday March 20th. With that, I leave you with a picture from my last trip out there that I always really liked, but never posted here before. It is of an abandoned orchard on the outskirts of Fresno. It was right after a storm, and the coloring was so unique. Until then...