Why the "Miss Tiery" Challenge

There's a line from a song that I used to sing that aptly describes how we're feeling at the winery. "Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got till it's gone."

We miss the hustle 'n bustle, the noise, sometimes a bit of chaos, but overall, we miss our friends, customers and the people. We miss chatting with our "regulars," checking in with our wine club members, swapping stories with our customers and just being a part of something, well, something wonderful. And here's the sad part, we didn't realize how much we would, miss it. How much we would miss all of you.

So we decided to put together a program that would allow our wine club members, our friends and customers to taste wine, unfortunately, not inside the cellar door at our bar. But taste some beautiful wines at a reasonable price, sharing our insights and, most importantly, giving you the opportunity to tell us which one(s) you love. Hence the Miss Tiery [pronounced "mystery"] Wine Box Challenge was born.

We've taken six wines (all red varietals), three per wine box challenge, added flavor profile cards, tasting cards, clues and, of course, a sealed envelope with the answers. You order the wine box [with three wines], which you can either pick up here at the winery, curbside, Thursday through Monday, 12 noon-5 p.m., or we can ship them to you, flat rate throughout California. Then hold your own virtual tasting with friends and/or family. Better yet, purchase one or two boxes for those friends. We had a family member buy seven boxes and she's holding her own virtual tasting with her own wine club.

Of course, you can also taste along with our winemakers, Robert Indelicato 'n Kyle Bloudoff-Indelicato, on Friday, May 8, beginning at 5 p.m. online. Visit either site: Facebook: @nostravitawinery, or Instagram: @nostravita_winery.

The wines are all beautiful: brilliant in color, heavenly aroma, and nicely balanced. We did a tasting here at Nostra Vita and everyone had their own favorite. So, I'm challenging each of you to do your own tasting and then tell us which one you favor!

Pour, swirl, note the color. Then smell, really take a deep whiff of that delicious bouquet. Do it again. Finally, sip, and focus on the wine's essence. What do you taste? Smell? It really gives you a new appreciation for what you're drinking. And if you're new to the wine tasting game, it helps you focus your senses and gives you the opportunity to determine what aromas and tastes you enjoy. It's not only fun, but educational.

If you decide to join in on the fun, here's a couple of insights from our winemaker on the wine in the first 3-bottle pack. See if you pick up on any of these fragrances and/or tastes. *Yes, I am indeed providing you with some clues.

•Blackberry notes, smoky, spicy, sweet bottle bouquet, bold. Food pairings: Pizza Rustica, BBQ ribs, grilled chicken, pulled pork, pork chops, grilled vegetables.

•Black cherry, plum, vanilla notes, soft with a long, chocolatey finish. Food pairings: Pizza, BBQ chicken, beef short ribs, roasted turkey. 

•Blueberry, dark chocolate, good acidity, big tannins. Food pairings: Spicey chili, grilled eggplant, peppers or wild mushrooms, cheese based pasta.

And here's the most important part--have some fun. Relax. Enjoy the wine, and even if you can't be with friends or family right now, you can share this experience with them, even if it's in the virtual realm. We're all looking for a diversion, some sense of normalcy, so although we can't be together tasting wine, we can give you this opportunity to swirl, sniff, sip 'n savor some beautiful wines. All you have to do is take the challenge!