Bacchanalian Society

Pictures got blurrier as the evening progressed

I enjoyed an evening of mega-wine tasting at the Old St. George Church (now a community center with questionable legs for the future.)

It was my first experience with The Bacchanalian Society—a small event that ballooned to venue bursting proportions after an article appeared in the local newspaper a few years back.

The premise is simple—teams of three people bring 3 bottles of a certain wine. Categories change each go round, and this time it was all about Merlot. Two bottles are bagged and numbered and placed on tables. Rating sheets and pencils are provided. The highest bottle I tasted was, I think, #251—I’m sure there were more.

At the end of the night, the “best” wine gets everyone else’s third bottle. The loser has to take their remaining bottle back.

There’s money raised for charity, but also, it’s an opportunity to mingle and check out the latest hairstyles.

Even with my flop sweating, ill-fitted khakis and disdain for Merlot, it was good times.