Right Around the River Blog

Wine: A Part of the Workweek Routine

Post Date: 11-04-2010

The minute I get home from work I don't waste any time starting on the "workweek" to-do list ? going through the mail, walking the dog, preparing dinner, getting ready for the next day. However, this Wednesday, the microwave dinner just was not going to cut it. I wanted a little fun (and good food) to help get me through the rest of the week. One place came to mind? The Boathouse Restaurant at Rocketts Landing.

Now that I’d made my executive decision to go, I called my neighbor, Amy, to join me. “Of course,” she replied. “Wednesdays at The Boathouse are special.” “Special?” I asked. Once the question left my lips, I realized I had completely forgotten about “Wednesday Wine Night.” I knew there was a good reason why I thought about breaking away from my workweek rut.



When we arrived at The Boathouse, my favorite waiter, Aaron Grandstaff, greeted us. He handed us the restaurant’s Wine Spectator Award Winning wine list, and told us more about the special event that evening. “Each Wednesday we typically select three whites and three reds from the list to feature,” he explained. “Each highlighted wine is discounted to half off of the bottle’s price, so you have the opportunity to try certain wines you might not ordinarily order.” He did an excellent job of walking us through the list and telling us interesting facts about all the wines listed.



Amy and I could not decide among all the award-winning California wines featured for the week, but by asking several questions, we settled on one white (Sanford Chardonnay from California) and one red (Sterling Vineyards Merlot from California), and Aaron was right. We normally would not have ordered these two fragrant and complex wines. Just as we expected, they were amazing and complemented the crab dip and oyster stew we ordered to share.



We were so pleased with our wine experience that we caught the attention of The Boathouse owner, Kevin Healy. We raved about the Sanford Chardonnay as he walked to the table. “If you enjoyed the two wines you ordered this week, you should come back next week when you can try ALL of the wines on the list before picking your bottle,” he said. “The second Wednesday of every month, we offer a tasting from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. where you can taste each featured wine before making your decision on which half-priced bottle you would like to buy, and our Wine Director, Michael Avery, is here to explain the wine making craft and essence behind every bottle.”



It sounded like a great opportunity not only to learn more about some amazing wines, but to have some fun mid-week. Forget the laundry ?Wednesday Wine Nights may just have to become part of my after-work routine.