Drink Red with Heart and Celebrate Life

As you know the Dead Reds Wine Group has never been about making money for itself. In fact all proceeds from Wakes after expenses (if there is any) are donated to a nominated charity of choice. Admittedly, we've had varying successes depending on venue support, caterers and sponsors but we have always hoped to improve what we can contribute over time.

And we will now do so with heart.

It is with great pleasure I announce the Dead Reds Wine Group has chosen the Heart Foundation as it's ongoing charity of choice. With the continuation of all proceeds from wakes after expenses being sent their way.

It's a great synergy for the wine group as the Heart Foundation don't mind a glass of dam good red a day either... they encourage healthy living and are all about lifestyle with a heap of fun events mixed into their own calendar. As an organisation they are active participants in the community with a variety and mix of activities we (as a group) can also get involved with.

And, as they proved recently they'll get behind ours, such as the Wear Red : Drink Red event held at the Universal Wine Bar for "Go Red for Women Day". We had a stellar event with about 40 punters celebrating in style and raising a few dollars.

So, from here on in the group will be about "Drink Red with Heart and Celebrate Life"

To find out more about the Heart Foundation, please visit:

http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/Healthy_Living/Pages/default.aspx

Dead Red Wake Celebrates...... Old Wine In Style

Château Tanunda, 'Icon of the Barossa Valley,' is Australia's largest and oldest Château (est. 1890) and is one of Australia's First Growth Châteaus.

Where else but here could we hold the first "dead reds event" in the Barossa?

The Dead Reds Wine Group was formed to celebrate and send off, in appropriate style, older wines from our cellars. These are wines we may have been keeping for that special occasion... but we’ve perhaps now also kept a little too long? These are wines that are ten years or older and may have traveled a far bumpier harder road than others. Such wine that might still be a corker, or just simply “corked”? These events encourage you to bring along such a bottle to share with fellow wine hoarders for an adventurous evening of wine tasting. Some turn out sublime, some vinegar. But that’s what the night is all about. Wakes are evenings of sensory highs and lows, animated conversation and a lot of laughs.

• Friday 31st July 2009
• Evening commences at 7pm (concludes 9pm)
• To be held in the Château Tanunda Long Room
• Complimentary glass of Château Tanunda 2009 Barossa Tower Pinot Grigio on arrival
• Bottles entered for judging encounter a $10 entry fee
• Bottles entered must be 10yrs or older
• Guests encounter a $20 entry fee (no freeloaders)
• Everyone is encouraged to enter a bottle
• All are encouraged to judge
• No responsibility is accepted for poor tastings whatsoever
• All proceeds after expenses are donated to the Heart Foundation
• All are encouraged to continue post judging (approx 9pm) at the Tanunda Clubhouse

The groups beginnings
On the eve of a special dinner party, which was to boast a Penfolds Grange, the challenge was set to find a wine that could match such a pedigree. Alas, all the “special” old wines in the cellar were too old to risk. And that’s when the seed was planted for a special night dedicated to brave wine tasting – to boldly drink what should have already been boldy drunk! The idea was shared on Facebook and the Dead Reds Wine Group now has over 280 members with quarterly events, called “Wakes”.

It’s time to share this concept with the Barossa.

The Dead Red Wake Celebrates Old Wine In Style
Please RSVP
Charlie Helen Robinson
0418811703
charlie@charliedesign.net.au

Here tis the official facebook event :

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=72790552363&ref=share

**if you need help with accommodation, i have some numbers etc in all prices. let me know how you go with your planning.

Dead Reds, Wake in the Barossa

Unearthing the earth...

Château Tanunda, 'Icon of the Barossa Valley,' is Australia's largest and oldest Château (est. 1890) and is one of Australia's First Growth Châteaus.

Where else but here should we hold the first "dead reds" in the Barossa. How appropriate!!

The guys at the Chateau are working with me to make this event very special. You will enjoy an evening of old wine (with your contribution as always included for judging), and you'll experience the excellent hospitality of the Barossa. This event will include the formal wine judging process - as well as a proper "after parteee".

For Adelaide guys: accommodation packages and additional "things to do" will all be coming to you soon... so join the Barossa crowd for this next event!! It will be a classic.

More on FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=72790552363&ref=ts

dead red four wrap up...

hello members,
hey sorry for the delay in the wrap up note from wake 4 event. but here are my ramblings...

each and every event we learn. eg: this past wake we didn't get a really really disgusting dead and people complained (in good humour!). the deadest-red-less event inspired a blog by Andre @ Qwoff. i have challenged him to find something more disgusting (or fantastic) for the next one!!

for the majority we are starting to get things right. we feel more organised and we do get good feedback (thanks!!). however, in making this a group that everyone wants to get involved in - i'm asking for your input. i'm hoping you might like to contribute :)

so, do you have any suggestions??? venues (we can do better and free i'm sure), wine sponsors (wasn't Kirrihill awesome for us this last time), timings (June = winter = port?), and / or charity fundraising on the nite ideas (how can we raise more and still be in theme)?

I would love to hear your ideas... all of them!!

Big thanks for help go to: Tanya, Steve, Jim, Lee, Bruce, Kay, Carlos, Maria, Martin... and me mum LOL

In the meantime... here's a heap of fotos (aside from the Independent Weekly article):

Stephen's album...
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2011494&id=1608354735&ref=mf

Sunday Mail fotos:
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/gallery/0,22613,5038302-5006370-19,00.html

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/gallery/0,22613,5038302-5006370-18,00.html

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/gallery/0,22613,5038302-5006370-17,00.html

............. aren't we a bunch of fun beautiful people!! til next xxx

How to connect with us

Well, there's a couple of ways...

Through the FaceBook Group: Bring out your dead reds

http://groups.to/deadreds/

Through the FaceBook Wine Club Page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Adelaide-Australia/Dead-Reds-Wine-Group/27082388743

Through the LinkedIn Group: Dead Reds Wine Group

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1112617

Or by emailing the Founder, Helen (Charlie) Robinson: charlie@charliedesign.net.au or m: 0418 811 703

Day Eighty Two (of the Twitter 365 Project), look @ you

Day Eighty Two, look @ you, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

*dead reds pops up again*

the bottle i hold isn't mine BUT will make an appearance at an event soon :) xc

Seriously good news...

Kirrihill Wines will be sponsoring the Dead Reds Wake 4

Your first welcome wine sample will be a yummy drop courtesy of the wine group... and there will be a few things raffled off as well on the night. All in good cause towards the MS Foundation. Our charity of choice this round.

http://www.kirrihillwines.com.au

Dead Reds Wake 4.... rules

Hi all,
I've had a few emails so thought I'd send a general blanket one... as we have a few newbies coming (and that's awesome!!!)

So, the rules are quite simple really:

a) have fun, b) enjoy yourself, c) meet people and d) taste wine and hopefully find a goodie (or dead one!!)... however also at the door you need to pay $10 if you bring an old bottle of wine (older than 10 years) OR pay $20 to contribute to the nite :)

Your bottle is labeled with your name and entered into the judging / tasting "pool". Your bottle has an official bottle opening ceremony at one of the tables - with you having first taste (it's all fairly casual really). The bottle is then shared... and if it's any good - it's all in to taste. If it's dead, generally it's all in to taste too as people LOVE trying the dead ones (strange I know).

Official judges for the nite are Jim Manning and Lee Ryan.

It's a friendly mob... this is our 4th and so we are all kinda still new to it. Each one gets better but the format is still changing slightly each event - we think we are getting the format down pat now though...!

The official part of the nite goes for about one / half hours, maybe two... with some staying on for a more casual "after party".

I look forward to meeting all the newbies - and catching up with the regulars!!! xc

Introducing: the Nederburg Wine, Edelrood 1986...

Nederburg 1986, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

Have you ever heard of a wine being (Gesertifiseer) Certified before?

If you haven't, you will get to witness, see, smell and maybe even taste the Nederburg Wine, Edelrood from 1986... with another bonus being that the wine is from the Paarl Valley (coastal region), South Africa.

Dead Reds Wake 4 is due to unearth the next round of dead reds in 2 weeks time, Friday 27th March from 7pm. The venue is the Adelaide Bowling Club - in the Adelaide Parklands. Looking forward to catching up with you all again. You know the group/wake rules (and if you don't - please message me).

Take care til then, and enjoy the fringe!!! We caught the BOTOX show the other nite @ Comedy Cellars. AWESOME xx

networking at events

best friends meet for first time, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

it's not just a place to share stories, taste some excellent (and dead) wine... you also get to meet up with new people AND perhaps even network a bit. the event has it all. it's what you make it.

a great nite out xc