Out of the Tasting Room and into the Kitchen

Wine in the Kitchen is a tasting experience unlike any other. Launching February 6, accredited sommelier Erin Rosar brings her expertise to the uninitiated by bringing wine, something many view as intimidating and inaccessible, into the comfort of your own kitchen and surrounding it with friends and family.

Rosar's love of wine and her desire to bring it to the masses led her to create her consulting company, WG Wines Consulting of Canada, and Wine Girl, the persona that goes with it. As an instructor with the International Sommelier Guild, Rosar believes wine should be fun and accessible to all. She brings this approach into the classroom when she instructs all levels with the Guild's programs, including the Sommelier Diploma. In addition to her work with the ISG, Rosar is a recognized Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers out of London, England.

The single mom, busy with her three boys, also freelances, writing pieces for Wine Access, Calgary's Child, Mom Magazine, Orb and her own newsletter through WG Wines. As hectic a life as she leads, Rosar believes one should always take the time to enjoy wine with loved ones. That's why she created Wine in the Kitchen.

"No one was explaining wine in an entertaining and usable fashion," says Rosar. "Wine in the Kitchen is all about slowing down and enjoying wine with the people closest to you."

The complete (and very PINK) Wine in the Kitchen kit includes a DVD, a poster, Wine Girl pencils and magnets, wine bags, tasting sheets for making notes, a wine shopping list, a food pairing list (Rosar likes to pair wines with unusual food such as grilled cheese sandwiches), wine bags to make the night more fun by making the tasting blind, and a hostess letter and guide book. And it all comes in a pretty pink hat box.

The kits will be available for purchase for the first time for brides-to-be and those who love them at the Calgary Wedding Fair in Calgary on January 25. After that they will be available from www.wineinthekithcen.com, as well as at select retail stores listed on the website. 

In addition to her duties as a mom and Wine Girl, Rosar is also a partner in Vinestone Wine Company wine shop in Cochrane, Alberta and greatly in demand as a speaker. Her expertise and fun, informal approach to sharing it has led to many speaking engagements including  Pajama Party events at The Fairmont Chateau, Lake Louise, The Canadian Women's Expo in Toronto, The Cooking Room cooking school in Red Deer, Alberta, The Red Deer Women's Conference, the Calgary Interior and Design Show and many other private and corporate events.

The first Wine in the Kitchen kit, called The Basics of Wine, is an introduction to sparkling, white, and red wines. Wine Girl is also planning future episodes on topics such as Wine and Chocolate and Wines of France. Like many fine wines, Wine Girl seems to be only getting better with time.

Find out more about Rosar at www.wgwines.com

For a review of the first Wine in the Kitchen DVD, click here