Todays Futon

The Ultimate Wine Throwdown: an event to see and be seen, the place to find your new favorite wine, to meet fellow wine lovers, and most of all, taste 30 of the best wines your local distributors have to offer!Don’t worry, “Throwdown” has nothing to do with chugging box’ o wine or gettin’ down with your bad self ? but it’s no snob party either. Decanted Wines in Naples, FL hosts this event once a quarter in order to get a true customer’s opinion as to what should be on the shelves, and what shouldn’t. Decanted works with a number of distributors with diverse wine portfolios, typically there are 6 to 8 sales representatives pouring up to 5 wines each. They choose their wines based on performance the previous quarter, new releases and best value. Tasters sample a wide price range, from the $13 Apaltagna Carmenere to the $79 Cakebread Cabernet (the winne unique hoodia r this last event). The distributors also have an incentive to show their best since the tasters vote on their favorite wine and favorite presenter.Distributors Pour a Sampling of 30 Different WinesYour incentive to vote: the raffle. This time it was a bottle of 2003 Jarvis Lake William Blend ($83) and the lighthearted Decanted T-shirts ($15).If you have missed the previous Throwdowns, they occurred in February, May and this past week ? July 22nd. The next Throwdown is tentatively scheduled for late October. As the wine distributors are voted on at each event, the top distributor for each event steps out until the season finale, the Throwdown of all Throwdowns, The Winner’s Circle Final Four which is scheduled for December.Cost the Throwdown is $25 per person and includes 30 wines available to taste as well as heavy appetizers catered by South Street.