Gab with Gibby’s

Join us at Gibby’s tonight 5 - 8 for an entertaining event!

What a wonderful opportunity to relax, have some fun, and taste 30 excellent wines with the chance to interact one on one with the distributors, and enjoy the search for the wines you love. Admission will be $10. Significant incentive discount purchasing information will be available. See tasting menu for details.

We look forward to offering an extensive variety of wines, from various appellations, and a wide price range.

Reservations are not required.

Zinfandel is a wonderful variety that can be strongly influenced by where it is grown. Below is a quick reference:

Amador County: Big, full bodied, extra ripe and jammy

Santa Clara Valley:  Known for conplexity and depth

Sonoma County (Dry Creek Valley):  Juicy, bright fruit, balanced acidity, blackberry, anise and pepper

San Luis Obispo (Paso Robles):  Soft and round

Napa Valley:  Plummy, intense, red berry, cedar, vanilla - Claret style

Russian River Valley:  Often Old Vines, spicy and somewhat lower in alcohol than other Zinfandels

Mendocino County: High quality, lesser known, not as heavily marketed

Lodi:  Juicy and approachable, some of the oldest vines

Brian Duncan, owner of Bin 36, an urban chic restaurant and wine bar in downtown Chicago, has partnered with Hahn Family Wines to create approachable, affordable, fun wine that drinks beyond price.

In the restaurant, Brian is dedicated to changing the winepairings to the menu daily which focuses on seasonal ingredients. He has a hands on approach to developing the wines that bear the restaurant’s name.

Join us

Saturday July 10 at 5 p.m. to hear the story of how Brian and the Hahn family came to collaborate and create this magnificent wine experience.

Create a seating area with blankets and pillows so your

guests feel comfortable grabbing a bite to eat and having a

picnic in your backyard.

As night falls, paper lantern lights around your entertaining

area, tiki torches or candles are a nice touch and help keep

the bugs away as well as illuminate your area.

Set up a drink station outside so your guests don’t have to

come inside every time they get thirsty. Get creative by

using outdoor containers, such as a large, footed urn, flower

pots or deep bird bath as drink coolers.

Summer entertaining is relaxed, casual and easy. However,

the out of the ordinary touches you add to your parties, will

make your guests feel extra special and your celebrations

will be remembered and something to look forward to once

the autumn winds begin to blow.

Summer is almost here. We can already smell the barbeque and imagine all the fun summer activities with family and friends.  Many times we love to entertain in the Summer, but forget to decorate for our outdoor parties.  There are a few ways to spruce up your yard to make it look festive.

One way is, of course, with flower pots on the deck or patio.  To make them more unique, venture toward the indoor garden area.  There are many different and unique flowers that would normally be indoors that are perfectly suitable for outdoors in the Summer time.  Mix a variety of colorful flowers and you’ll have perfect flowerpots for your deck or patio.

Another quick idea is to hang paper lanterns in your favorite colors around your yard.  This adds splashes of color and makes your space more inviting to your guests. Coordinating fabrics on your tables and mixed into your food and drink stations will complete the festive mood.

More ideas to come!

Friday night the aisles were full of tasters enjoying the wines offered! At 8 pm Randy drew the crowd in and we toasted our customers, distributors, and staff for 5 wonderful years!

Join us on April 30 from 5 - 8pm  for a whole new set of wines!

As we all relish in this glorious weather, often our palates turn to a lighter, easier to drink wine. Consider a wine with a slight amount of bubbly. Think about a Sauvignn Blanc. Reintroduce yourself to Riesling. Take a moment to consider al of the fun Spring options. Stop by Gibby’s and see what is new on our shelves!

We certainly are ready for the new weather pattern!

Bacchus would have loved being at Gibby’s tonight sharing in the merging of wine and art. We had 14 talented artisits that displayed their talent and many more guests that sipped wine, nibbled on treats, and enjoyed the evening. The music was classical and created an enviroment that a warm spring evening can nourish!  Thanks to all of the artists and the supporteers of the arts that braved the rain to honor their accomplishments! We love when the aisles are overflowing at Gibby’s!

It is always fun to expand your personal wine knowledge. A great way to accomplish this is through experimentation. Try walking the aisles at Gibby’s and assembling a mixed case with no duplication in varietal or appellation or region. Open each bottle and record your impression, your experience. Use these notes to make further choices. Below is a form to assist in recording your tasting impression.

 Producer _____________________  Vintage   ______

Varietal   ________       Region   ___________________

1.       Tilt the glass. Look for each of the characteristics against a white table cloth or sheet of paper.

Visual Clarity  _______________________________

2.       Swirl the glass to release the aromas. Inhale gently at the top of the glass.

Identify primary aromas   _______________________

3.       Sip a small amount of wine. Swish around inside the mouth 5 – 10 seconds. Let it fall back on your tongue. Breathe in a small amount of air to aerate the wine. How does it feel in your mouth? Does the taste linger in your mouth? Does it make you want another taste? This is a good thing!  Swallow the wine. Record. Take a second sip and compare the experience.

This is the most important score because it is primarily about personal preference.

Palate impression      __________________________________

 Pause to think about the wine and the impact it has had on your senses.

If you need assistance selecting the wines, please ask any staff member at Gibby’s. We are always happy to help!

Saturday February 13 the store was crowded with guests chopping, sauteeing, and assembling fantastic dishes under the direction of Chef Brandy Fernow. Brandy’s sparkling personality led the group through the process. Thw wines paired to each dish by Randy were perfect. The marriage of food and wine was  once again a triumph at Gibby’s!