Just a reminder, the Hospice du Rhone Twitter Taste Live event is tonight. You can taste along with me, Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20, Thea of Vinquire/Luscious Lushes, Jason Haas of Tablas Creek, Joe White of Table for Joe and many more bloggers by going and signing up at the new site, Taste Live.

Also, I’m happy to report that the Anne Willan event is oversold. If you want to be on the wait list, let me know. Otherwise, maybe I’ll be able to convince Anne to do another class in the future.

Finally, I have a third event for May 1st in the works, a tasting with Italian producer Cantine A Casa. Details to follow later today or early next week, this will be a very budget-oriented evening in the $15 to $20 range, with the winemaker present. Check back soon for more info.

I’m very excited to announce that domaine547 will be presenting a cooking class with master chef Anne Willan, on Sunday, April 26th. The class will focus on elegant entertaining in uncertain times, and will feature an array of hors d’oeuvres recipes from Willan’s James Beard Award-winning tome “The Country Cooking of France.” It will also provide a peek into the private kitchen of a renowned chef, taking place in Willan’s own Santa Monica home.

Of course, entertaining involves not just food, but wine. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to pair each of the recipes in the class with some of my recent wine discoveries — though, honestly, I feel a little bit like Anne Hathway (pre-Oscar nom) to Willan’s Meryl Streep. Whatever the case, I expect to rise to the occasion!.

This should prove to be both an informative and delicious afternoon, not to mention a unique opportunity. Space is limited to twelve students.

We just got word about some of the wines that will be poured at the Wine & Spirits event on the 22nd of May, at Culver City’s MODAA gallery. We played no role in selecting the wine — that was all done by editors and staffers from Wine & Spirits, but we have to say we’re excited about what they’ve chosen.

Some of our favorites are represented, including the d’Arenberg d’Arry’s Original Shiraz-Grenache blend, the Quinta de Vesuvio 2005 Vintage Port, and a couple from the Dr. Loosen family. We see some wines on the list that would make even Alice Feiring happy, such as the 1997 Rioja rosé from Lopez de Heredia. We see some that would make Sonadora drool, such as the Roederer Estate NV Anderson Valley Brut; a Cava from Segura Viudas that would make Catavino proud; and a few from Bastianich that would please Jack and Joanne of Fork & Bottle. Something for everybody, indeed!

So fork over $75, part of which benefits the Surfrider Foundation’s water conservation efforts, and swing on by to taste some great wine. We’ll be there, as will Dr. Debs from Good Wine Under $20.

No time to write but here are a few pics (forgive our lack of photography skills) from dinner last night at Ciudad. We had a Tamale in the house, which was especially exciting! Thanks to all who joined. We expect that this is just the first of many wine dinners and Twisted Oak events we’ll be a part of in the coming years.