Thing: Tacoma Wine Pundits

Group: Closed

Focus: Wine

Brings: Potluck food

Began: Three years ago

By: Jennevieve Schlemmer

I crashed: Their event

Specifically for: This column

I'm probably not: Invited back

At least: I drank their wine

When Jennevieve Schlemmer mentioned Tacoma Wine Pundits to me at last month's Weekly Volcano Nosh League event, little did she think I would actually invite myself, much less show up on a stranger's doorstep to drink their wine and eat their food.

This is probably one of the many reasons I only have four friends.

As if showing up to an unknown person's house waaay out in Dash Point for free food and wine wasn't crass enough - I brought a friend. Liesl Diesl is down for anything, which makes her a prime candidate for such an adventure.

Tacoma Wine Pundits' monthly wine tasting events are held at a mixture of places, sometimes a local wine bar and other times at a member's house.  This month the group chose to have a German-themed event. Members were told to bring a German-themed wine or beer and side dish to share.

We saw Don Izenman and Ann Meersman, met one girl who spoke of nothing but her German past/present/future, another who was French and didn't even drink alcohol and encountered a handful of others who I'm sure didn't know what to think of our strange, intrusive presence. Oh, and of course there was Patrick from my old Tacoma Beer Society days, who claims to make the best flan. Hi, Patrick!

Along with a few German beers, wines styles such as Riesling, Qualitätswein and Gruner Vetliner were among the many available for consumption. 

Oddly enough, I was the only one who brought sauerkraut. Hmpf.

Liesl Diesl and I filled our bellies with German potato salad, purple cabbage, kale salad, tomato salad, meatballs and Jennevieve's homemade German pretzels.

Liesl even had to undo her pants when we got in the car.

Surprisingly, the group allowed us to stay for a few hours and refrained from kicking us out. We appreciated the hospitality of Paul and Sue Krug and all members of the Tacoma Wine Pundits. My apologies for any lingering smell we may have left behind. I promise it was just the sauerkraut, or small gastrointestinal effects thereof.

Want me to crash your foodie event? Think you make the best apple pie? Grilled cheese? Chili? Hooch? Email me at steffie224@comcast.net.