Niki Chanel: Invitation from the Muse

by Niki Chanel

I was reading an Amazon 'look inside' from a book called "Secrets of the Sommelier's". I learned that the celebrated Kevin Zraly operates his Windows on the World Wine School at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square, NYC. He probably holds court in the same rotating bar where I recently spent an evening with writers Trish Albright, Chellesie B. Dancer, Lorenzo Monterossa and Christine London drinking outrageously expensive drinks and telling equally bizarre stories.

How cool is that?! An internationally famous wine event in the same place as the Romance Writer’s of America 2011 conference in New York. Had we only known, thousands of romance authors could have brought together the intrigue of the written word and a wine of the week. Muses everywhere would have rejoiced!

Still, all was not lost; my sister was visiting the Big Apple on business from London, England during the same week of the RWA convention. She and I share a passion for pinot noir and throughout our week we shared several rapturous reds. And why not? Wikipedia quotes Joel Fleischman of Vanity Fair describing pinot noir as "the most romantic of wines, with so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge, and so powerful a punch that, like falling in love, they make the blood run hot and the soul wax embarrassingly poetic." Master Sommelier Madeline Triffon calls pinot "sex in a glass".

My romantic sentiments, exactly.

I’m guessing that Christine Ashworth, writer of paranormal, young adult, and urban-fantasy romance would agree; reading her blog I often glean tid-bits and advice about wine. It occurred to me that wine is about sharing. Even when we drink alone, we are among compatriots – members of an appreciators club. Wine drinkers seldom imbibe to get drunk; we sip the drink to slip into a gentler world of insight and relaxation. As writer’s we are after communion - a chance to get closer to the storytelling lips of our muses and hear their tales. It’s as though we each have a dimensional portal to this ‘other place’ of the delicate arts in our glass. Wine will not leave you, the muse seeking teleportee, alone; it will take you by the hand and point out highlights in the landscape.

Hmm… maybe I don’t need to read the rest of the book; I may already know the secret: wine delivers the invitation from the muse, its drinker to a realm of romance. It’s grace in a glass.

I think this wonderful promo image for the new musical ‘Wine Lovers’ says it all. Now showing at Muriel's Cabaret Theatre located in Le Petit Theatre at 616 St. Peter Street in New Orleans. Tickets are $59, which includes six tastings of wines. To learn more and to purchase tickets, go to www.lepetittheatre.com or www.wineloversthemusical.com.

P.S. Couldn’t help myself - 'Secrets of the Sommelier’s is on its way to my wine cellar.

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