40 Wines, One Baseball Glove, Zero Chill

Most guys pack a glove for Saturday. I'm packing a palate. Same muscle memory, better tannins.

Michael's Wine Cellar is throwing its Saturday Open House Wine Tasting on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 1 to 3 p.m. at 1283 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Admission is $25 per person. That buys you a room of distributor tables, 40 to 60 wines, and a buffet of savory lite bites — the tasting equivalent of a doubleheader with snacks between innings.

The lineup card (verified)

Per the shop's events page and the Local Wine Events listing:

• When: Sat., Oct. 3, 1–3 p.m. (doors do not open early — show up at 1, not 12:45 with hope)
• Where: Michael's Wine Cellar, 1283 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34239
• Cost: $25 pp (Eventbrite may show a little more once fees land; the shop quotes $25)
• Pour count: 40–60 wines from distributor tables; the shop also says "more than 50" on a good day, and sometimes spirits join the roster
• Food: buffet of savory lite bites included
• Loyalty: double points on any purchase that day for rewards members — sign up free before you go if you aren't already on the roster

Remaining Open House dates on the events calendar: Oct. 3, Nov. 7, Dec. 5. This weekend is the one that matters if your calendar still has white space.

Why my sports brain won't sit down

Forty to sixty pours is not a sip. That is a full slate. I will not claim any certification for saying a Pinot is "game-ready." I will claim that if you treat the tasting note card like a box score — grape, region, "would I draft this for dinner" — you leave happier than the guy who swirls once and ghosts the table.

Dad-joke of the day: I asked if they had a designated hitter for the Cabernet. They had a designated pourer. Close enough.

Grab a ticket on Eventbrite, hydrate like it's overtime, and leave room in the trunk for whatever makes the cut. I'll be the one nodding at a Syrah like it just converted on third down.

— Kevin