Wine Tasting Club, Other Social Groups Offer Vistancia Residents A Chance To Get Involved
Date Published: Sep 22, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 22, 2006 WINE TASTING CLUB, OTHER SOCIAL GROUPS OFFER VISTANCIA RESIDENTS A CHANCE TO GET INVOLVED
Whether they're mastering karate, sampling fine wines or taking advantage of their community's open space, residents at north Peoria's Vistancia are tuning in to the community.
Assisted by new Lifestyle Director Theresa Beall, the north Peoria residents have plenty of diverse activities to keep them busy. On nearly any day of the week they can be found at the Mountain Vista Club taking part in Pilates workouts, recreational basketball games and even ballet and tap lessons.
Vistancia Village residents continue the fun by joining the walking club on the Discovery Trail, a linear park that connects neighborhoods and amenities, or meeting with their friends each month in the community's first wine club.
The wine club, like many of the social groups that have formed at Vistancia, reflects the diverse personalities found in the community.
The club is the brainchild of residents Maggie Fredericks and Rosalind Brady, two amateur sommeliers who decided to un-cork their own wine-tasting parties after participating in wine clubs in their previous communities.
Fredericks, Brady and nearly two dozen of their friends meet each month at a designated neighbor's house to sample and discuss the latest wines.
"It's a delightful way to meet other Vistancia residents," said Brady, who, along with her husband, Charles, hosted the group's April meeting.
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VISTANCIA RESIDENTS DEVELOP FUN SOCIAL GROUPS, FRIENDS
"When we moved in, Charles and I didn't know anyone on our street or, for that matter, in Arizona," Brady said. "The wine club allowed us to meet people with a common interest, both in our immediate neighborhood and in surrounding neighborhoods as well."
In addition to appreciating fine wines, the group serves as an outreach to those just moving into the community. The club began monthly meetings in March with a wine tasting party featuring vintages of Pinot Grigio before moving on to sample Merlots in April. The May meeting featured Chardonnay.
Each person attending a gathering brings at least two bottles of wine, one for tasting and the second for a "Best in Taste" award at the end of the night. The first bottle is concealed so club members can test their wine-tasting skills. After the blind tasting, the members vote on their favorites. The couple who receives the most votes for the wine they contribute wins the "Best in Taste" award and the kitty of second bottles that accumulate at each meeting.
Given their previous experience with wine clubs, it didn't take long for Fredericks and Brady to formulate a workable plan for their neighborhood wine lovers. Once everything was in place, they spread the word and hit Internet message boards to post their idea. They were soon overwhelmed with responses. Almost overnight, the group grew to two dozen wine buffs.
"Each hostess tends to add to the existing list of members by including their own circle of friends and neighbors," Brady said.
After several more sizable gatherings the past few months, Fredericks and Brady may need to start thinking bigger for their club. "As both Vistancia and the wine club
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VISTANCIA RESIDENTS DEVELOP FUN SOCIAL GROUPS, FRIENDS
grow, we may have to consider moving to Vistancia's clubhouse," Brady said.
Co-founder Fredericks agrees.
"I would love to see the club grow," she said, adding that more members could help to introduce new types, or varietals, of wines at the meetings.
But regardless of how big the club grows or what wines the members choose to taste, the women who run it stress they will never lose sight of their original goals: to have fun while making new friends.
Like many of the activities at Vistancia, the wine club is all about meeting new people.
"I definitely think the club has increased the opportunity to network," Fredericks said. "I hope as the group continues to expand we can continue to learn more about our neighbors and develop some more friends in the process."
Named "America's Best Master Planned Community" by the National Association of Home Builders, Vistancia is the largest master-planned community in north Peoria and features the main Vistancia Village, age-qualified Trilogy at Vistancia and the recently unveiled Blackstone Country Club.
For information on Vistancia, call 623-933-6233 or visit www.vistancia.com.
