Vin Extra Ordinaire

Melissa Jakobfi (3L)

On October 22nd, wine enthusiasts from all over Edmonton gathered for a classy evening of wine-tasting, treat-sampling, and entertainment. While I’m sure the Rocky Mountain Wine Festival was awesome (although someone forgot to tell Edmonton that the Rockies are nowhere in sight), across the river another – equally if not more impressive – event was happening at the very same time! Vin Ordinaire was proud to present “Wine School,” our fall wine-tasting (read: wine-drinking) extravaganza.

I’ve been asked a number of questions about this event – ones I definitely didn’t make up – which I would like to address:

Why are you called “Vin Ordinaire?” Doesn’t that just mean “ordinary wine?” Why, yes, hypothetical question-asker who is known to never complain about anything – “vin ordinaire” does mean “ordinary wine.” I don’t know why we go by that moniker. I just googled it, and found that not only does it mean “ordinary wine,” it means “an inexpensive red table wine.” While we love nothing more than cheap wine, it’s a pretty sad-sounding name. You’ll be happy to hear of our executive decision to go by “Vin Extra Ordinaire.” Way cooler.

Where did you get your wine? Do you actually know anything about wine? Our wine was purchased at Vines Riverbend Wine Merchants (2331 Rabbit Hill Road NW). 80% of our exec knows how to DRINK wine, but we are super lucky to have Kendal Gummer (2L) on the team, because she is a legitimate pro! She’ll be happy to know I found the Vines website (http://vineswinemerchants.com/) – check it out!

That band was AWESOME! Who were they? Peter Jones (3L) and Matthew Bennett (3L) are the directors of the much-loved Law Show Band. They were joined on Saturday by the talented Chris Finlay (1L). Magic ensued. My Radiohead-loving self was in heaven (they played a lot of other stuff, too…I was apparently just so excited about Radiohead that I forgot everything else.) Apologies to anyone who came in the first half hour when the band took their pre-show break and the rest of us didn’t know how to plug in an iPod.

I heard that some people got in without paying? This one was actually a question. I mean, they were all questions. This one just hurt our feelings. The only wine-drinkers we knowingly let in without paying were in the band. And if you’re reading this, snickering to yourself about how you didn’t pay and drank a ton of wine…well, you’ll get yours. Somehow.

Who is that suave and debonair man I saw on the poster by the food? I’m glad you asked. That’s Rocco. He’s our mascot.

Vin Extra Ordinaire seems like my kind of club! How do I get more involved? Talk to one of the exec members (myself, Gillian McWilliams (3L), Rhea Shelton (3L), Katie Rowe (3L), and Kendal Gummer (2L)) in person, or you can shoot me an email at jakobfi@ualberta.ca. We are especially looking for 1Ls and people who can do math.