(Photos: Meri Bond Photography)

QRW in conjunction with the law offices of Welch and Donohoe, LLC, a major firm in Boston (www.welchdonohoe.com) underwrote a fundraising for HBSWA. Underwriter Wade Welch is legal counsel for QRW. Richard Elia, QRW publisher, conducted, offering wines from his own collection, followed by a raffle of the unopened wines for the evening. More than 60 women, all smartly attired, all executive-world thin, and all wine savvy were on hand to taste some major varietals from Champagne (1996 Henriot) to Pinot Noir (2002 Freeman) to Cabernet Sauvignon (2001 Caymus Napa Valley) to Red Blends (2003 Girard “Artistry”). “Doing a tasting for women is easy and enjoyable,” said Elia, who is also a college English professor, “especially with this MBA group, who were largely from Harvard, with a few Wharton and Stanford women. They listened, took notes, and, more important, concentrated on what they were drinking. Women have a better grasp of wine flavors and aroma nuances than most men. They were enlightening me. The IQ in the room must have been near genius level, yet many of the women were asking questions, making comparisons, checking on vintages and varietals. They still wanted to learn. I love that. Best of all, they were enjoying themselves.”

Reprinted from http://www.qrw.com/07autumn/winescene.htm