Got this note from Bill Huddleston, a frequent guest and expert on the Thursday wine blog:

“It’s that time again…my T.V. gig will be on.

This Sunday at 4:00 on ABC channel 24…don’t miss it.  It’s BIG, really BIG.  Probably bigger than “American Idol.”  You won’t want to miss the excitement of my wine selections and my witty comments about the wines as well as the part where Chef Robert and I make white sangria!  Wow …very exciting.  I know that you are all on the edge of your seats by now, so see you on TV Sunday.

Tonight Larry and Mimmye, who both know a great deal about wine, will host the tasting and be the experts while I’m at the Paula Deen bash in Tunica. They’ve selected a David Bruce 2005 Central Coast Petite Sirah and suggest you pair it with something hearty like a grilled steak, or spicy–they’re going with a Mexican soup.

I’m sorry to say that we’re not going to have a tasting next week, but I will make it up to you–I promised 52 wines this year. Too many people, yours truly included, are going to be off work and/or out of town. But June is going to be great. We’ve already got Bill Huddleston, John Vego and Jose Gutierrez and his wife, Colleen DePete, scheduled as our experts.

Enjoy your tasting, and read about Paula and Harrah’s makeover in Saturday’s M section.

OK, folks, I’ll be eating barbecue in the Ques Brothers tent when we’re tasting wine on Thursday, but here’s Angela Moon’s recipe for her rose. I’ll definitely try this another time… 

Tortilla Soup with Chipotle Citrus Shrimp & Salsa Verde
Soup:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1  cups onion, diced
2 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 cup poblano chiles, charred, seeded and chopped
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
 tsp. cayenne
4 cups chicken broth
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 corn tortillas, diced
Tortilla strips:
1 cup vegetable oil
3 corn tortillas, cut into  inch-wide strips
salt to taste
Shrimp:
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 lb. jumbo shrimp, peeled (tails left on) and deveined
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 tbsp. chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
Salt to taste
Salsa verde:
2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
 cup scallions, chopped
 cup fresh lime juice
 cup olive oil
Salt and red pepper flakes to taste

For the soup: Saute onion & garlic in oil in a large pot over medium-high heat about 5 minutes, or until soft. Stir in chiles, corn & seasonings.
Add broth, tomatoes, beans & tortillas. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low & simmer 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the tortilla strips & shrimp.
Tortillas: Heat the oil for the tortilla strips to 350 degrees in a sauté pan. Carefully add tortilla strips in batches & fry about 1 minute, or until crisp & golden. Drain on paper towels & season with salt.
Shrimp: Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp & sauté 1 minute. Stir in lime juice, orange juice concentrate, and chipotle. Saute about 3 minutes, or until shrimp is cooked through; season with salt.
Salsa verde: Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Keeps for up to 1 week chilled.

Source: Cuisine at Home: Splendid Soups & Spectacular Sides

Tonight Krisi Raymond of Raymond Vineyards will be with us online to tell us about her family’s chardonnay, so this is the place to be at 7 tonight. Remember, post your comments in the “live blog” section below. See everyone at 7.

Sign on tonight at 7 and taste this pinot noir with our expert, Robert Dean of United Liquors. I’ve heard nice things about this bottle and am looking forward to tasting the wine and spending the hour with all of you. See you tonight!

Everyone ready for a little wine tasting tonight? I am. The saga of the sick dog continues and I’ve given the muscle relaxers for my back a rest for the day so I can enjoy the wine tonight. Be back at 7; Scott Smith from the Wine Market on Spottswood will be here and we’ll have a good ol’ time.

I’m looking forward to tonight’s tasting with Arthur Kahn of Athur’s. One of the guests on the Louisiana tour was a big fan of pinot noir and I believe I had a taste of a different one almost every night. I’m ready to see how this one compares.

Arthur suggests a pork, veal, chicken or a sturdy fish dish. I’m going to make modified spaghetti carbonara. Instead of pancetta, I’m going to use slivers of the tasso I bought back with me.

This week Marne Anderson is the expert for our online wine tasting. She’s chosen a Chilean white, Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc from Concha y Toro. Peggy Burch, the CA’s Arts & Entertainment editor, is hosting.

From 7 to 8 tonight, Marne Anderson will guide us through a tasting of Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc from Concha y Toro. Marne, general sales manager for the Victor Robilio Wholesale Wine Co., is a member of the Society of Wine Educators. We’ll tell you more about her wine background when we get started tonight, but for now, here are some dishes she says will go well with her wine pick.