It has been a busy few days for me here in Philadelphia. First, as many of you know, we are moving to Houston in just a few weeks and, well, there is a lot to do. Second, my wife has already started her job down there in the Bayou City (that is Houston, in case you were wondering), which means that I am flying solo with the two boys for most of the week (as of this writing, both are still breathing with no signs of any physical maiming).

I have also had quite a few wine events to attend over the last few weeks. This is due in part to the fact that despite my best efforts, this blog seems to be gaining a bit in popularity as well as the fact that my proximity to New York City will be greatly altered in the not-too-distant future, so I have decided to take advantage of as many of the events there that I can before our great migration to the Lone Star State (that is Texas, in case you were wondering).

This week, though, there were actually a couple of events here in Philadelphia, which does not happen all that often. You would think that the country’s fifth largest city, nestled between New York and Washington, D.C., would get its fair share of attention from the wine industry, but it doesn’t. I have to assume that this is due to the more than arcane (if there is such a thing) laws that prohibit the sale (and enjoyment) of alcoholic beverages here in the Keystone State (that is Pennsylvania, in case you were wondering).

So when I get invited to an event in the City of Brotherly Love (Philadelphia, in case you were wondering), I feel compelled to go. This week there were actually two such events: last night I had a lovely dinner with Alice Paillard, daughter of Bruno Paillard, the influential producer in Champagne (more on that soon), and on Monday, I was invited to “Diamond on the Diamond” at Citizens Bank Park.

The event was a chance to meet the winemaker of Coppola Winery and to sample Coppola’s Diamond Collection wines, all while taking in the baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Miami Marlins. Being a fair-weather Phillies fan (and they have started the season very well), I gladly accepted.

Here are a few photos from the night, which was really a ton of fun:

Outside the stadium. Photo credit: Jeff Kralik

Plenty of wine on hand. Photo Credit: Scott Weiner for Francis Ford Coppola Winery

My personal faves were the Chardonnay, the Merlot, and the Vendetta. Photo credit: Jeff Kralik

Let’s Go Phils! Photo credit: Jeff Kralik

Photo Credit: Scott Weiner for Francis Ford Coppola Winery

A better shot of the wine. Photo Credit: Scott Weiner for Francis Ford Coppola Winery

The Dude (right). Photo credit: Jeff Kralik

With winemaker Tondi Bolkan. I think she must have been standing in a hole. Photo Credit: Scott Weiner for Francis Ford Coppola Winery

The bell did not toll that night (that is the Phillies lost, in case you were wondering).

But I did get a few shots of my son’s favorite player, Odubel Herrera. Photo credit: Jeff Kralik