MOBILE, Ala. — Sisters, mothers, friends and co-workers sipped and swirled wine at the Bienville Club Tuesday night while delighting in taste sensations such as chicken picatta with capers and artichokes and champagne fruit and nut salad.

A new wine society open to Baldwin and Mobile county women was launched Tuesday for “The Women’s Wine Tour”. Participants had the chance to sample seven different domestic and imported wines.

Organizer Ann Stein said the best way to learn about wine from the world and how to pair it with food is to join a wine society, she said.

“It’s a great way to learn about wine, connect and mingle and meet some new people and have just great food in the process,” she said.

"I am on a mission to find the perfect red wine. I also come for the fellowship," Angie O'Brien said.

Stein said the concept came from a similar wine group in Mobile that disbanded after five years.

“It was a fun group and a great way to learn about wine,” she said.

Though Stein found a lot of wine societies on the Internet around the country, she could not find a local one.

She said she hopes to perhaps expand the group later, and it won’t always be limited just to women since “women are the main ones that buy wine and make the selections.”

There are many advantages to joining a wine group such as this, as there is strength in memberships and groups may get better rates.

The group will meet the third Tuesday night of every month for about two hours, she said.

Theresa Hamby and Bunky Ralph both said Tuesday night they wanted to learn more about wines, but Charlotte Griffin said she just wanted to be around people who would enjoy such an event.

Foods will be paired or participants may order off the menu, in some cases, Stein said.

Marcie Kinsey, a local representative with Pinnacle Imports based out of Birmingham, was eager to answer questions and get feedback.

“Hopefully, it provided people a chance to relax, socialize and enjoy something that is just a lot of fun,” she said.

She said that wine tasting helps take out the intimidation or mystery out of choosing a wine.

“It gives people a chance to taste and get to know what they like,” she said.

Kinsey said many people are sometimes hesitant to buy something if they don’t know. Sampling the wine tends to take the pressure off of having to buy it to taste it.

Kinsey said there are four “S’s” associated with tasting wine: swirling it, smelling it, seeing it and sipping it.

“Most people enjoy having wine with food because it changes as you sample it with food,” Kinsey said.

Chef Chris Lambert, who as been the chef for the Bienville Club for two years, said he prepared dishes called “amuse bouche,” which means food that makes your mouth smile.

“It’s tiny taste sensations,” Stein said.

Lambert designed his menu around the variety of wines, and chose wines to either complement or contrast the food.

“I like to be on the side of the adventurous and pair it with contrasting flavor,” he said.

While white wines are served chilled in flute glasses, reds are served at room temperature in open mouth glasses to allow the wine to breathe, he said.

Lambert chose a wine to go with each food course, and courses included salad, soup, three entries with vegetables, and dessert.

Imported wines at Tuesday’s event were from Spain, Germany, France, Chile and the Alsace region in France.

Wines served included Montmarcal Cave Rose, Dopff and Irion Crustaces White, Riesling Gewurztraminer; Pinot Gris and Muscat, Chateau Tuileries White Bordeaux; Semillion and Sauvignon Blanc, Valkenberg Riesling, Louis Latour Valmoissine Pinot Noir, McManis Merlot and Torres Merlot.

According to Stein, the club will move around to different restaurants and venues. Proceeds from each event will be donated to a nonprofit group.