If you see a group of girls engaged in chatter and laughter while sipping vino on the outdoor patio at Salotto Ristorante Italiano in Delray Beach, by all means, stop to say hello. You’ll undoubtedly be invited to join them.

“Ladies Wine Night” gathers once a month for wine tasting, socializing and networking. On a recent Thursday night, I joined the group with best friend Beth, who had told me about the girls’ gathering after she had attended the month before.

Wine steward Claudio (center) takes a seat with the ladies on the patio at Salotto restaurant

The idea for “Ladies Wine Night” was fermented (sorry, dear readers, couldn’t resist) by Angie Worthing about six months ago as a way to explore affordable wines with other women and to include some business networking in this trying economy. It started at her house with guests each bringing a bottle and a snack, and, after rotating through a few more homes, is now held at Salotto.

Although some gatherings have had as many as 20 women, Worthing said, this particular warm, muggy night brought out seven women, which still made for lively conversation around the corner table on the patio.

Add to this female fervor one gregarious and flirtatious Sicilian wine steward named Claudio, and we had the perfect mix for a fun and engaging mid-week evening.

For $20, Claudio poured full glasses of three different wines (and didn’t hesitate to pour each of us more, if we desired). We were offered olives and fresh parmigiano-reggiano cheese to start, soon followed by an impressive cheese platter of brie with raspberry sauce, goat cheese with raspberries and walnuts, fresh mozzarella and pepato cheese (pepato meaning “with pepper” in Italian).

First up, and always a great starter to any gathering, was a prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine. We tasted TBA Extra Dry ($8 glass/$32 bottle), from the Friuli-Venezia Guilia region, which was crisp and refreshing, with citrus and apple on the palate. As the wine warmed slightly, the fruity aroma and palate were even more pronounced.

Claudio presents the TBA Extra Dry prosecco

Next, we sipped another white wine from the same region in the Linea Margherita Pinot Grigio, from Tenuta Bosco Albano ($7 glass / $25 bottle). It was dry and crisp, with a pleasant acidity, and had a medium-length finish. The citrus and floral were representative of a typical Italian pinot grigio, as was the slight minerality.

I wouldn’t have expected a big Cabernet Sauvignon to go over so well on this sticky summer evening, but I found Claudio’s final pour to be just dreamy.

The 2005 Andrew Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley ($16 glass / $60 bottle) was the epitome of a fine cab from a world-class region – smooth tannins, balanced, rich and velvety. (This was a special selection, since the group was so small this month.) It had a full, warm aroma of blackberries on the nose, with a hint of spice. And on the palate, it was fruit-forward with layers of flavors, big and structured, but soft. This is a wine that illustrates the gulf between every-day cabernets and those worth opening the wallet wide for.

Intrigued enough to join the next Ladies Wine Night? They’re on hiatus in September, but will be back on the patio in mid-October. Contact Angie Worthing for more information at amanderson@msn.com or 561-243-0927.