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Inside:
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Wine
Events
Sonoma Valley, CA |
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Sonoma
Valley Harvest Wine Auction.
Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance, (707) 935-0803 Fiesta
Italia.
Valley of the Moon Winery, (707) 996-6941 "Much
Ado About Nothing."
Avalon Players, 7:00 p.m. at Buena Vista Winery, (707) 938-1266 Grape
Expectations.
Grape Stomp, Ledson Winery, (707) 537-3810 Bounty
of the County.
Kenwood Vineyards, (707) 833- 5891 The
104th Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival,
(707) 996-2109 9th
Annual Golf Classic.
Hanna Boys Center, (707) 996-6767 |
Improving
Your Wine
Program, Part III
In
the last two issues of this newsletter, I have shared some of my views
on improving club wine programs with tips and opinions on various
issues such as corkage, accessories, obtaining older vintages, pricing
of expensive bottles and storage tips.
In this issue, I'd like to discuss two additional issues: first, nitrogen-argon spray and, second, case or carry-out sales to members. First, let's look at how we can inexpensively preserve our wines by the glass.
In
the last two issues of this newsletter, I have shared some of my views
on improving club wine programs with tips and opinions on various
issues such as corkage, accessories, obtaining older vintages, pricing
of expensive bottles and storage tips.In this issue, I'd like to discuss two additional issues: first, nitrogen-argon spray and, second, case or carry-out sales to members. First, let's look at how we can inexpensively preserve our wines by the glass.
 |
|
Sandy
McGaughey, CCM, 2001 Host Nitrogen-argon
preservative spray can become a big plus for your wine-by
the-glass program.
|
The average club will spend about $100-$150 per year on this preservative. This is a small price to pay for wine insurance. I.W.A. Wholesale Express sells the spray for about $6 per can. The company can be reached at (800) 527-4072. I highly recommend that you consider this enhancement. You'll be glad you did!
All club managers will ultimately be asked by members to obtain hard-to-find wines at cost-plus prices. The dilemma that we face is whether or not to establish a policy at our clubs to be a "wine shop" for a selected group of wine savvy members. Let's examine some of the reasons why you may or may not want to offer cost-plus bulk wine sales to members.
Pro:
*
You establish rapport with your best wine savvy members;
*
You enhance your purchasing power with your wholesalers by giving
them more business;
*
With cost plus 15-percent-tax pricing, you enhance your bottom line;
and
*
Your image as a "can-do" manager is enhanced.
Con:
Con:
*Cost-conscious
members may take advantage of the service by asking you to provide
value wine that only saves them money;
*If
not properly documented, cost plus 15 percent tax will drive up your
beverage cost and alarm your board of governors;
*The
whole process could be construed as a service that only benefits a
few members; and
*Your
workday may be interrupted by members that want you to shop for their
wines.
Each of us has to decide which direction to go based on our club's culture. There is also one middle-ground solution to consider: Hold a once-a-year wholesalers wine party (club function) where all of your wholesalers come in and hold a tasting, then members can order various wines at a cost-plus basis. Here, all members can attend and take advantage of low prices and, of course, the staff gets the credit, plus the wholesalers sell more wine. The event centers around a heavy hors d'oeuvre buffet with each wholesaler being given a station to present their hard-to-find or great-tasting wines. Members then place orders with the club on a wholesale cost-plus basis. Management can also offer wines from the club's cellar at this function.
In Vino Veritas,
Sandy McGaughey, CCM
Each of us has to decide which direction to go based on our club's culture. There is also one middle-ground solution to consider: Hold a once-a-year wholesalers wine party (club function) where all of your wholesalers come in and hold a tasting, then members can order various wines at a cost-plus basis. Here, all members can attend and take advantage of low prices and, of course, the staff gets the credit, plus the wholesalers sell more wine. The event centers around a heavy hors d'oeuvre buffet with each wholesaler being given a station to present their hard-to-find or great-tasting wines. Members then place orders with the club on a wholesale cost-plus basis. Management can also offer wines from the club's cellar at this function.
In Vino Veritas,
Sandy McGaughey, CCM
You, as a member of CMAA's International Wine Society, obviously appreciate the fruit of the vine. But perhaps you question how to increase your wine sales and profitability or how to improve your overall food service management. Have you considered consulting a master sommelier?
A master sommelier is more than a glorified waiter -- he/she is a salesman, a wine expert and a qualified taster who can pass on his/her knowledge to your club members and staff. In order to earn a Master Sommelier diploma, a candidate must pass three levels of examinations. The candidate must pass 60 percent of the multiple-choice theory examination in the Introductory Sommelier course, which covers such topics as the method of viticulture, vinification and local customs for major wines. Although this course is fast-paced, it is much less intense than the Advanced Sommelier Course and Master Sommelier Diploma Course. The advanced exam is given in three sections -- practical service and salesmanship, knowledge of the sommelier and practical tasting of six wines -- and one must pass 60 percent of each section before he/she can sit for the Master Sommelier Diploma. This final course is similar in format and content to the advanced course, but one must score 75 percent or higher on each section to pass. Throughout the final exam, the candidate must demonstrate the trademark courtesy and charm of a master sommelier, as well as the high standard of technical skills.
Due to these rigorous education and testing requirements, a master sommelier may be hard to find. Currently, there are only 47 master sommeliers in the United States, eight of whom are women. But with the launch of its new Web site, www.mastersommeliers.org, the Court of Master Sommeliers hopes to respond to the needs of the hospitality industry by featuring an online job posting area and bulletin board. "Because of our internationally accepted credentials and recognized standards in the service industry, many organizations come looking to us for help in identifying individuals to meet their staffing needs," said Even Goldstein, chairman of the Court of Master Sommeliers. "Now, through mastersommeliers.org, we have connected the door to both worlds, the employer and the employee."
The Court of Master Sommeliers was established in 1977 to encourage improved standards of beverage knowledge and service in the hospitality industry. To learn more about the Court, please visit its new Web site, www.mastersommeliers.org, or you can contact the Court
at
(707) 255-7667 or via e-mail at courtofms@aol.com.Cellar
Notes - Dog
Days of Summer Call for a Cool Salad and Refreshing Wine
Vinegar and wine are natural foes, so if you're serving a salad dressed with a traditional vinaigrette, it is probably best to set your wine glass aside until a later course.
But suppose a salad is your main course? Plenty of salad options work well with the appropriate wine. Make your salad more wine-friendly by topping it with chicken, seafood or cheese, for instance; or dress it with something less acidic than vinegar.
Here are a few broad principles to consider:
Relatively tart (high-acid) wines usually complement similar foods, so a crisp, dry sauvignon blanc will stand up to a vinaigrette that might overwhelm a fat chardonnay. The buttery richness of that same chardonnay, on the other hand, might make it a good choice with a rich Caesar salad or creamy Roquefort dressing.
Herbaceous wines complement herbal flavors, so pick a citric, green-pepper New Zealand sauvignon blanc or a "grassy" sancerre from the Loire and watch it sing in tune with your green salad.
Add toppings to a dinner salad and choose a wine to match: The black olives in a Salade Niçoise naturally call for a dry Provence rosé, for example. Ham and cheese suggest a beaujolais. Complement a Greek salad topped with feta cheese with a crisp white santorini. Fashion a caprese salad of fresh garden tomatoes, creamy mozzarella and fresh basil and enjoy a chianti; in fact, you can match this favorite Italian wine with any tomato salad -- the fruity-tart flavors of the wine and the tomatoes make a natural match. Or go the festive route and add excitement to just about any salad dinner by uncorking a bottle of bubbly.
Excerpted
from the 30 Second Wine Advisor.
Vinegar and wine are natural foes, so if you're serving a salad dressed with a traditional vinaigrette, it is probably best to set your wine glass aside until a later course.
But suppose a salad is your main course? Plenty of salad options work well with the appropriate wine. Make your salad more wine-friendly by topping it with chicken, seafood or cheese, for instance; or dress it with something less acidic than vinegar.
Here are a few broad principles to consider:
Relatively tart (high-acid) wines usually complement similar foods, so a crisp, dry sauvignon blanc will stand up to a vinaigrette that might overwhelm a fat chardonnay. The buttery richness of that same chardonnay, on the other hand, might make it a good choice with a rich Caesar salad or creamy Roquefort dressing.
Herbaceous wines complement herbal flavors, so pick a citric, green-pepper New Zealand sauvignon blanc or a "grassy" sancerre from the Loire and watch it sing in tune with your green salad.
Add toppings to a dinner salad and choose a wine to match: The black olives in a Salade Niçoise naturally call for a dry Provence rosé, for example. Ham and cheese suggest a beaujolais. Complement a Greek salad topped with feta cheese with a crisp white santorini. Fashion a caprese salad of fresh garden tomatoes, creamy mozzarella and fresh basil and enjoy a chianti; in fact, you can match this favorite Italian wine with any tomato salad -- the fruity-tart flavors of the wine and the tomatoes make a natural match. Or go the festive route and add excitement to just about any salad dinner by uncorking a bottle of bubbly.
Excerpted
from the 30 Second Wine Advisor. 
Society
Happeneings - Survey Sez - By Sandy McGaughey, CCMWe have received almost 150 responses, out of 350 Wine Society members, to our house wine/wine by-the-glass survey, and two points have become abundantly clear. First, Kendall Jackson Chardonnay is by far the most preferred wine at clubs, and second, big name California wineries dominate our programs. There is very little "old world" or Australian wine in anyone's by-the-glass or house wine programs.
Below are the results. In each category, we have provided the top four vote getters and then noted some that also did better than average.
House
Chardonnay By-The-Glass
| House Chardonnay By-The-Glass | Premium Chardonnay By-The-Glass | Banquet White |
| 1.
Mondavi Woodbridge 2. Gallo Copperidge 3. Beringer Founders Reserve 4. Meridian |
1.
Kendall Jackson Vintners Reserve
2. Sonoma-Cutrer R.R.R. 3. Ferrari-Carano 4. Cakebread |
1.
Kendall Jackson Vintners Reserve
2. Mondavi Woodbridge 3. Gallo Copperidge 4. Beringers Founders Reserve |
|
Also:
Latour Grande Ardeche B.V. Coastal Fetzer Sundial Lindemans Hess Select Monterrey |
Also: Chateau St. Jean Sonoma Estancia Landmark, Overlook Cambria, Katherines |
Also: Burlwood Ariana Hess Villa Mt. Eden Fetzer Sundial Domaine St. George |
| House Cabernet Sauvignon By-The-Glass | Premium Cabernet Sauvignon By-The-Glass | Banquet Red |
|
1.
Mondavi Woodbridge
2. B.V. Coastal 3. Beringer Founders 4. Estancia |
1.
Robert Mondavi Napa
2. Berginger Napa 3. Liberty School 4. Rodney Strong |
1.
Beringer Founders
2. Burlwood 3. Ariana 4. Mondavi Woodbridge |
| Also: Talus Round Hill Mondavi Coastal Chateau Ste. Michelle Napa Ridge |
Also: Hess Select Franciscan Caymus Trefethan Sterling Chaleau Sourvrain |
Also: Mondavi Coastal Villa Mt. Eden B.V. Coastal Hess Select Rodney Strong Estancia Cabernet |
| House Merlot By-The-Glass | Premium Merlot By-The-Glass | |
|
1.
Blackstone
2. Columbia Crest 3. Glass Mountain 4. Chateau Ste. Michelle |
1.
Sterling
2. St. Francis 3. Clos du Bois 4. Markham |
|
| Also: Markham St. Francis Heron |
Also: Rutherford Hill Columbia Crest Kunde Robert Mondavi |
|
| House Pinot Gringio By-The-Glass | Premium Pinot Gringio By-The-Glass | |
|
1.
Cavit
2. Santa Margherita 3. Eco Domani 4. Mezza Corona |
1.
Saintsbury
2. Sanford 3. La Crema 4. David Bruce |
|
| Also: San Angelo Campanile Luna di Luna |
Also: Pedroncelli Erath Meridian B.V. Coastal |
|
| House Chardonnay By-The-Glass | Premium Sauvignon Blanc By-The-Glass | |
|
1.
Saintsbury
2. Pighin 3. King 4. Carneros Creek |
1.
Sterling
2. Silverado 3. Groth 4. Matanzas Creek |
|
| Also: Camelot Rodney Strong Echelon |
Also: Mason Kenwood Cakewood St. Supery Caymus |
The
Wine Society hopes that this information can be beneficial to you as
you decide on which wines to use in your club's wine program.
Thanks to all who participated!
program.
Thanks to all who participated! Energy
for Adventure and Romance Generated in Sonoma
As
the threat of rolling blackouts continues to raise concern in metropolitan
areas across California, bucolic Sonoma Valley remains at ease.
Located just 50 miles north of San Francisco, this relaxed wine
country destination requires more energy for adventure and romance
than bright lights and air conditioners.
"People come here to experience the 'Sonoma-Provence' lifestyle," Ken Burnet, owner of the Gaige House Inn in Glen Ellen, said. "It's a very outdoors experience where visitors can enjoy wonderfully fresh food and pour the finest wines in an extraordinarily beautiful setting."
Warm, breezy days and cool, clear, moonlit nights provide the ideal climate to casually explore marvelous wineries and art galleries, discover fabulous shops and restaurants and wander through shady parks and interesting historical sites.
From extravagant to quaint, the Sonoma Valley boasts a variety of outstanding wineries. Wine enthusiasts seeking small wineries with a "no frills" approach to producing the finest wines should include Homewood Winery in their itineraries. Located on the east end of the valley, a visit to this one-man winery is a great way to cool off in the refreshing marine breezes of Sonoma's Carneros region and taste handcrafted chardonnays, cabernets, zinfandels and merlots. Be sure to check out the small varietal lots sold only through Homewood Winery. The tasting room is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; appointments are not necessary.
"It's a very outdoors experience where visitors can enjoy wonderfully fresh food and pour the finest wines in an extraordinarily beautiful setting."
- Ken Burnet
A bicycle tour of Sonoma or Kenwood is another perfect way to relax, feel the cool wind in your hair and experience the feel of "Sonoma-Provence" up close. Taking in stunning vineyard views, nibbling on gourmet lunches and sipping award winning wines is what the Bikeman Bicycle Touring and Rental is all about. Bikeman leads excursions for couples and large groups. Visit www.bikemantours.com for more information on booking a tour.
For more information on the sites and sounds of the Sonoma Valley region, call Katherine Llodrá, public relations director for the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau, at (707) 996 1090 ext. 15or
visit the bureau's Web site at www.sonomavalley.com.
"People come here to experience the 'Sonoma-Provence' lifestyle," Ken Burnet, owner of the Gaige House Inn in Glen Ellen, said. "It's a very outdoors experience where visitors can enjoy wonderfully fresh food and pour the finest wines in an extraordinarily beautiful setting."
Warm, breezy days and cool, clear, moonlit nights provide the ideal climate to casually explore marvelous wineries and art galleries, discover fabulous shops and restaurants and wander through shady parks and interesting historical sites.
From extravagant to quaint, the Sonoma Valley boasts a variety of outstanding wineries. Wine enthusiasts seeking small wineries with a "no frills" approach to producing the finest wines should include Homewood Winery in their itineraries. Located on the east end of the valley, a visit to this one-man winery is a great way to cool off in the refreshing marine breezes of Sonoma's Carneros region and taste handcrafted chardonnays, cabernets, zinfandels and merlots. Be sure to check out the small varietal lots sold only through Homewood Winery. The tasting room is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; appointments are not necessary.
"It's a very outdoors experience where visitors can enjoy wonderfully fresh food and pour the finest wines in an extraordinarily beautiful setting."
- Ken Burnet
A bicycle tour of Sonoma or Kenwood is another perfect way to relax, feel the cool wind in your hair and experience the feel of "Sonoma-Provence" up close. Taking in stunning vineyard views, nibbling on gourmet lunches and sipping award winning wines is what the Bikeman Bicycle Touring and Rental is all about. Bikeman leads excursions for couples and large groups. Visit www.bikemantours.com for more information on booking a tour.
For more information on the sites and sounds of the Sonoma Valley region, call Katherine Llodrá, public relations director for the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau, at (707) 996 1090 ext. 15
or
visit the bureau's Web site at www.sonomavalley.com. A
Night with
The
Godfather
The
Godfather Featuring
Niebaum Coppola Wines And
A Menu Inspired By Francis
Ford Coppola's 1974 Classic Film Which
Will Be Shown During Dinner
Sunday, October 21, 2001
Sunday, October 21, 2001
6:00
p.m. Reception
7:00
p.m. Dinner
9:30 p.m. Trilogy Champagne Tasting
Cost: $120 Per Person
9:30 p.m. Trilogy Champagne Tasting
Cost: $120 Per Person
This
is an offer you can't refuse!
Casual
Dark Suit or Themed Attire
All CMAA Members and Their Guests are Welcome
Reservations are Limited to the First 75 Sicilians,
So reserve early!
All CMAA Members and Their Guests are Welcome
Reservations are Limited to the First 75 Sicilians,
So reserve early!
A
Night with The
Godfather
Featuring Niebaum Coppola Wines
Featuring Niebaum Coppola Wines
TICKET
Price:
$120 per person -- October 21, 2001
Reservations and checks may be mailed to
The Godfather/Isle of Sicily
C/O Mitch Marron
Metropolis Country Club
289 Dobbs Ferry Road
White Plains, NY 10607
MAKE
CHECKS PAYABLE TO: "METROPOLIS COUNTRY CLUB"
Reservations and checks may be mailed to
The Godfather/Isle of Sicily
C/O Mitch Marron
Metropolis Country Club
289 Dobbs Ferry Road
White Plains, NY 10607
MAKE
CHECKS PAYABLE TO: "METROPOLIS COUNTRY CLUB" 
American Institue of Wine and Food Schedules 2002 Rare Wine and Lifestyles Auction
The American Institue of Wine and Food (AIWF) announces the date for its 2002 Rare Wine and Lifestyles Auction
| Rare
Wine and Lifestyles Auction March 2, 2002 The Rizy-Carlton, San Francisco, CA Contact: Susan Walter (650) 524-4999 |
Established in 1981 by culinary greats Julia Child, Robert Mondavi and the late Richard Graff as a non-profit educational organization, the AIWF was founded on the promise that gastronomy, the art of science of good eating, is essential to quality of life. With more than 7, 000 members in more than 30 chapters in the United States and France, the Insitute is dedicated to udnerstanding and celebrating the pleasures, benefits and
traditions
of the table.
Contents
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reserved. While every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of URL links,
CMAA is not responsible for errors or omissions. CMAA is not responsible
for the content of linked sites. Please see our Legal
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of Use.