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Inside:
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The
Wine Society Board of
Managers met in Chicago during the National Restaurant Association
(NRA) show for the second of a three-year strategic planning initiative.
The number one need identified as a result of that meeting was the
improvement of wine-based education for our membership and CMAA as
a whole. To that end, six board members volunteered a weekend in August
to meet in Washington, D.C., to identify educational areas where the
Wine Society could better serve its membership.The consensus was that the following ideas are worthy of pursuing in the next two years:
Year One Initiatives
1.
Put all of the best Wine Society News articles from recent
years online and evaluate options for replacing Appellation
magazine, which received considerable dissatisfaction in a recent
survey among our membership.
2. Conduct a round-table discussion on wine lists at the upcoming San Antonio Conference.
3. Put comparative survey information on the Wine Society Web page.
4. High visibility and prom otion of the Mondavi Road Show, which is debuting in St. Louis this month.
5. Develop a Speakers Bureau for chapter education.
Year
Two Initiatives 1.
Look at the possibility of wine education options, wine for neophytes,
etc., for Conference.
2. Develop the wine and food program at the Culinary Institute of America, Greystone, CA, as a possible BMI program (in the meantime, staff has been asked to look into the programs they now offer and promote those to our members).
3. Conduct a high-level tasting at Conference for hard-to-find wines.
4. Sponsor a wine suite at Conference.
I want to thank Dolly Ammann, Paula Frechette, Tom Gilbertson and Mitch Marron for giving up a weekend to attend this retreat. I also want to extend the highest praise to Kirk Reese for allowing us to use the Chevy Chase Club as our meeting site. The hospitality was unparalleled. Also, kudos to Kathi Driggs and Bridget Gorman Wendling for giving up their Sunday.
As a result of these ideas and the volunteers that have agreed to put these into place, I believe that your Wine Society is moving forward in providing you, the member, with the best value for your membership.
Sandy McGaughey, CCM
2001 Host
D'Arenberg
Winery is one of the most historically significant wineries in Australia.
In 1912, Joseph Osborn purchased a well established vineyard in the
hills just north of the township of McLaren Vale in South Australia.
Joseph's son, Frank, built d'Arenberg Cellars in 1927.
Nicki's first offering of the evening was Peppermint Paddock Sparkling Chambourcin. A deep velvet crimson purple hue spilled into the glass as everyone watched in amazement, not expecting the vibrant color. Nicki suggested that the clone of this grape may be a French mystery, as the person who first produced this died before the mystery was unveiled. It might be a cross between a pinot and shiraz grape. It is said that the peppermint paddock at d'Arenberg was first planted during the boom of the late 19th century as the demand for the much-acclaimed wines of McLaren Vale spread throughout Australia. It was during the halcyon period that Australia's idiosyncratic sparkling red wines were pioneered. Surrounded by peppermint gums, the paddock is a windswept and steep dryland block littered with ironstone. Traditional grapes have struggled to survive the paddock, but the chambourcin hybrid grape variety of unknown parentage is ideally suited for the peppermint paddock's less than ideal conditions. The sparkling red chambourcin complimented the reception's appetizers.
Also coupled with the appetizers was Leeuwin Estate Sauvignon Blanc, a blend of 60 percent sauvignon blanc and 40 percent semillon, this wine provided a delightful contrast in flavors. The first plantings of Leeuwin Estate were in 1975. In 1972, it was a cattle farm in Margaret River, visited by Robert Mondavi. The achievements of Leeuwin Estates may in some way be attributed to Mondavi, who was engaged as a consultant during the set up and first two vintages.
Steamed lobster, buerre monte ciboulette, caviar, quail eggs was the first course of the evening. This was expertly matched with d'Arenberg Olive Grove Chardonnay. Since 1984, this wine has been comprised of three parcels of fruit -- one fermented in stainless steel, one fermented in stainless steel but placed in oak for four weeks and one is barrel-fermented and left in the barrel on yeast lees for nine months. Before bottling, these parcels are married, each lending its own character to the wine. The name comes from the olive trees that are along the vineyard. To add a new dimension to this wine, chef's garden ultra spinach salad presented in cucumber with lemon vinaigrette, grissini was the second course.
Roast rack of New Zealand lamb with fingerling potatoes, organic spring vegetables and mustard thyme reduction "tantalized" the taste buds for the introduction of d'Arenberg Hi Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon and Footbolt Old Vines Shiraz. The shiraz is a well-bred wine consisting of 100 percent shiraz. The oldest shiraz blocks were planted before the turn of the 20th century and still contribute to this wine. The namesake of this wine is a well-bred chestnut colt fouled in 1898 named "Footbolt." The 1998 vintage has won two gold and one silver medal in international wine competitions. The cabernet from d'Arenberg is the first to be grown with a trellis system, from which it gets its name "Hi Trellis," a great blend of fruit and tannins. Nicki had a treat for our pallets as she introduced "The Custodian." D'Arenberg's rich, luscious red wines have always been grenache based, and no other Australian winery has so proudly represented this varietal. D'Arenberg has kept watch over the grenache for more than 40 years, hence the name. This wine has rich cherry, strawberry characters with great fruit stemming from old unirrigated vines and a yield of less than one ton per acre.
Old Chatham camembert, foie gras, blue cheese tart with port reduction and strawberry quenelle matched with the d'Arenberg Shiraz Port '98.
Nicki
took leave by inviting all present to visit d'Arenberg Winery located
in McLaren Vale, South Australia. She told us the climate is mediated
Mediterranean with cool, wet winters and long warm, dry summers with
an annual rainfall of 26 to 28 inches. Drop in and share a glass of
wine.
Nicki's first offering of the evening was Peppermint Paddock Sparkling Chambourcin. A deep velvet crimson purple hue spilled into the glass as everyone watched in amazement, not expecting the vibrant color. Nicki suggested that the clone of this grape may be a French mystery, as the person who first produced this died before the mystery was unveiled. It might be a cross between a pinot and shiraz grape. It is said that the peppermint paddock at d'Arenberg was first planted during the boom of the late 19th century as the demand for the much-acclaimed wines of McLaren Vale spread throughout Australia. It was during the halcyon period that Australia's idiosyncratic sparkling red wines were pioneered. Surrounded by peppermint gums, the paddock is a windswept and steep dryland block littered with ironstone. Traditional grapes have struggled to survive the paddock, but the chambourcin hybrid grape variety of unknown parentage is ideally suited for the peppermint paddock's less than ideal conditions. The sparkling red chambourcin complimented the reception's appetizers.
Also coupled with the appetizers was Leeuwin Estate Sauvignon Blanc, a blend of 60 percent sauvignon blanc and 40 percent semillon, this wine provided a delightful contrast in flavors. The first plantings of Leeuwin Estate were in 1975. In 1972, it was a cattle farm in Margaret River, visited by Robert Mondavi. The achievements of Leeuwin Estates may in some way be attributed to Mondavi, who was engaged as a consultant during the set up and first two vintages.
Steamed lobster, buerre monte ciboulette, caviar, quail eggs was the first course of the evening. This was expertly matched with d'Arenberg Olive Grove Chardonnay. Since 1984, this wine has been comprised of three parcels of fruit -- one fermented in stainless steel, one fermented in stainless steel but placed in oak for four weeks and one is barrel-fermented and left in the barrel on yeast lees for nine months. Before bottling, these parcels are married, each lending its own character to the wine. The name comes from the olive trees that are along the vineyard. To add a new dimension to this wine, chef's garden ultra spinach salad presented in cucumber with lemon vinaigrette, grissini was the second course.
Roast rack of New Zealand lamb with fingerling potatoes, organic spring vegetables and mustard thyme reduction "tantalized" the taste buds for the introduction of d'Arenberg Hi Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon and Footbolt Old Vines Shiraz. The shiraz is a well-bred wine consisting of 100 percent shiraz. The oldest shiraz blocks were planted before the turn of the 20th century and still contribute to this wine. The namesake of this wine is a well-bred chestnut colt fouled in 1898 named "Footbolt." The 1998 vintage has won two gold and one silver medal in international wine competitions. The cabernet from d'Arenberg is the first to be grown with a trellis system, from which it gets its name "Hi Trellis," a great blend of fruit and tannins. Nicki had a treat for our pallets as she introduced "The Custodian." D'Arenberg's rich, luscious red wines have always been grenache based, and no other Australian winery has so proudly represented this varietal. D'Arenberg has kept watch over the grenache for more than 40 years, hence the name. This wine has rich cherry, strawberry characters with great fruit stemming from old unirrigated vines and a yield of less than one ton per acre.
Old Chatham camembert, foie gras, blue cheese tart with port reduction and strawberry quenelle matched with the d'Arenberg Shiraz Port '98.
Nicki
took leave by inviting all present to visit d'Arenberg Winery located
in McLaren Vale, South Australia. She told us the climate is mediated
Mediterranean with cool, wet winters and long warm, dry summers with
an annual rainfall of 26 to 28 inches. Drop in and share a glass of
wine.
Cellar
Notes
In the last issue of the Wine Society News, I reported the results of our club "wine-by-the-glass" survey. Now you can compare that to similar results from Wine & Spirits magazine's 12th Annual Restaurant Wine Poll. Listed below are certain facts and categories that may be of interest to you.
Keep
in mind that these results are from a restaurant poll, not a club poll.
We acknowledge Wine & Spirits
magazine for these facts taken from approximately 375 restaurants around the country in early 2001. Compare
the average prices to yours the next time your board harasses you about club restaurant profitability.
In the last issue of the Wine Society News, I reported the results of our club "wine-by-the-glass" survey. Now you can compare that to similar results from Wine & Spirits magazine's 12th Annual Restaurant Wine Poll. Listed below are certain facts and categories that may be of interest to you.
House
Chardonnay By-The-Glass
|
Public
Restaurant Wine Poll
|
||
| The
four most familiar names: Sonoma - Cutrer Mondavi Beringer Kendall - Jackson |
Most
Popular "Restaurant Sold" Wines by Variety:
|
|
|
Sauvignon
Blanc
|
Merlot
|
|
|
Ferrari-Carano
Cloudy Bay Duckhorn |
Markham
Sterling Blackstone |
|
|
Chardonnay
|
Pinot Noir
|
|
|
The
Average Price of a "Restaurant Sold" Glass or Bottle
of Wine in 2000
 |
||
|
Sonoma-Cutrer
Kendall-Jackson Cakebread Ferrari-Carano Chalk Hill Grgich Hills |
Cameron
Etude Sinskey |
|
|
Cabernet Sauvignon
|
Zinfandel
|
|
|
Jordon
Silver Oak Mondavi Sterling Star's Leap Winery Beringer |
Ridge
Ravenswood Rafanelli |
|
Keep
in mind that these results are from a restaurant poll, not a club poll.
We acknowledge Wine & Spirits magazine for these facts taken from approximately 375 restaurants around the country in early 2001. Compare
the average prices to yours the next time your board harasses you about club restaurant profitability.
While
most American wines are named after a single grape varietal, Meritage
Wines represent the highest form of the winemaker's art -- blending.
What
is Meritage Wine? Wine labels
including the term "meritage" are handcrafted, red or white American wines
blended from the "noble" bordeaux grape varieties.
Why was the Meritage Association Founded?
Most American
wines are varietal wines, named after the grape variety that comprises
at least 75 percent of that wine. A "cabernet sauvignon" labeled wine
must comprise 75 percent to 100 percent cabernet sauvignon grapes.
Many winemakers,
however, believe the 75 percent varietal requirement does not necessarily
result in the highest quality wine. And the government's generic names
for wines with less than 75 percent of a grape varietal, "table wine,"
does not convey quality. In
1988, a group of American vintners established a new wine category, Meritage,
to help wine consumers identify wines that represent the highest form
of the winemaker's art -- blending -- and to distinguish these wines from
so-called "table wines." Thus, the Meritage Association was formed.
What Does Meritage Mean?
Neither
French nor English, meritage is an invented word that combines "merit"
and "heritage," and rhymes with the latter.
Can Any Blended Wine be a Meritage?
No. To
obtain a license to use the meritage name, the wine must be a blend of
at least two of the traditional red or white bordeaux grape varietals.
No single varietal can make up more than 90 percent of the blend.
Which grape varietals are allowed?
|
The
red, "noble" bordeaux varieties:
* Cabernet Sauvignon; * Merlot; * Cabernet Franc; * Malbec; * Petit Verdot; * St. Macaire; * Gros Verdot; and * Carmenere. |
The
white, "noble" bordeaux varieties:
* Sauvignon Blanc; * Semillon; and * Sauvignon Vert. |
Meritage Association President Michaela Rodeno (CEO, St. Supery) encourages restaurants to separate meritage from the cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc sections on wine lists and shelves. Ms. Rodeno added that, "We want consumers to look to meritage as a signpost for a winery's best wine."
The Meritage Association
c/o St. Supery Winery
P. O. Box 38
Rutherford, CA 94573
For
information, visit the Meritage Association online at
www.meritagewine.org. The
Web site lists more than 60 wineries across the United States producing
Meritage wines. Michaela
Rodeno, 2001 Chairman of the Meritage Association. By
Lisa Caye Taylor, Club Sommelier, Cherokee Town & Country
Club, Atlanta, GA
Question: Lisa, tell us about the depth and breadth of Cherokee's wine offerings as well as the number of bottles and dollar value of your cellar.
Answer: Cherokee is very fortunate to have a well-stocked cellar. We currently cellar approximately 25,000 bottles with a dollar cost to us of just over $700,000. It seems like a lot of wine, and it is, but we are buying wines to sell today, two years, five years and even 20 years from now. Included in these 25,000 bottles are about 825 different wines. The most offered for sale at any given time is about 275 labels. The rest are aging for future use.
When you talk about breadth, then we have wines from most of the well-known wine-producing countries and all great regions within those countries. We are well-represented from France and the United States, this comprising about 80 to 85 percent of the total wines in the cellar. The other 15 to 20 percent are wines from Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and New Zealand. We are just this year establishing offerings from Chile and Argentina. We hope to add South Africa in the future.
The depth comes in when we have multiple vintages of wines from a single producer. An example would be having Opus One from the currently listed 1992 vintage right up through the current release of the 1997 vintage. Of course, we don't list every year we have, but just the vintages that fall into that prime "window of drinkability." We have several years of the Kenwood Artist Series Cabernets, Dominus, Chateau Lafite-Rothschild and the like. Once a year, I thoroughly evaluate every wine in the cellar and determine whether it's ready to drink or if we need to hold it longer. We do, of course, make mistakes and more than once I have listed a wine only to remove it from the list later because it turned out to be too young -- still too tannic and harsh. No, I don't taste every one of those bottles -- I knew you were thinking that. I use tasting notes from professionals like Robert Parker, Stephen Tanzer and Clive Coates. Their publications are invaluable when buying wines and deciding when to drink them.
Question: How do you deal with the perception of a wine-unfriendly board member that you are gambling the club's money on a big wine inventory and/or futures?
Answer: I'll get the futures question out of the way. We never buy futures on wine, that is, we don't buy wines that aren't vinified yet. That is too big a gamble, but we do commit to buying wines that have not been bottled. The wine is made and in barrel and has been reviewed by the experts. We know to some extent what the quality of a certain vintage will be. Then, I'm comfortable to make some purchasing decisions based on hours of research from many sources. Right now, I'm researching the much-heralded 2000 vintage from Bordeaux and hope to have an order ready in a day or two. We did the same for the 1997 California cabernet sauvignons and the 1997 Tuscan red wines.
In August of 1996, we were offered "first cut" or "first trench" pricing for the great 1995 vintage of bordeaux. After many hours of research, I narrowed down the proposed purchase to about $33,000. That is a huge commitment to a wine not yet in bottle. But with bordeaux, the prices never go down. A couple of years later, when the wines were bottled and released, my sales representative from that wholesaler had changed and our new representative was unaware of our previous commitment. He sent over a price list expecting me to make a purchase. I retrieved the original order from my files and compared prices. The same order we agreed to at $33,000 would now cost over $90,000. We still have those wines in our cellar, not yet ready to drink, and today their value is approximately $125,000 and still going up in value every day. No commercial restaurant could afford to tie up their money like that. But I would say, that's pretty good return on your investment. And our members can enjoy wines that are not readily available in most other restaurants around Atlanta.
None of this would be possible if we didn't have members who enjoy wine. That doesn't mean that the board members do, though. I do extensive tracking of wine sales by the day, by the week, by the year, so I know our members enjoy wine. In order to plan for the future, you must know the past. It takes a lot of time but the single key factor in making intelligent purchases is the tracking of past sales. I know daily what the member is paying for a glass or bottle of wine, how many bottles of red are sold versus white versus sparkling. How many are French versus American versus Australian. And I constantly compare our prices with other restaurants and retail shops. Then we chart this information to see what the trends are. And when we present the board with this distilled information, it makes them much more comfortable about investing in wine.
Question: Lisa, share with us some of the more interesting wine and food match-ups you have successfully been able to create in our `a la carte dining rooms recently.
Answer: Chef Paul is constantly challenging me to come up with wines for our Tuesday night wine dinners in the main dining room. He recently served as an appetizer country ham and lump crab meat crepes au gratin. I paired it with a 1997 Piesporter Goldtrophfchen Kabinett Riesling by Reichsgraff von Kesselstatt. The saltiness of the ham is countered by the natural sweetness of the riesling (I say natural, because the wine is vinified dry, but the riesling grape has the natural sweet flavors of apple and peach). The richness of the gratin is cut by the high acidity of the wine. Both have mild rather than powerful flavors so they balance each other.
Another interesting pairing was for a duck appetizer. The dish was a slice of seared duck breast on crustini topped with kiln dried cherry relish and plush of arugula. I paired this with a 1997 Willakenzie Pinot Noir from Oregon. This was a finger-food designed for a stand-up food and wine affinities event. Any of the younger vintages from Oregon (1998, 1999 or 2000) are too big and tannic and would have overpowered the dish. I chose a pinot noir for its young cherry flavor of forward fruit common for pinot noirs. The cherry relish was a bridge to bring this together. The high acidity of pinot noir also cuts through the fattiness of the duck breast and the very slight bitterness of the arugula brought another dimension to the appetizer enhanced by a slight bit of pepper also found in the wine.
Another recent wine dinner featured an appetizer of local melon wrapped with imported proscuitto. There is only one time tested affinity to match this dish often served in the southern Rhone Valley in France. The wine from that region was a 1996 Muscat de Beames-de-Venise, Vin doux Naturel by Paul Jaboulet Aine. Again, the sweetness of the wine plays off the saltiness of the proscuitto and the fruit flavors found in this wine mirror exactly the fruit flavors of the melon. The melon must be at its perfect state of ripeness for this to work well. Some members were a little confused that we served a dessert wine for the first course, but once you explain the basics and they tasted the dish, you could see by the look in their eyes -- they "get it." Don't be disappointed if not everyone appreciates every food and wine match you make. Taste is as individual as fingerprints. And even with a time-tested match like this last example, it's not going to please everyone. The important thing is to explain to your members the logic you used to make the pairing and hopefully this will encourage them to experiment on their own.
Question: Lisa, tell us about the depth and breadth of Cherokee's wine offerings as well as the number of bottles and dollar value of your cellar.
Answer: Cherokee is very fortunate to have a well-stocked cellar. We currently cellar approximately 25,000 bottles with a dollar cost to us of just over $700,000. It seems like a lot of wine, and it is, but we are buying wines to sell today, two years, five years and even 20 years from now. Included in these 25,000 bottles are about 825 different wines. The most offered for sale at any given time is about 275 labels. The rest are aging for future use.
When you talk about breadth, then we have wines from most of the well-known wine-producing countries and all great regions within those countries. We are well-represented from France and the United States, this comprising about 80 to 85 percent of the total wines in the cellar. The other 15 to 20 percent are wines from Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and New Zealand. We are just this year establishing offerings from Chile and Argentina. We hope to add South Africa in the future.
The depth comes in when we have multiple vintages of wines from a single producer. An example would be having Opus One from the currently listed 1992 vintage right up through the current release of the 1997 vintage. Of course, we don't list every year we have, but just the vintages that fall into that prime "window of drinkability." We have several years of the Kenwood Artist Series Cabernets, Dominus, Chateau Lafite-Rothschild and the like. Once a year, I thoroughly evaluate every wine in the cellar and determine whether it's ready to drink or if we need to hold it longer. We do, of course, make mistakes and more than once I have listed a wine only to remove it from the list later because it turned out to be too young -- still too tannic and harsh. No, I don't taste every one of those bottles -- I knew you were thinking that. I use tasting notes from professionals like Robert Parker, Stephen Tanzer and Clive Coates. Their publications are invaluable when buying wines and deciding when to drink them.
Question: How do you deal with the perception of a wine-unfriendly board member that you are gambling the club's money on a big wine inventory and/or futures?
Answer: I'll get the futures question out of the way. We never buy futures on wine, that is, we don't buy wines that aren't vinified yet. That is too big a gamble, but we do commit to buying wines that have not been bottled. The wine is made and in barrel and has been reviewed by the experts. We know to some extent what the quality of a certain vintage will be. Then, I'm comfortable to make some purchasing decisions based on hours of research from many sources. Right now, I'm researching the much-heralded 2000 vintage from Bordeaux and hope to have an order ready in a day or two. We did the same for the 1997 California cabernet sauvignons and the 1997 Tuscan red wines.
In August of 1996, we were offered "first cut" or "first trench" pricing for the great 1995 vintage of bordeaux. After many hours of research, I narrowed down the proposed purchase to about $33,000. That is a huge commitment to a wine not yet in bottle. But with bordeaux, the prices never go down. A couple of years later, when the wines were bottled and released, my sales representative from that wholesaler had changed and our new representative was unaware of our previous commitment. He sent over a price list expecting me to make a purchase. I retrieved the original order from my files and compared prices. The same order we agreed to at $33,000 would now cost over $90,000. We still have those wines in our cellar, not yet ready to drink, and today their value is approximately $125,000 and still going up in value every day. No commercial restaurant could afford to tie up their money like that. But I would say, that's pretty good return on your investment. And our members can enjoy wines that are not readily available in most other restaurants around Atlanta.
None of this would be possible if we didn't have members who enjoy wine. That doesn't mean that the board members do, though. I do extensive tracking of wine sales by the day, by the week, by the year, so I know our members enjoy wine. In order to plan for the future, you must know the past. It takes a lot of time but the single key factor in making intelligent purchases is the tracking of past sales. I know daily what the member is paying for a glass or bottle of wine, how many bottles of red are sold versus white versus sparkling. How many are French versus American versus Australian. And I constantly compare our prices with other restaurants and retail shops. Then we chart this information to see what the trends are. And when we present the board with this distilled information, it makes them much more comfortable about investing in wine.
Question: Lisa, share with us some of the more interesting wine and food match-ups you have successfully been able to create in our `a la carte dining rooms recently.
Answer: Chef Paul is constantly challenging me to come up with wines for our Tuesday night wine dinners in the main dining room. He recently served as an appetizer country ham and lump crab meat crepes au gratin. I paired it with a 1997 Piesporter Goldtrophfchen Kabinett Riesling by Reichsgraff von Kesselstatt. The saltiness of the ham is countered by the natural sweetness of the riesling (I say natural, because the wine is vinified dry, but the riesling grape has the natural sweet flavors of apple and peach). The richness of the gratin is cut by the high acidity of the wine. Both have mild rather than powerful flavors so they balance each other.
Another interesting pairing was for a duck appetizer. The dish was a slice of seared duck breast on crustini topped with kiln dried cherry relish and plush of arugula. I paired this with a 1997 Willakenzie Pinot Noir from Oregon. This was a finger-food designed for a stand-up food and wine affinities event. Any of the younger vintages from Oregon (1998, 1999 or 2000) are too big and tannic and would have overpowered the dish. I chose a pinot noir for its young cherry flavor of forward fruit common for pinot noirs. The cherry relish was a bridge to bring this together. The high acidity of pinot noir also cuts through the fattiness of the duck breast and the very slight bitterness of the arugula brought another dimension to the appetizer enhanced by a slight bit of pepper also found in the wine.
Another recent wine dinner featured an appetizer of local melon wrapped with imported proscuitto. There is only one time tested affinity to match this dish often served in the southern Rhone Valley in France. The wine from that region was a 1996 Muscat de Beames-de-Venise, Vin doux Naturel by Paul Jaboulet Aine. Again, the sweetness of the wine plays off the saltiness of the proscuitto and the fruit flavors found in this wine mirror exactly the fruit flavors of the melon. The melon must be at its perfect state of ripeness for this to work well. Some members were a little confused that we served a dessert wine for the first course, but once you explain the basics and they tasted the dish, you could see by the look in their eyes -- they "get it." Don't be disappointed if not everyone appreciates every food and wine match you make. Taste is as individual as fingerprints. And even with a time-tested match like this last example, it's not going to please everyone. The important thing is to explain to your members the logic you used to make the pairing and hopefully this will encourage them to experiment on their own.
"We
want consumers to look to meritage as a signpost for a winery's
best wine."
"Ask the Sommelier" will become a regular column in the next few issues of Wine Society News based on the number of questions that we receive from you directed toward Lisa.
Please FAX your question(s) to "Ask the Sommelier" at (703) 739-0124.
"Ask the Sommelier" will become a regular column in the next few issues of Wine Society News based on the number of questions that we receive from you directed toward Lisa.
Please FAX your question(s) to "Ask the Sommelier" at (703) 739-0124.
Click HERE for the test.
Society
Happenings - Washington
Wine Tour 2001 -
By
Laura "Scout" O'Gara
In the spring,
I received a phone call from my father, Chuck Walter, CCM. Some of you
know him as a past president of CMAA. Others know him and Michael Robinson,
MCM, as two managers with an absolute passion for wine. For years now,
the two have been organizing and hosting wine tours for CMAA's International
Wine Society. The tours have included visits to South America, South Africa,
Australia, Europe and, of course, California. This year, they decided
that the Washington state wine country was ready for the CMAA Wine Society.
Over the phone, my father proceeded to sheepishly ask if I had plans for July 8-12. He had been offered a cruise with my mother to the French Polynesian Islands for the same dates. Michael Robinson had designated this summer to complete his comprehensive exams in preparation for his Ph.D. dissertation. Therefore, if my father went on the cruise, neither of them would be available to host the tour. I considered offering to go on the cruise on his behalf, but thought twice as I recalled all of the sacrifices he had made on my behalf through the years. As a dutiful and loving daughter, I agreed to host the tour. I knew with a degree in oenology (University of California, Davis) and years spent as a wine broker, distributor and retailer, I was well-qualified for the job. However, I had never hosted 30 people for a four-day trip through wine country. I prayed the group would go easy on me.
On
Sunday, July 8, the contingency of club managers and their spouses gathered
at the Washington Athletic Club (WAC) in Seattle to kick off the 2001
Washington Wine Tour. WAC Vice President and Food and Beverage Manager
Robert Bonina and WAC President Jim Johnson welcomed us to their club
and treated us to an innovative menu of seviche geoduck margarita, smoked
sturgeon, wood-roasted squab, apricot florentine napoleon and a palette
of gourmet cheeses. With the menu, they paired the delightful wines of
McCrea, Woodward Canyon, Chinook, Cayuse, Gordon Brothers and Preston.
As if that weren't enough to get everyone in the mood for a wine tour,
we were also given a slide presentation on the history of wines in Washington,
the appellations and the growing conditions.
As I looked around the room that night, I found myself getting excited about the tour. We had assembled a very diverse group of people. Some were veterans of past CMAA Wine Society tours. Others had never been to any wine country. We had managers from the East Coast, Midwest and Washington. In addition to spouses, we had a fiancée with us, as well as a manager who had brought his father along as a Father's Day gift. I don't think any of us could wait for morning to arrive so that we could get on with the show!
Monday morning found everyone in the lobby bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. All were prompt, having been warned, I think, of Chuck's (Dad's) infamy for leaving people behind if they were late. Little did they know that I was a softy, who didn't have it in her heart to actually leave anyone behind. Our first stop, half-an-hour out of downtown Seattle, was Chateau Ste. Michelle. Our guide, Layne, shared his knowledge that he had gained from 21 years of being a tour guide. We were shown many parts of the busy winery, in the midst of cold stabilizing and bottling their wines. We also watched as two coopers reconditioned oak barrels by lining them with new staves, extending their useful life in the winery.
We
enjoyed a luncheon in The Manor House on the property. One bright, airy
room spaciously accommodated all of us. With wood floors, a plethora of
windows and a museum quality display of glass art by Dale Chihuly, the
stage was set. Chateau Ste. Michelle's culinary director and executive
chef showcased a meal of incredible beef tenderloin with wild mushroom
sauce, frizzled Walla Walla onions, gorgonzola and sun-dried tomato polenta
and fresh Washington asparagus. Of course, the food paired wonderfully
with Ste. Michelle's 1999 Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, 1998 Canoe Ridge
Merlot and 1998 Cold Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. All was finished with an
almond shortcake with peaches and nectarines, lemon curd cream and raspberry
coulis accompanying the 1998 Late Harvest Reserve Semillon. The quantity
of good food and wine was a sign of things to come as we happily strode
off to the bus.
The bus ride to the eastern part of the state took the better part of the afternoon as the group sat on the bus reading, visiting and napping after the full lunch. We arrived at Sagelands Winery 20 minutes ahead of schedule, and our host jumped right in. Frederique Vion is the assistant winemaker at Sagelands and a real delight. With her provincial French accent and her enthusiasm for wine making, we were all charmed. Following a short vineyard and winery tour, we were invited to an intensive barrel tasting. For those of us who hadn't barrel tasted before, this was trial by fire. The wines were delicious, but very different from the final bottled product. Sagelands barrel-ages their wines separately by vineyard, then blends the products of all their vineyards to create the final masterpiece. Consequently, some wines are soft, some tannic, while some are fruity and others more vegetal. We tasted the 2000 cabernet sauvignon from the Sagelands Vineyard, Spring Creek Vineyard and Elephant Hill Vineyard along with the 2000 merlot from various vineyards. After warming up our palates, Frederique led us in a tasting of the 1997, 1998 and 1999 Sagelands Merlot, the 1996 Staton Hills Merlot (the winery's name prior to being purchased by the Chalone Group), Canoe Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon (a sister winery of Sagelands) and 1998 and 1999 Sagelands Cabernet Sauvignon.
Without missing a beat, Frederique knew we were in need of a good water break. After guzzling our water on the patio and front lawn of the winery, we sat down for dinner upstairs. Dinner was comprised of a delicious salad, lamb with curry couscous and raspberry sorbet. Not to forget, of course, the Sagelands Semillon, Canoe Ridge Chardonnay, Canoe Ridge Merlot and Canoe Ridge Gewurztraminer. Not yet completely satisfied, Frederique decided to share with us her Sagelands Orange Muscat Port. Sagelands made just one barrel of this wine, and she was kind enough to share it with us. Some of us began to wonder if we would really be ready to taste more wine at just 10:00 the next morning!
After bidding farewell, we loaded ourselves back onto the bus for a drive to Richland where we would spend the next two nights. The bus was quiet as we watched the cool maritime influence and forests of Seattle give way to the rolling hills and heat of the Yakima Valley. As we peered out of the bus, we were treated to the sight of a few stately bald eagles perched in their nests, as well as some elegant blue heron. Finally we arrived at the Hampton Inn in Richland. The hotel was built right on the shores of the Columbia River and was a welcome sight. They had our keys waiting for us, and we quickly dispersed for the evening.
Tuesday morning found members of our group strolling along the Columbia River as the sun came up, then wandering into the hotel for breakfast. Following our leisurely start to the day, we boarded our bus for the Hedges Winery. Talk about pulling out all of the stops! We were in for an amazing visit.
At
the front door to greet us upon our arrival were Owner Pete Hedges, Winemaker
Steve Lassard, Vineyard Manager John Gomez and Sales Manager Lorne Jacobson.
Over the course of the morning they gladly shared their depth of knowledge
with us through an overview of the vineyards, a "back-of-the-house" winery
tour and a barrel tasting. We enjoyed a fabulous lunch with them complete
with delicious cheeses in their beautiful winery. Accenting the flavors
of the lunch and the cheeses were Hedges Fume-Chardonnay, Cabernet-Merlot,
Three Vineyard Red and Red Mountain Reserve. All fabulous, well-crafted
wines. The kicker, though, was their port. The winery made just two barrels
of it, and sell it in their tasting room only. It was incredible. So delicious,
in fact, that most of us found it irresistible. Even those of us who prided
ourselves on pacing our consumption through the day, found ourselves quaffing
fortified wine before noon. We reluctantly pulled away from Hedges serenaded
by road songs and cheers of onward. I should note that "Frisky Frank,"
our road song conductor, earned his moniker at Hedges. Every time a fork
chimed against a glass requesting silence for a toast or announcement,
Frank understood it to mean he owed his bride a newlywed kiss. Watch out
Linda, we're officially in wine country!!
A short drive led us to the Columbia Crest Winery. This winery provided the perfect example of the diversity existent in this industry. Just hours ago, we had reveled in the simplicity of a small, family-owned winery. We spent a morning with the principals in a very casual atmosphere. We now found ourselves at a corporate-owned winery that produces more than one million cases of wine annually. Two amicable women, who conducted the tour over a portable microphone system, guided us. The winery's insurance required tour guests to wear safety goggles in the winery. The experience wasn't better or worse than our prior winery visit due to these facts, it was just unique and different. We all found ourselves needing to shift gears, something club managers know all about. Following the tour we were treated to a tasting of the Columbia Crest Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Ice Wine. The wines were accompanied by a tasteful selection of cheese, crackers and chocolates. With a little downtime following the tasting, we were free to raid the retail gift shop and sit on the patio to absorb some of the sun's rays. We were blessed throughout the entire trip with blue skies and warm sunshine.
The
Hogue Winery was just a short distance away from Columbia Crest, and by
the time we arrived, we were all ready for more touring and tasting. Assistant
Winemaker Wade Wolfe and Tasting Room Manager Charlie Trevino greeted
us promptly upon our arrival at their tasting room. Mr. Wolfe rode our
bus with us to their nearby winery and showed us around. Not wanting to
deprive us of any tasting opportunity, he invited us to barrel taste a
few wines. I found myself hooked on the sangiovese, available in the tasting
room only, of course. I seem to have a knack for picking out the unavailable
wines! As we arrived back at the tasting room with Mr. Wolfe, we admired
picnic tables, set in the shade on the lawn, awaiting us. We dined on
BBQ T-bone steak, salad, scalloped potatoes and grilled vegetables. In
addition to the welcome water and iced tea set on the tables were Hogue
Viognier, Vineyard Select Chardonnay, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and the
Genesis Label Cabernet Franc. A true highlight of the evening was the
presence of Mama Hogue. She joined us for dinner in her sons absence (last
minute tickets to the Major League All-Star Baseball game in Seattle led
them astray), and she entertained those of us lucky enough to sit with
her with stories of her life on this land. She is a really amazing woman,
with a great sense of humor. As the sun settled into the horizon, our
bus pulled away for one last night at the Hampton Inn in Richland.
The last morning of the tour took us on a roughly three-hour bus ride back into the Seattle area, landing at the Columbia Winery. We arrived a bit late after the long drive in, but they were patient with us. Charla Metcalf, the events/communications coordinator, and Robert Takahashi, enologist and lab manager, hosted us. Providing us with a change of pace, we began our visit with hors d'oeuvres and lunch, followed by a short winery tour. The food from Epicurean Catering was outstanding. It consisted of, among other things, poached salmon with mustard dill sauce and tenderloin roulade rolled with wild mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and stuffed with fresh mozzarella. Also, a signature summer salad tossed in balsamic vinaigrette with seasonal summer berries and caramelized pecan pralines, topped with gorgonzola cheese. Bringing up the rear were riesling chicken with apple ginger sauce, wild risotto and an assortment of bite-size desserts. To say we were full would be the understatement of the year! The accompanying wines were Covey Run (a sister winery) 1999 Fume Blanc, 1998 Barrel Select Merlot, 1999 Chardonnay and 1998 Ice Wine Riesling. From the Columbia Winery itself were 2000 Gewurztraminer, 1999 Chardonnay, 1999 Semillon, 1998 Merlot and 1998 Syrah. Whew! Following the tour we rolled our satiated selves back onto the bus for the drive back to the Washington Athletic Club.
Due to traffic en route to the club, we arrived with only minutes to disembark the bus, fetch our baggage, check into the hotel, change our clothing to more formal attire for the evening and reboard the bus. When I offered a recommended time frame within which to accomplish all of this (roughly 12 minutes), my faithful tour-goers stared at me as if I had lost my mind. I wondered, in fact, if I actually had. Up to the challenge though, in true "we can do it" spirit, everyone barreled off the bus. As they scurried off to the check-in desk, the bus driver and I slung luggage out from under the bus. The Washington Athletic Club employees were impressive in their willingness and speed at accommodating us with a lightning fast check-in. Amazingly, we found ourselves back in the bus in short order, dressed up and barreling toward Pier 54.
Waiting for us at the waterfront were the owners of the Kiona Winery. They had already loaded their wines and hors d'ouvres onto the 70-foot sailing yacht we were set to board. Next thing we knew, the sails were up and we were heeled over while sipping delicious wine and nibbling scrumptious food. One of our group members delighted in telling the owners of Kiona that we thought they had the most stunning winery in all of Washington, sails and all. The view of downtown Seattle, Mt. Rainier and the outlying islands were truly breathtaking. The salmon canapés and Kiona Syrah seemed to top it all off. A few of our members admitted that this was their maiden voyage on any sailboat ... what an introduction!
Our
trip culminated a few blocks from the pier, at the Harbor Club of Seattle.
The dining room is perched 17 floors above Puget Sound, right on the water.
With more than a 180-degree view of Seattle, it seemed we could see the
world, including Japan, if we squinted. Joining us at the Harbor Club
was Gregory Lill, the COO of DeLille Cellars. Executive Chef Bryan Vietmeier
is a veteran of CMAA wine tours, and truly outdid himself with the menu.
He shared with us that he had strolled through the Pike Place Market that
morning, handpicking the choicest of the products. The result was a delicious
menu of hot house tomato and local sweet onion salad with arugula and
tomato cambazola vinaigrette, smoked Alaskan white king salmon with basil-balsamic
local bing cherries and matchstick yellow finn potatoes and, lastly, dark
chocolate soufflé with local berry compote. We all marveled at
the accomplishment of not only such exquisite food, but also the carefully
considered pairings with the DeLille 1998 Harrison Hill, 1998 Chaleur
Estate and the 1998 D2. Our hats are off to you, Bryan.
As the sun set on Puget Sound, our dining room took on a rosy hue. We graciously thanked our hosts and headed back to the bus for one last bus ride. As we arrived back at the Washington Athletic Club, handshakes and hugs were exchanged as we bid our farewells and wandered wearily back to our rooms.
After falling into bed for one last hasty night's sleep in Seattle, I thought to myself, "Give me a year to gather my gumption and I'll be ready to hit the road again." So, Dad and Michael, if you are reading this ... they didn't scare me off! I had agreat
time and will love to help you out of any future scheduling binds. Until
then, have a great time on the Burgundy wine tour next fall. I'll be thinking
of you!
In the spring,
I received a phone call from my father, Chuck Walter, CCM. Some of you
know him as a past president of CMAA. Others know him and Michael Robinson,
MCM, as two managers with an absolute passion for wine. For years now,
the two have been organizing and hosting wine tours for CMAA's International
Wine Society. The tours have included visits to South America, South Africa,
Australia, Europe and, of course, California. This year, they decided
that the Washington state wine country was ready for the CMAA Wine Society.Over the phone, my father proceeded to sheepishly ask if I had plans for July 8-12. He had been offered a cruise with my mother to the French Polynesian Islands for the same dates. Michael Robinson had designated this summer to complete his comprehensive exams in preparation for his Ph.D. dissertation. Therefore, if my father went on the cruise, neither of them would be available to host the tour. I considered offering to go on the cruise on his behalf, but thought twice as I recalled all of the sacrifices he had made on my behalf through the years. As a dutiful and loving daughter, I agreed to host the tour. I knew with a degree in oenology (University of California, Davis) and years spent as a wine broker, distributor and retailer, I was well-qualified for the job. However, I had never hosted 30 people for a four-day trip through wine country. I prayed the group would go easy on me.
On
Sunday, July 8, the contingency of club managers and their spouses gathered
at the Washington Athletic Club (WAC) in Seattle to kick off the 2001
Washington Wine Tour. WAC Vice President and Food and Beverage Manager
Robert Bonina and WAC President Jim Johnson welcomed us to their club
and treated us to an innovative menu of seviche geoduck margarita, smoked
sturgeon, wood-roasted squab, apricot florentine napoleon and a palette
of gourmet cheeses. With the menu, they paired the delightful wines of
McCrea, Woodward Canyon, Chinook, Cayuse, Gordon Brothers and Preston.
As if that weren't enough to get everyone in the mood for a wine tour,
we were also given a slide presentation on the history of wines in Washington,
the appellations and the growing conditions.As I looked around the room that night, I found myself getting excited about the tour. We had assembled a very diverse group of people. Some were veterans of past CMAA Wine Society tours. Others had never been to any wine country. We had managers from the East Coast, Midwest and Washington. In addition to spouses, we had a fiancée with us, as well as a manager who had brought his father along as a Father's Day gift. I don't think any of us could wait for morning to arrive so that we could get on with the show!
Monday morning found everyone in the lobby bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. All were prompt, having been warned, I think, of Chuck's (Dad's) infamy for leaving people behind if they were late. Little did they know that I was a softy, who didn't have it in her heart to actually leave anyone behind. Our first stop, half-an-hour out of downtown Seattle, was Chateau Ste. Michelle. Our guide, Layne, shared his knowledge that he had gained from 21 years of being a tour guide. We were shown many parts of the busy winery, in the midst of cold stabilizing and bottling their wines. We also watched as two coopers reconditioned oak barrels by lining them with new staves, extending their useful life in the winery.
We
enjoyed a luncheon in The Manor House on the property. One bright, airy
room spaciously accommodated all of us. With wood floors, a plethora of
windows and a museum quality display of glass art by Dale Chihuly, the
stage was set. Chateau Ste. Michelle's culinary director and executive
chef showcased a meal of incredible beef tenderloin with wild mushroom
sauce, frizzled Walla Walla onions, gorgonzola and sun-dried tomato polenta
and fresh Washington asparagus. Of course, the food paired wonderfully
with Ste. Michelle's 1999 Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, 1998 Canoe Ridge
Merlot and 1998 Cold Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. All was finished with an
almond shortcake with peaches and nectarines, lemon curd cream and raspberry
coulis accompanying the 1998 Late Harvest Reserve Semillon. The quantity
of good food and wine was a sign of things to come as we happily strode
off to the bus.The bus ride to the eastern part of the state took the better part of the afternoon as the group sat on the bus reading, visiting and napping after the full lunch. We arrived at Sagelands Winery 20 minutes ahead of schedule, and our host jumped right in. Frederique Vion is the assistant winemaker at Sagelands and a real delight. With her provincial French accent and her enthusiasm for wine making, we were all charmed. Following a short vineyard and winery tour, we were invited to an intensive barrel tasting. For those of us who hadn't barrel tasted before, this was trial by fire. The wines were delicious, but very different from the final bottled product. Sagelands barrel-ages their wines separately by vineyard, then blends the products of all their vineyards to create the final masterpiece. Consequently, some wines are soft, some tannic, while some are fruity and others more vegetal. We tasted the 2000 cabernet sauvignon from the Sagelands Vineyard, Spring Creek Vineyard and Elephant Hill Vineyard along with the 2000 merlot from various vineyards. After warming up our palates, Frederique led us in a tasting of the 1997, 1998 and 1999 Sagelands Merlot, the 1996 Staton Hills Merlot (the winery's name prior to being purchased by the Chalone Group), Canoe Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon (a sister winery of Sagelands) and 1998 and 1999 Sagelands Cabernet Sauvignon.
Without missing a beat, Frederique knew we were in need of a good water break. After guzzling our water on the patio and front lawn of the winery, we sat down for dinner upstairs. Dinner was comprised of a delicious salad, lamb with curry couscous and raspberry sorbet. Not to forget, of course, the Sagelands Semillon, Canoe Ridge Chardonnay, Canoe Ridge Merlot and Canoe Ridge Gewurztraminer. Not yet completely satisfied, Frederique decided to share with us her Sagelands Orange Muscat Port. Sagelands made just one barrel of this wine, and she was kind enough to share it with us. Some of us began to wonder if we would really be ready to taste more wine at just 10:00 the next morning!
After bidding farewell, we loaded ourselves back onto the bus for a drive to Richland where we would spend the next two nights. The bus was quiet as we watched the cool maritime influence and forests of Seattle give way to the rolling hills and heat of the Yakima Valley. As we peered out of the bus, we were treated to the sight of a few stately bald eagles perched in their nests, as well as some elegant blue heron. Finally we arrived at the Hampton Inn in Richland. The hotel was built right on the shores of the Columbia River and was a welcome sight. They had our keys waiting for us, and we quickly dispersed for the evening.
Tuesday morning found members of our group strolling along the Columbia River as the sun came up, then wandering into the hotel for breakfast. Following our leisurely start to the day, we boarded our bus for the Hedges Winery. Talk about pulling out all of the stops! We were in for an amazing visit.
At
the front door to greet us upon our arrival were Owner Pete Hedges, Winemaker
Steve Lassard, Vineyard Manager John Gomez and Sales Manager Lorne Jacobson.
Over the course of the morning they gladly shared their depth of knowledge
with us through an overview of the vineyards, a "back-of-the-house" winery
tour and a barrel tasting. We enjoyed a fabulous lunch with them complete
with delicious cheeses in their beautiful winery. Accenting the flavors
of the lunch and the cheeses were Hedges Fume-Chardonnay, Cabernet-Merlot,
Three Vineyard Red and Red Mountain Reserve. All fabulous, well-crafted
wines. The kicker, though, was their port. The winery made just two barrels
of it, and sell it in their tasting room only. It was incredible. So delicious,
in fact, that most of us found it irresistible. Even those of us who prided
ourselves on pacing our consumption through the day, found ourselves quaffing
fortified wine before noon. We reluctantly pulled away from Hedges serenaded
by road songs and cheers of onward. I should note that "Frisky Frank,"
our road song conductor, earned his moniker at Hedges. Every time a fork
chimed against a glass requesting silence for a toast or announcement,
Frank understood it to mean he owed his bride a newlywed kiss. Watch out
Linda, we're officially in wine country!!A short drive led us to the Columbia Crest Winery. This winery provided the perfect example of the diversity existent in this industry. Just hours ago, we had reveled in the simplicity of a small, family-owned winery. We spent a morning with the principals in a very casual atmosphere. We now found ourselves at a corporate-owned winery that produces more than one million cases of wine annually. Two amicable women, who conducted the tour over a portable microphone system, guided us. The winery's insurance required tour guests to wear safety goggles in the winery. The experience wasn't better or worse than our prior winery visit due to these facts, it was just unique and different. We all found ourselves needing to shift gears, something club managers know all about. Following the tour we were treated to a tasting of the Columbia Crest Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Ice Wine. The wines were accompanied by a tasteful selection of cheese, crackers and chocolates. With a little downtime following the tasting, we were free to raid the retail gift shop and sit on the patio to absorb some of the sun's rays. We were blessed throughout the entire trip with blue skies and warm sunshine.
The
Hogue Winery was just a short distance away from Columbia Crest, and by
the time we arrived, we were all ready for more touring and tasting. Assistant
Winemaker Wade Wolfe and Tasting Room Manager Charlie Trevino greeted
us promptly upon our arrival at their tasting room. Mr. Wolfe rode our
bus with us to their nearby winery and showed us around. Not wanting to
deprive us of any tasting opportunity, he invited us to barrel taste a
few wines. I found myself hooked on the sangiovese, available in the tasting
room only, of course. I seem to have a knack for picking out the unavailable
wines! As we arrived back at the tasting room with Mr. Wolfe, we admired
picnic tables, set in the shade on the lawn, awaiting us. We dined on
BBQ T-bone steak, salad, scalloped potatoes and grilled vegetables. In
addition to the welcome water and iced tea set on the tables were Hogue
Viognier, Vineyard Select Chardonnay, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and the
Genesis Label Cabernet Franc. A true highlight of the evening was the
presence of Mama Hogue. She joined us for dinner in her sons absence (last
minute tickets to the Major League All-Star Baseball game in Seattle led
them astray), and she entertained those of us lucky enough to sit with
her with stories of her life on this land. She is a really amazing woman,
with a great sense of humor. As the sun settled into the horizon, our
bus pulled away for one last night at the Hampton Inn in Richland.The last morning of the tour took us on a roughly three-hour bus ride back into the Seattle area, landing at the Columbia Winery. We arrived a bit late after the long drive in, but they were patient with us. Charla Metcalf, the events/communications coordinator, and Robert Takahashi, enologist and lab manager, hosted us. Providing us with a change of pace, we began our visit with hors d'oeuvres and lunch, followed by a short winery tour. The food from Epicurean Catering was outstanding. It consisted of, among other things, poached salmon with mustard dill sauce and tenderloin roulade rolled with wild mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and stuffed with fresh mozzarella. Also, a signature summer salad tossed in balsamic vinaigrette with seasonal summer berries and caramelized pecan pralines, topped with gorgonzola cheese. Bringing up the rear were riesling chicken with apple ginger sauce, wild risotto and an assortment of bite-size desserts. To say we were full would be the understatement of the year! The accompanying wines were Covey Run (a sister winery) 1999 Fume Blanc, 1998 Barrel Select Merlot, 1999 Chardonnay and 1998 Ice Wine Riesling. From the Columbia Winery itself were 2000 Gewurztraminer, 1999 Chardonnay, 1999 Semillon, 1998 Merlot and 1998 Syrah. Whew! Following the tour we rolled our satiated selves back onto the bus for the drive back to the Washington Athletic Club.
Due to traffic en route to the club, we arrived with only minutes to disembark the bus, fetch our baggage, check into the hotel, change our clothing to more formal attire for the evening and reboard the bus. When I offered a recommended time frame within which to accomplish all of this (roughly 12 minutes), my faithful tour-goers stared at me as if I had lost my mind. I wondered, in fact, if I actually had. Up to the challenge though, in true "we can do it" spirit, everyone barreled off the bus. As they scurried off to the check-in desk, the bus driver and I slung luggage out from under the bus. The Washington Athletic Club employees were impressive in their willingness and speed at accommodating us with a lightning fast check-in. Amazingly, we found ourselves back in the bus in short order, dressed up and barreling toward Pier 54.
Waiting for us at the waterfront were the owners of the Kiona Winery. They had already loaded their wines and hors d'ouvres onto the 70-foot sailing yacht we were set to board. Next thing we knew, the sails were up and we were heeled over while sipping delicious wine and nibbling scrumptious food. One of our group members delighted in telling the owners of Kiona that we thought they had the most stunning winery in all of Washington, sails and all. The view of downtown Seattle, Mt. Rainier and the outlying islands were truly breathtaking. The salmon canapés and Kiona Syrah seemed to top it all off. A few of our members admitted that this was their maiden voyage on any sailboat ... what an introduction!
Our
trip culminated a few blocks from the pier, at the Harbor Club of Seattle.
The dining room is perched 17 floors above Puget Sound, right on the water.
With more than a 180-degree view of Seattle, it seemed we could see the
world, including Japan, if we squinted. Joining us at the Harbor Club
was Gregory Lill, the COO of DeLille Cellars. Executive Chef Bryan Vietmeier
is a veteran of CMAA wine tours, and truly outdid himself with the menu.
He shared with us that he had strolled through the Pike Place Market that
morning, handpicking the choicest of the products. The result was a delicious
menu of hot house tomato and local sweet onion salad with arugula and
tomato cambazola vinaigrette, smoked Alaskan white king salmon with basil-balsamic
local bing cherries and matchstick yellow finn potatoes and, lastly, dark
chocolate soufflé with local berry compote. We all marveled at
the accomplishment of not only such exquisite food, but also the carefully
considered pairings with the DeLille 1998 Harrison Hill, 1998 Chaleur
Estate and the 1998 D2. Our hats are off to you, Bryan.As the sun set on Puget Sound, our dining room took on a rosy hue. We graciously thanked our hosts and headed back to the bus for one last bus ride. As we arrived back at the Washington Athletic Club, handshakes and hugs were exchanged as we bid our farewells and wandered wearily back to our rooms.
After falling into bed for one last hasty night's sleep in Seattle, I thought to myself, "Give me a year to gather my gumption and I'll be ready to hit the road again." So, Dad and Michael, if you are reading this ... they didn't scare me off! I had a
great
time and will love to help you out of any future scheduling binds. Until
then, have a great time on the Burgundy wine tour next fall. I'll be thinking
of you! Wine
Society News is Online
Have you misplaced your copy of the latest issue of the Wine Society News? Can't remember the dates for the next Wine Society event? Or, perhaps, you don't remember which wine is better paired with grilled salmon. The answers are now at your fingertips -- Wine Society News has gone online. Log on to www.cmaa.org/winesoc/WSNews and find each of this year's issues ready for your use and enjoyment. Of course, the newsletter will continue to be mailed to all Wine Society members, but we hope that you find this new online format useful. And in case you were wondering ... pinot noir is what goes best with grilled salmon!
"A glass of good wine is a gracious gesture." - Sir Walter Scott
Have you misplaced your copy of the latest issue of the Wine Society News? Can't remember the dates for the next Wine Society event? Or, perhaps, you don't remember which wine is better paired with grilled salmon. The answers are now at your fingertips -- Wine Society News has gone online. Log on to www.cmaa.org/winesoc/WSNews and find each of this year's issues ready for your use and enjoyment. Of course, the newsletter will continue to be mailed to all Wine Society members, but we hope that you find this new online format useful. And in case you were wondering ... pinot noir is what goes best with grilled salmon!
"A glass of good wine is a gracious gesture." - Sir Walter Scott
The International
Wine Society is proud to introduce an online forum that may have special
interest to you as a Wine Society member, the Wine Forum. CMAA members
across the country have taken advantage of the online club management
forums available through ClubNet®, which include everything
from computers to course maintenance and remodeling to retirement plans.
Perhaps you have some questions regarding food and wine pairing or the proper method to store wine. Now you can post a message for the entire CMAA membership to read and to which they can reply. This Wine Forum could also be your chance to help out your fellow managers who may not be as wine savvy.
We suggest that you monitor the forum frequently and share your wine knowledge and experience with your fellow managers.
Subscribing to this new forum couldn't be easier. You can either send an e-mail to club-wine request@cmaa.org with the word "subscribe" in the TEXT of the message (not the "subject" of the e mail). Or, simply post a message in the forum at www.cmaa.org/discuss. If, for some reason you need to unsubscribe to the Wine Forum or any other forum you've already joined, send an e-mail to club-wine request@cmaa.org with the word "unsubscribe" in the TEXT of the message. And if you need to review which forums you've signed up for in the past, visit ClubNet at www.cmaa.org/register and a list will be provided to you. Join the Wine Forum today!
Perhaps you have some questions regarding food and wine pairing or the proper method to store wine. Now you can post a message for the entire CMAA membership to read and to which they can reply. This Wine Forum could also be your chance to help out your fellow managers who may not be as wine savvy.
We suggest that you monitor the forum frequently and share your wine knowledge and experience with your fellow managers.
Subscribing to this new forum couldn't be easier. You can either send an e-mail to club-wine request@cmaa.org with the word "subscribe" in the TEXT of the message (not the "subject" of the e mail). Or, simply post a message in the forum at www.cmaa.org/discuss. If, for some reason you need to unsubscribe to the Wine Forum or any other forum you've already joined, send an e-mail to club-wine request@cmaa.org with the word "unsubscribe" in the TEXT of the message. And if you need to review which forums you've signed up for in the past, visit ClubNet at www.cmaa.org/register and a list will be provided to you. Join the Wine Forum today!
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Fill
In The Blank
1. chardonnay 2. New York 3. quinta 4. sherry |
Matching
8. D 9. A 10. F 11. B 12. C 13. E |
|
True
or False
5. True 6. True 7. False |
Multiple
Choice
14. C 15. F |
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