National Tasting Project - Rhone Wines

Rhône Wines: Compare and Contrast

Join us for the National Tasting Project on Thursday, September 12, 2013.  The tasting is planned so that all members can sample and evaluate the same wines. We want to expose the membership to wine with which they may not be familiar and give them an opportunity to explore wine regions around the world, products of different terroir and different wine making styles.

The NTP Committee, composed of eight members across the US stretching from Connecticut to Oregon, selects 14 to 16 wines for tasting. Each chapter chooses six wines from the list to taste and evaluate by scoring the wines. The results of the efforts of the chapters are entered into a database to allow the data to be sorted for comparison by the individual members.

Our presenter for this year’s National Tasting, just back from her too much booze, crazy views, lost her shoes, paid her dues, blew a fuse, blues river cruise will be our own Barbara Johns.   Barbara has been an AWS Wine Judge for many years and, with her extensive experience, she'll guide us through the characteristics of Rhone style wines and how to appreciate them. We’ll have a real education this month!

The wines which we’ll taste are:

·         Guigal Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2011

·         Ch. Fortia Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2010 (Southern France)

·         Guigal Crozes Hermitage 2007 (Northern France)

·         Cline Cashmere 2011 (California)

·         Can Blau Celler Can Blau 2009 (Spain)

·         Torbreck The Steading 2008 (Australia)

We are limiting the number of attendees to 50.  After the cut-off date for reservations, which is September 1, 2013, we will accept guests, if we have the availability.

Make your reservations EARLY!

Members:   $25  Guests: $30

RSVP by September 1, 2013 to:

aws.pittsburgh@gmail.com

or

Kathleen Simpson - 412-657-1861

Make checks out to AWS and mail to:

Dr. Dennis Trumble 1302 Arch St. Pittsburgh PA  15212

AWS Central PA Regional Wine Appreciation Day - Sunday, October 6, 2013

      Promoting appreciation of wine through education

    The American Wine Society    
Central PA American Wine Society Chapters: 

Laurel Highlands, Mount Nittany, and Susquehanna Valley

  Invite All Wine Appreciators, Winemakers & Wine Novices to:

REGIONAL WINE APPRECIATION DAY

SUNDAY, October 6, 2013

WHAT: 1pm- Lunch (BBQ), 2 pm- Amateur Wine Competition, 3:30 PM-Program- Panel questions and answers, 4:30 pm -  Presentation of awards

WHERE: Seven Mountains Wine Cellars, Spring Mills, PA

DIRECTIONS:     From West – I-99 /322 East to Potters Mills to where the four lanes start again.  Take the first left – follow sign for the winery.    From the East 322 to where the 4 lane is ending, turn right at signs for the winery. GPS address: 324 Decker Valley Rd., Spring Mills, PA

We look forward to seeing you at this great Wine Conference.

Enjoy a day of Wine Judging, Lunch, the Seminar, Wine tasting at the Winery, and great fellowship.

Pre-Registration suggested for your spot in the seminars!

Enter the event at the side entrance!!!!.

Your ticket price includes a BBQ lunch, seminar, and one souvenir event wine glass

Wine will be available for purchase from Seven Mountains.

ALL WINES AND MONEY MUST BE DELIVERED TO SEVEN MOUNTAINS WINE CELLARS BEFORE SEPT 26, 2013   Reserve this date and get your wines ready!!!!  $8.00 per bottle by 9/26/13.

WINE COMPETITION INFORMATION Entry fee is $8.00 for each wine entered.  Only one (1) bottle per entry is required. Wine must be submitted before Sept 26, 2013 Important entry information follows at end of this notice.  Make checks payable to: AWS, Central PA Wine Conference Wines may be mailed using the form on the next page. Wines may also be dropped off at: Brew Your Own, in Chest Springs, PA Seven Mts. Winery  or call Ivan (814)935-3829 or Joe (814)674-5480.

NO wines will be accepted after 9/26/13.

TO ATTEND THE PICNIC, COMPETITION, AND SEMINAR: Make checks payable to:  AWS, Central PA Wine Conference. Mail check to:  Mary Riggle, 528 Oak LN, Tyrone, PA 16686 $ 25.00 per person Advance Registration by September 26, 2013 Fee includes: Souvenir wine glass, Seminars, Lunch

 

 AMATEUR WINE CLASSIFICATION

Call Ivan 814-935-3819 or Joe (814) 674-5480   For information about Classing your wine.   Thank you.

Class 1             Red Vinifera

Class 2             White Vinifera

Class 3             Red Hybrid

Class 4             White Hybrid

Class 5             Red or White Native

Class 6             Red or White Concentrates or Kits

Class 7             Rosé/Blush

Class 8             Fruit

Class 9             Sparkling

Class 10           Cider

Class 11           Mead

Class 12 A       Red Mixed Species Blends (i.e. Native/Hybrid, Hybrid/Vinifera, etc.)

Class 12 B       White Mixed Species Blends (i.e. Native/Hybrid, Hybrid/Vinifera, etc.

Class 13           Novelty/Specialty/Dessert (i.e. Port, Sherry, sugar levels greater than 5% and non-raditional,                         i.e. tomato wine)

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Sugar Levels   

Dry                  =          Less than 1% residual sugar

Semi-Dry         =          1% to 2% residual sugar

Semi-Sweet      =          2% to 3% residual sugar

Sweet               =          Over 3% residual sugar

AWS Central PA AMATEUR WINE COMPETITION   Winemaker                                                        Class                                                                  Grape/Fruit (%)                                                                                                                                                                                                          Dry___  Semi-Dry___ Semi-Sweet___   Sweet____    Vintage                                                               Circle One:   KIT     FRUIT     GRAPES   JUICE Affix this label to your wine entry.

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Make Copies of these labels for more bottles.

NAME_____________________________ ADDRESS _________________________ ___________________________________ PHONE ____________________________ Was this wine totally made by you, an amateur winemaker? ________________ Email _______________________________ Number of wines submitted ______________

 

From: ________________ ______________________ ______________________ Seven Mountains Winery 107 Mountain Springs Ln Spring Mills, PA  16875

__

AWS Cent PA AMATEUR WINE COMPETITION Winemaker                                                      Class                                                                Grape/Fruit (%)                                                                                                                                                                                               Dry___  Semi-Dry___ Semi-Sweet___   Sweet____ Vintage                                                           Circle One:   KIT     FRUIT     GRAPES   JUICE Affix this label to your wine entry.

 

Down on the Farm!

Perhaps it was more “out” on the farm, like way out!  The event was held at the beautiful Raspberry Acres Winery (724) 459-0611 250 Clawson Rd Blairsville, PA 15717.  To paraphrase Chico Escuela from the old Saturday Night Live, the AWS Annual Summer Picnic was “berry, berry” good!  It was the traditional three: Good Wine – Good Food – Good Friends.

The winery was open for tastings, and the wine poured freely at the picnic.  With the theme being “Down on the Farm”, the wines kept to that idea.  We had “Goats Do Roam”, “Rex Goliath”, “Dancing Bull”, etc. (get it?)

The food, provided by Five Star Catering’s Mike, Tammy and Gina, was fantastic, and the appetizers and desserts, provided by the members, were outstanding!  It still amazes me how many multi-talented folk we have in our group.  There were two tables full of appetizers and an equal amount of dessert items.

As a combined picnic, we had the chance to socialize with members of all three chapters, and next summer, we’ll add a fourth with the Erie group planning to join us.  We look forward to that!

Many thanks go to Rich and Leeanna Ryba for the work that they put in to ensure that this event was a success.  These things don’t happen all by themselves, and we really appreciate the dedication involved.  If you missed this one, you missed a good ‘un!

Five Starr Catering

4500 Melwood Rd.

Leechburg, PA 15656  

724-845-8789