Sunday, February 23, 2014

A Taste of Pennsylvania



Our tasting, this month, features wines from Pennsylvania, and will be presented by Terry Germanowski.  Terry knows most of the winemakers personally, so we’ll certainly have some insightful commentary.  Our hosts for the evening are Julie and Millard Underwood.

The first documented commercial vineyard in Pennsylvania was the Pennsylvania Vine Company, established in 1793 along the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. Over the next century, Pennsylvania vineyards spread first west to York and then north to Erie. However, the 1920s Prohibition movement destroyed most of the wine production in Pennsylvania. People still drank wine, but only for sacramental reasons. During this time, the grapes no longer used by wineries were used instead to produce grape juice. 

In 1968, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania passed the Limited Winery Act, which gave residents the right to produce and sell wine in Pennsylvania. This law allowed for the establishment of small, family-owned wineries in the state. Since then, the state has witnessed growth and expansion of numerous wineries. The number of Pennsylvania wineries has skyrocketed over the past decade, growing from 40 to 130.

Make your reservations EARLY!

Members: $15 Guests: $20
RSVP by March 5, 2014 to:
or
Kathleen Simpson  412-657-1861

Make checks payable to AWS and mail to:
Dr. Dennis Trumble 1302 Arch St. Pittsburgh PA 15212

Remember the meeting will be on WEDNESDAY MARCH 12th at 7:00 pm in Ross Township, at the Evergreen Community Park, 3430 Evergreen Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15237.

Reminder
It’s that time again!  If you haven’t paid your annual dues, now is the time to do so.

National Dues:

Annual (calendar year) $62.00 per individual or couple.
Join at www.americanwinesociety.org or pay by check at an AWS Pittsburgh Chapter meeting.

Local Dues:

Annual (calendar year) $10.00 per individual or $15.00 per couple.
Pay by check (payable to AWS) at an AWS Pittsburgh Chapter meeting.  Or mail to:

Dr. Dennis Trumble 1302 Arch St. Pittsburgh PA  15212

Monday, February 3, 2014

A Competition, and a Conference, just for you – the Hobby Winemaker


 
 
The Winemaker Magazine 2014 International Amateur Wine Competition is now accepting entries for the best homemade wines from across North America and around the globe. The deadline for receiving entries is March 7, 2014, but don’t wait to enter. 

The Conference will be held in Leesburg, Virginia from June 5 through June 7, 2014.  Join fellow winemakers from across North America in Northern Virginia’s wine country for three days packed with seminars and special events to help you to get the most out of your wine making.

Attendee space is limited.  For full details and information on how to save $100 on your registration, check the brochure which will be available at the next tasting of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Wine Society on Wednesday February 12, 2014.  Or, you may visit them online at