RSVP with your entree selection
by
DECEMBER 31, 2016
RSVP TO:
You may mail your payment (check made out to AWS)
Marie Pietraszewski
133 Longmount Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15214
More details to follow!
Check back often!
Friday, December 23, 2016
You Should Be Dancin'
Holiday Party Dance Lesson
5:00 – 6:00
Treesdale Country Club
No Partner Necessary!
Our Holiday Party will include dancing after dinner.
Don’t stay in your seat!
Learn to dance Fox Trot, Swing and other ballroom styles from a
professional ballroom dance instructor.
"You can dance. Trust me." -
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Silent Auction
Don’t forget your checkbook!
We will be holding a silent auction during the Holiday Party
for several bundles of wines from our tastings this past year.
BARGAINS GALORE!
BID EARLY AND BID OFTEN!
Monday, December 19, 2016
Annual Holiday Party
RSVP with your entree selection
by DECEMBER 31, 2016
RSVP TO:
You may mail your payment (check made out to AWS)
Marie Pietraszewski
133 Longmount Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15214
More details to follow!
Check back often!
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Yule Love It!
Make room for
dessert…wine
What’s better than dessert?
The answer is simple: dessert wine. The holidays are here, and
it’s a wonderful time to double fist at dessert, with a spoon in one hand and a
glass in the other. Here are some pairings with desserts to make the season
merry.
Flourless Chocolate Cake with Moscato
Properly named “Decadence,” the flourless chocolate cake from Trader Joe’s is made of chocolate, egg,
and butter. It is decadent. Paired with Moscato that cuts the heaviness
perfectly, the two together make a great couple.
The key to making true Italian Moscato is to capture the natural
fruity aroma and vibrant flavor of the Moscato grape. The grapes are crushed
and quickly pressed. During fermentation the carbon dioxide is often retained
giving the wine its “frizzante” character. Close your eyes and think of fresh
grapes, that’s exactly what Moscato tastes like.
Pumpkin Pie with Orange Muscat
The Quady Essensia dessert wine has a sweet-but-not-too-sweet
taste with flavors of dried apricot, golden raisin, lemon-orange. An American
fall holiday classic, pumpkin pie has similar hearty warmth. The pairing is a crowd pleaser, as the more
savory of American desserts balances delightfully with this very sweet wine.
Panettone with Sweet Red Vermouth
More akin to sweet bread than cake, panettone-style pastries date
back to the Roman times, and are an Italian Christmas staple. Tasting the panettone
is like taking a step back in flavor history, so it is well paired with an
old-fashioned dessert wine.
Vermouth has a medicinal taste that is for the eclectic palate. Vermouth is more potion than drink. The
ultimate cocktail builder (Martinis and Manhattans) was originally used as a
medicinal tonic, with spices and botanicals like wormwood—the German “wermut”
inspired the name. Technically, it’s a wine that is aromatized (infused with
botanicals) and fortified (spiked with unaged brandy). The brandy helps it last
longer than wine, but not much. It’ll start to oxidize after about a month, so
keep it in the fridge.
Pecan Pie with Pedro Ximenez Sherry
Opposites attract in this pairing. At first, it seems like a bad
match, but then the similarities of the two blend together and the differences
complement each other. The average pecan pie tends to be sweet and syrupy, but
some have a touch of savory that makes the match work.
The PX resembles whisky in its flavor, with acidity and
smokiness that seem odd. And yet, together, the syrupy molasses and nuttiness
of the pie provides the perfect balance to the smokiness of the sherry. Where
the sherry is serious, the pecan is merry.
News about the Holiday Party is coming soon!
Check the blog often!
Monday, December 5, 2016
Holiday Greetings
It has been our custom since the late fifties to write a
Holiday Letter to let the membership know how your elected Board Officials have
been doing for the past year. This year,
however, we will not be following that tradition.
We received the letter below at our International
Headquarters, and I thought that I’d share it with everyone instead. Oh well, we’re still going to have our
Holiday Party. Look for more information
soon on the blog.
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Should you invite a guest to a Pittsburgh Chapter Tasting?
When you see a movie that you enjoy, do you tell
your friends? If you go to a restaurant
and have a wonderful meal, do you post a review online? When you come to a tasting at the Pittsburgh Chapter
of the American Wine Society, do you share the word? We’d love it if you did!
We would like to make that sharing a little more
attractive to you. If you bring a guest
to a tasting, and that guest joins our chapter, we’d like to give you FREE local dues for the following
year. Yes, FREE! It’s our way of
showing our appreciation for your
appreciation!
Bringing a guest is very simple. When you reply to the notice, simply state
that you will be bringing a guest, or two, or three. It’s that easy. We will welcome your friends
at the beginning of the tasting, and the board will be available to answer any
of their questions. All you need do is
invite them.
Sometimes, you may not know what to say to a friend
about our group. We’re listing several
reasons below that you can use. You can,
also, show them our website (http://aws-pittsburgh.blogspot.com) or
point them to our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/awspgh), if you
would like to give them an idea of what we do.
WONDERFUL REASONS TO JOIN american wine society
If you love to unwind with a
bottle of wine and always seize the opportunity to try new varietals, consider
treating yourself to something exciting by joining the American Wine Society.
We realize that there are a lot of free wine tastings available to you, and a
lot of wine clubs as well. So why should
you consider joining the American Wine Society?
We think we have some pretty good reasons.
AWS is not a wine club or a wine
tasting group.....we are a wine education society.....the largest
consumer-based wine education organization in the U.S. AWS membership is for anyone who enjoys wine
and wants to learn more about it in a fun, casual atmosphere with others who
share your love of the grape.
Become More Educated About This Beloved
Beverage
Although many people love wine, they often
don’t understand the finer points that go into what makes the beverage taste so
remarkable. When you’re a member of the AWS, you’ll receive information about
different varieties. That not only leads to an increase in your personal
knowledge, but also allows you to share the tidbits you’ve learned with friends
and relatives.
Get a Better Social Life Almost
Effortlessly
Speaking of friends, your AWS
membership could become the ticket to a better social life. For generations,
drinking wine has been a sociable activity. Aside from the monthly organized
events, what better excuse do you need to invite the neighbors over for a few
glasses of wine than to share a bottle that enjoyed at an AWS wine tasting?
Just grab some gourmet cheese from the grocery store, turn on some music, and
you’ve got a party.
Tap Into
Expertise
By
joining the American Wine Society, you get direct access to the people who know
wine best. The Board Members work hard and communicate with the membership for
the purpose of showcasing the best wines. The presenters may have relationships
with wineries you’ve never heard of, and probably wouldn’t know about
otherwise.
Don't forget to check the blog soon
for news about the Holiday Party!
Monday, November 14, 2016
It's "Sparkle Season!"
It’s after Hallowe’en, so people inevitably
start asking for Thanksgiving wine suggestions. The typical answer is
Pinot Noir or Cote du Rhone, or a reasonably priced French blend, because they’re
easy to drink and work with food.
But, as AWS members, you never do what’s
typically recommended, do you? Venture down some different wine aisles this
Thanksgiving. Your guests will appreciate your inventiveness and it’ll help get
the conversation going.
There are few standard things to remember,
though.
·
Don’t break out the
expensive stuff (unless you’re inviting me for dinner). Odds are that the
majority of your guests won’t appreciate your Chateau Margaux, so save it for
another day.
·
Pick low-alcohol wines
because you need to be able to drink all day with your mother-in-law sitting
across the table.
·
You’ll need quite a
few bottles on hand so be price-conscious.
·
Finally, regardless of
what you pour with dinner, it’s always nice to start with a glass of sparkling
wine. Whether it’s Champagne, Prosecco or Cava, it all works, so let your
budget decide. It prepares the palate for all the food to come. Plus, it’s
festive and generally puts people in a good mood. So at least the day
starts off on a good note.
Pick a Red: Try Good (Not ‘New') Beaujolais.
Pinot Noir and Cote du Rhone may always be the Thanksgiving red wines, but try a
Cru Beaujolais this year. Beaujolais, which is also a small area in France just
south of Burgundy, is made from the Gamay grape. Think of Gamay as Pinot Noir’s
little-sister. And the Cru wines, or the higher quality versions, have soft
tannins, taste like cherry and have a little spice, and will pair well with
turkey and a variety of sides. Plus, these wines are lower in alcohol.
The problem is that Beaujolais has gotten a
bad name thanks to the annual release of Beaujolais Nouveau, which
basically means "this year’s wine.” The Nouveau wines are harvested every September
bottled and shipped worldwide to your favorite State Store by
mid-November.
They’re fine and fun but don’t have the
complexity you need for dinner. So instead, pick a bottle that says “Cru” or
“Villages” on it. And the best part is they’re all around $20.
Try a Rosé
Rosés are no longer unfairly associated with
the sweet styles of white Zinfandels (think 1980s). The best are dry,
delicately flavored wines that are great with turkey. We had a tasting (Drink Pink) of a few
different Rosé wines recently, and they were all very food friendly wines.
Pick a White: But Try a Different Grape.
Often people assume red wine should be served
with the Thanksgiving meal but don’t overlook the whites. They’re light,
refreshing, easy drinking, but, try some new ones.
Chenin Blanc.
South Africa is the largest producer of the
Chenin Blanc grape. The first Chenin Blanc grapes were found in France but
South Africa owns it now because it grows so well there.
The wines are light-bodied, like a Sauvignon Blanc,
but thanks to the land and wine production methods, they have more zest than
the French versions. South African Chenin Blancs are slowly getting the
attention they deserve, but for now, they’re still undervalued. As an added
bonus: most South African wines are screw top, which makes opening bottles all
day very easy.
Pinot Grigio
Travel across the ocean to Italy and meet some
new white grapes. Italian whites are often overlooked because the overpowering Barolos and Super Tuscans get all the
press. But the whites are very refreshing.
One white wine I’d urge folk to consider
serving this Turkey Day is Pinot Grigio from Italy. As a category, this might
just be the ideal Thanksgiving wine. The wines are neither too light nor too
heavy. They always have plenty of fruit, and generally, not too much oak. Plus,
the price of a decent Pinot Grigio remains, for the most part, reasonable.
Riesling
The vote for perfect white wine pairings,
however, has to go to German Rieslings. Well made, a great value, low in
alcohol and tasty. Don’t be scared off by the incomprehensible labels. Just
look for labels that have Kabinett or
Spätlese written on them.
For Dessert
We can recommend any number of delicious
dessert wines, but the one that stands out is Quady’s Essensia Orange Muscat
wine. (Orange Muscat is the type of grape) It has bright golden amber color.
Lively, fruity aromas and flavors of dried apricot, golden raisin, with a
lively, sweet medium-to-full body, fine, fruit tannins and no oak. A delicious, zesty and flavor packed dessert
wine.
So go and be adventurous. Try something
new. The holidays often become stressful but picking out wine shouldn’t be. It's
a weekday, and we're with people we care about, in the middle of the afternoon,
with an abundance of comfort food on the table. Thanksgiving is the pause that refreshes.
We adore the mixed up menu because we adore
the holiday. It's adoration by association. Food might be the focus of the day,
but if that combination of flavors is so good, why don't we have it more than
once a year? On Thanksgiving, cherish the food in the moment. It’s the same
with the wine. And with your people.
Don't forget to check our site for more news and tips!
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Dankie
Wonderlik!
It was a wonderful tasting last night of the Wines of South
Africa complimented by fantastic food!
Our thanks go to all who added to this experience by contributing time,
effort and culinary skills.
Our presenter, Dr. Dennis Trumble, explained and illustrated
the vastly diverse region that is South Africa as he pointed out the history of
wine in that area. Pat and Terry
Germanoski, Kevin and Bob Dering and Brittany and Tim Altimus were instrumental
in providing some of the great food that we all enjoyed.
Some of the meal came from a local restaurant, and we would
like to compliment the chef there, too.
The establishment is Tana Ethiopian Cuisine (yes, we know that’s not
South Africa). The link to their site
will be posted on our Links Tab.
Below are the wine list and the menu. Some of the recipes can be found in the
cookbook Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant.
We encourage you to try some at home!
South
Africa Nationality Night
WINES
1.
Six Hats Chardonnay
Item Code: 000007450 Reg:
$9.99
2.
Beaumont Chenin Blanc (2014)
Item
Code: 000047115 Reg: $19.99
3.
Barista
Pinotage
Item Code: 000007510 Reg: $14.99
Item Code: 000009403 Reg: $10.99; on sale $9.99
MENU
Appetizer: Sambusa (pastry shells filled with
beef, chicken or lentils, onions, green
peppers & herbs)
Soup: Butternut squash
Salad: Kay Sir Selata (red beet salad with chopped
peppers, potatoes, and onions with homemade
dressing)
Main: Sausage (Boerewors)
*Misir Wot (Split lentils simmered in minced
onions and in Berbere Sauce)
*Tikil Gomen (cabbage and carrots, slow
simmered in sauteed onions and fresh garlic)
*Shiro Wot (Ground roasted chickpeas
seasoned with an assortment of spices)
*served with Injera (sourdough
bread) or brown rice
Dessert: Melktert (Milk Tart, sweet pastry crust containing a creamy filling made from milk, flour, sugar and eggs)
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT TO RSVP!
SEND YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW!
Join us for our annual Nationality Dinner and Wine Tasting featuring the food and wines of South Africa. We will be among the not-quite so brave (no sheep heads), but we will certainly be among the well fed! Biltong, boerwors, and other delicacies are on the menu for the evening! We will taste several South African wines which are representative of the styles popular there.
WEDNESDAY, November 9, 2016
7:OO
Evergreen Community Center, 3430 Evergreen Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15237
REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR WINE GLASSES!
The cost for members is $30 and the cost for guests is $35.
Please reply before November 7, 2016 to:
Mail your check, payable to AWS to:
Dr. Dennis Trumble
1302 Arch St
Pittsburgh PA 15212
Don’t forget to visit the website for directions, useful tips, and recipes.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Gesondheid!
For the daring diner, South Africa offers culinary
challenges ranging from crocodile sirloins to fried caterpillars to sheep
heads. All three are reputed to be delicious. For the not-quite so brave, there
are indigenous delicacies such as biltong (dried, salted meat) and boerewors
(hand-made farm sausages, grilled on an open flame).
South African cuisine is a true melting pot of
different cooking styles and combines the best of the food traditions
worldwide. South African cooking mainly consists of chicken, game, tomatoes,
lemons and limes, corn (mealie) in the form of breads and flour, beans as well
as ginger, chili and spices.
South Africans love the outdoors and enjoy having
lunch or dinner cooked on a fireplace. They love to cook over wood fire or
coals and either cook a steaming 'potjiekos', so named for the food 'kos'
cooked in a back iron pot, which is called 'potjie' in Afrikaans, or they
gather for a 'braai', the South African equivalent of a barbecue. Many South
African houses have a built-in 'braaiplace' or grill/oven on the verandah.
Join us for our annual Nationality Dinner and Wine
Tasting featuring the food and wines of South Africa. We will be among the not-quite so brave (no
sheep heads), but we will certainly be among the well fed! Biltong, boerwors, and other delicacies are
on the menu for the evening! We will
taste several South African wines which are representative of the styles
popular there.
WEDNESDAY, November 9, 2016
7:OO
Evergreen Community Center, 3430 Evergreen Rd, Pittsburgh, PA
15237
REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR WINE GLASSES!
The cost for members is $30 and the cost for guests is $35.
Please reply before November 7, 2016 to:
Mail your check, payable to AWS to:
Dr. Dennis Trumble
1302 Arch St
Pittsburgh PA 15212
Don’t forget to visit the website for directions, useful tips,
and recipes.
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