Monday, February 29, 2016

Make your reservations now!


TWO DAYS LEFT TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS!




So, who does the nightly wine shopping in your family...him or her? You may find it interesting that most of the wine consumed at home is purchased primarily by women.  But can they make wine as well as they buy it?  We think that the answer is a resounding “Yes!”

Join us for the Olympics of wine tasting –an intense battle of the palettes—and a tradition of ours since the late forties.

Pros vs. Josephines Professional/Amateur Wine Tasting Extravaganza.

On Wednesday, March 9, at 7:00 PM., wine sippers from around the Pittsburgh area will gather at the Evergreen Community Center to test their taste buds with a selection of homemade wines by female amateurs and similar wines by professional winemakers.  (Amateurs are defined as not having worked in the wine industry.)

The event begins with all participants rolling up their sleeves and preparing their noses and tongues for the test.   Three of our woman winemakers will match their products against three professional wines.  There will be three flights of blind tasting for you to enjoy – a Sauvignon Blanc, a Malbec, and a Petite Syrah.  Can you tell the difference between a Pro and a Jo?


PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR WINE GLASSES.  

We will taste six wines during the meeting.  If you have not yet received your six wine glasses and carry bag, we will have them for you that evening.

The cost for members is $20 and the cost for guests is $25.

Please reply before March 2 to:

Or you may reply to 412-657-0777.

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, February 22, 2016


LESS THAN ONE WEEK TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS!




So, who does the nightly wine shopping in your family...him or her? You may find it interesting that most of the wine consumed at home is purchased primarily by women.  But can they make wine as well as they buy it?  We think that the answer is a resounding “Yes!”

Join us for the Olympics of wine tasting –an intense battle of the palettes—and a tradition of ours since the late forties.

Pros vs. Josephines Professional/Amateur Wine Tasting Extravaganza.

On Wednesday, March 9, at 7:00 PM., wine sippers from around the Pittsburgh area will gather at the Evergreen Community Center to test their taste buds with a selection of homemade wines by female amateurs and similar wines by professional winemakers.  (Amateurs are defined as not having worked in the wine industry.)

The event begins with all participants rolling up their sleeves and preparing their noses and tongues for the test.   Three of our woman winemakers will match their products against three professional wines.  There will be three flights of blind tasting for you to enjoy – a Sauvignon Blanc, a Malbec, and a Petite Syrah.  Can you tell the difference between a Pro and a Jo?


PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR WINE GLASSES.  

We will taste six wines during the meeting.  If you have not yet received your six wine glasses and carry bag, we will have them for you that evening.

The cost for members is $20 and the cost for guests is $25.

Please reply before March 2 to:


Or you may reply to 412-657-0777.

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.




Sunday, February 21, 2016

Do the Pros do it better?

Is Homemade Wine Good?
Recently, while preparing to write a post for an upcoming tasting, I searched the Internet looking for information on homemade wines and came across how one Wisconsin amateur winemaker compares homemade wine to commercial wine. He said,
“I hate saying things like this here, but in my honest experience, no. Homemade wine is not nearly as good as commercially produced good wine.”

I wasn’t surprised, but I should have been! As an amateur winemaker, I’m aware that almost everybody who drinks wine has a memory of at least one sloppy home winemaker who ruined the reputations of her or his brethren with terrible wine.
When given the choice between a commercial or a homemade bottle of wine, I think it’s a fairly safe bet that most regular wine drinkers would choose the professional wine over the amateur wine, especially if the commercial bottle is from California, Washington, Oregon, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, etc. etc. Those areas create an expectation of quality among wine drinkers. Homemade wine creates an expectation of “Old So-and-So’s” wine that everybody regularly poured down the sink.

Let me make it clear. I’m not claiming that homemade wine is bad wine, or even that the vast majority of homemade wine is inferior to almost all commercial wines. I’m simply stating that most people expect homemade wine to be inferior to commercial wine, and that expectation is often sufficient to seal the fate of the wine, regardless of its actual quality.

Why is this?

Scientific findings from multiple sources reinforce the idea that, prior to smelling and tasting a wine, our expectations about its quality will not only shape whether we like or dislike it, our expectations will also shape how we perceive many other things in that same setting.
Would you like some scientific evidence regarding how people’s perspective about wine quality influences their wine evaluations? I’d like you to first look at the label below with the young man wearing a scarf…


Oops! I posted the wrong picture. My apologies, because, this is, of course, a picture of an old bearded man wearing a crocheted hat! You can see the old man now, can’t you?


You know that the label didn’t miraculously change while you were reading. What changed was your perspective on what you’re seeing. When I mentioned a young man, you saw a young man. You organized the stimuli into a young man image. When I then mentioned the old man, your brain was then busy activating elderly images from memory, preparing you to see an old man. This is an example of how perspective influences what you see.

Another example is the drawing of the monkey below.



Or, is that a drawing of a Lion?  It’s all a matter of expectation.  What did you expect to see?

Implications For Home Winemakers

It seems to be pretty bleak for home vintners, doesn’t it? The truth is that, until perceptions on where wine is made and who made it change, home winemakers (especially those outside of California) are going to have a tough time removing that worried expression from people’s faces when they hand them a glass of their homemade wine. Due to this social reality, home winemakers need to bolster the expectations of their wine prior to people actually tasting it.
The first thing that I, as an amateur winemaker, need to do is become knowledgeable about winemaking so that their wine doesn’t end up tasting like “Old So-and-So’s” wine that everyone poured down the sink.
An additional step that I can take is to dress up the presentation of my wine. I can make a professional looking label for my wine bottle. I can make certain that my bottle looks good before the recipient gets it. If I do these things, it likely will result in the wine inside being perceived as better tasting. Maybe this isn’t fair, but it’s true.
For Wine Tasters

The message for wine lovers is that we should always be aware that our expectations about what’s in the bottle we’re about to open will very likely shape how we perceive the wine’s aroma and taste, and therefore how we assess its overall quality, regardless of its actual quality. Challenge yourself to be open to a new taste experience whenever you approach a wine, whether it’s homemade or from France. Your relationship with the wine should be focused on your sensual perceptions of it, not necessarily on your expectations before the bottle is even uncorked.

But, of course, you might also want to choose a certain style of music to play in the background, and choose a locale that suits your ideal situation, to set the proper mood for your wine.  Mine is a tiny seaside café somewhere in Cinque Terre, with the sounds of a small band in the background playing “O Sole Mio” . . .


Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Why become a host?



Hosting a Meeting of the
Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Wine Society


When you volunteer to host a meeting, you are responsible for the food that accompanies the wines.  You will work with the presenter to choose appropriate foods.  You then buy, cook, or otherwise procure the food, bring it to the meeting, prepare individual plates or shared plates per table, and serve.

For all meetings other than the annual nationality dinner, you will have a budget of up to $150 to spend for an estimated crowd of 30 tasters.  Spend more if you like, but that will be your donation!  In return for your service, you do not pay the fee for the tasting.  Help is always available from other club members, and the Program Chair can help you recruit them.

We have an interesting challenge coming up at our October (2016) meeting.  The theme is “Drink Pink” and it will be a benefit for breast cancer.  We will be looking for pink foods to accompany the range of pink wines.  If you would like to host that meeting, please email our Program Chair, Beverly Wise, at:



Our volunteers make it happen.  Thank you.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Our Favorite Beverage


Is This a Good Wine?

Wine is an interesting beverage. Not only does it taste nice and help conversations, there’s also a mystique about it. People want to know about wine so they seem more cultured. Often, in a restaurant, wines are given a status above the food and definitely above the cocktails and beers. Wine is seen as something to figure out.

Here’s a secret. There is nothing to figure out. One of the biggest goals of most new businesses and retailer campaigns in the wine industry is a misguided effort to help uneducated consumers find better wines—or the right wines—for themselves. The industry is worried that consumers are choosing the wrong wines.

I have a lot of friends who are not wine experts. They drink wine and they like it. They don’t always know what they’re drinking. Usually they have no clue about any backstory to the wine. Often they think the region name is the grape, but they drink the wine, laugh with friends and have a good time. 

Shocking, I know.

I happen to be a member of the American Wine Society. When I show up for a dinner, the host or other guests ask me, “Is this good wine?” They’re looking for validation for their choice.  These people who, when I’m not in the room, open a wine and enjoy it for what it is, panic the minute an “expert” enters, hoping to avoid criticism for their choice. They’ve been taught that there’s a correct answer to the question: “Is this good wine?” The wine industry has taught a generation of wine drinkers that there is a right answer, and that it’s possible to get wine wrong.

Shame.

I like cars. I know a bit about cars. When I was a young boy, my Mother would take me for walks around our neighborhood.  She would point out different cars and tell me which one was a DeSoto, or a Packard (I’m old!). I learned to identify the different makes and models, and that likely started my interest in cars.

I can’t fix anything on my car anymore, other than maybe a stain on the seat or a flat tire in an emergency. But I still love cars. I used to know makes and model numbers. But I don’t have to know how to build a Ferrari to enjoy a Ferrari. When I meet someone who knows more about cars than I do, I never ask them if I liked the right one. I never ask if I was really enjoying driving my convertible, or if the car complimented my outfit. I don’t really care. I just enjoy it and that's enough.

You may be just like me and cars. You may be someone who wants to drink something fruity and fresh on a terrace in summer or rich and red with your steak at night. Who should care what you’re drinking? Only you should care! Quaff away. Add ice cubes to the glass. Mix the wine with 7Up. Use a straw. Slurp if you want to. Are you smiling when you do it? Are your friends laughing with you? That’s great. You did it right.

If you’re that intellectual type who loves stories, facts and figures, or a person who is out to discover something new and exciting and wants to understand different facets of the same wine, enjoy! Argue volatile acidity levels and vintage ratings. “Drink by” dates may be gospel to you, so have fun with it. Do you want to take a class? Why not? Go deep. Immerse yourself.  By all means, join the American Wine Society!

BUT. . .

Please don’t assume that your new found knowledge is somehow absolute. Don’t assume that your palate is better than anyone else’s. Definitely don’t assume that your ideal wine is everyone’s ideal wine. It isn’t. We all have very different palates, cultural histories, childhood memories and favorite meals. We aren’t the same. There’s no perfect wine. There’s no right wine.

Winemakers who make consumers afraid of picking the wrong wine are doing a bad job of selling wine overall. Consumers need confidence that their preferences are normal, not that they have a lot to learn, or that they could somehow make a mistake.

Today, wine consumers don’t need help finding new wines. Wineries need help finding new consumers. Instead of admitting their failure as sales people, the wineries have succeeded in convincing the consumers that they’re doing something wrong.

Shame.


Friday, February 12, 2016

Cold enough for ya?


Temperature Sensitive Labels Can Tell
If Your Wine Is Too Hot or Cold

Wineries are beginning to use thermochromic ink to identify optimum temperatures.

No one wants to drink a glass of 85 degree Cabernet Sauvignon. Nor do we care to sip Sauvignon Blanc at near freezing temperatures. And yet, despite the fact that we all agree on these points, it is not uncommon to find perfectly good wines served way too hot or cold. Who do you blame? The server? The sommelier? The bar owner? Your fridge? To combat this problem, one Australian winery is launching a new temperature sensitive wine label that displays a color chart showing optimum temperatures across a broad spectrum of wines, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Shiraz and so on, and identifies the temperature of the bottle in your hands, so you can see whether it's ready to be poured.

The idea is simple, even if the science to make it work is not. Thermochromic ink changes color depending on the temperature of the bottle. So, for example, the hypersensitive part of the label turns green when white or sparkling wine has reached the perfect temperature and turns fuchsia for red wines.

Innovative as this technology sounds, Wakefield Estates has been using it since last year on its Taylors Estate Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc wines. It developed the system after learning that a majority of Australians drink wine straight from the refrigerator when it is still too cold, and that one in five people regularly drank wine right after it had been stored in the freezer. Ice-cold Chardonnay, anyone?




Thursday, February 11, 2016

Grazie!


What a wonderful tasting event last night!  We presented the Wines of Carnevale, and what wines they were!  The combination of foods that Metha Hillard and Millard and Julianna Underwood provided complimented the wines expertly.  To the best of my knowledge, everyone had a good time and the Chapter got many compliments on the evening. 

My special thanks go to Metha, Julianna, and Millard for their efforts, Brittany and Tim for stewarding the wines, Beverly for the decorative beads and flag, and to Terry for his usual help with the glasses!

Next up:  Pros vs. Josephiines!  See you in March!

F.L.


1. Zardetto Prosecco Conegliano Brut                   000006871         15.99

2. Monte Tondo Soave Classico 2014                   000033886          8.99

3. Allegrini Palazzo della Torre 2010                    000043325          19.99

4. Bolla Le Poiane Valpolicella Ripasso 2011      wine.com

5. Secoli Amarone della Valpolicella 2012            33973                  27.99*

                        *Favorite Red

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Laissez les bons temps rouler!




What Exactly Is Mardi Gras?



Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday) is the last day before the Christian season of Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday, when followers traditionally fast, refrain from eating meat or give up selected indulgences.

In the US, New Orleans is the Mardi Gras capital. The celebrations and parades held on the streets of the French Quarter have an almost spiritual purpose. With its Cajun, Creole and French influences, New Orleans is one of the most exciting cities in the world when it comes to food and drink. This is a city with Absinthe houses, Hurricane cocktails, Sazeracs and great dishes to pair with wine.
A good wine if you are serving Jambalaya would be Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is light to medium bodied, balanced, and very easy going.

Gumbo can pair with white or red wines.  For white wine pairings, Pinot Grigio, Albarino and Pinot Blanc provide a crisp, fresh note against the spicy heat of seafood gumbo. A bright rose also gives a strong contrast in tartness and fresh fruit flavor to the gumbo's warmth.

If you prefer a red wine with your gumbo, choose a fruit forward wine such as Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon with notes of pepper, berry or dark fruits to create a strong, flavorful pairing that pairs well with the spiciness of gumbo.

Shrimp Po Boys! What could be better than fried shrimp, fried oysters, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and remoulade sauce slathered on a soft hunk of French bread? A Po Boy paired with Zinfandel! Zin has spicy, bold tannins and it won't disappoint with this dish.

The Muffaletta has its origins at a grocery store near a farmers market in New Orleans.  Sicilian farmers would come into the grocery store for lunch, and order an assortment of meats, cheeses, bread and olive salad.  At first, they would eat all of the components separately, but eventually, it dawned on someone to stack everything between two slices of bread, and voila!  The Muffaletta sandwich was born.  Pair this treat with a Tempranillo, or good Chianti.  These reds will accent all of the flavors found in the sandwich.

No Mardi Gras celebration would be complete without a King Cake. This sweet yeast bread is shaped into a ring and frosted with gold, green and purple icing. A dried red bean or a figurine of a baby representing the Christ child is baked inside. Tradition says that whoever gets the slice with the figurine inside bakes the King Cake the following year or hosts the Mardi Gras party. Pair this sweet treat with Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc or Late Harvest Gewürztraminer.