Wednesday, January 31, 2018

If someone were to ask me about regions that produce great wines, what often comes to mind are Italy, Australia, France, Argentina and Napa Valley. When you ask people to name some common wine varieties, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and Cabernet are usually first.  If they listen to rap music, they may mention Moscato.
I probably would not have mentioned Vranac, Blatina or Plavac Mali! These are grapes from Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, was ranked 54th for wine production volume.

Our next tasting, on Wednesday, February 14, 2018, will be presented by Indira Bayer, Founder and Executive Director of Wines of Illyria, a company she founded in 2014 to import and sell wholesale fine wines from Balkan countries. The company is named for Illyria, an ancient region in what is now the Balkan Peninsula.  Her goal is to teach people about these varieties.

(By the by, it’s Vrah-natz, Blah-tee-nah and Plah-vatz Mah-lee)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2018
Evergreen Community Center
3430 Evergreen Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15237

7:00

PLEASE REMEMBER
TO BRING YOUR WINE GLASSES.  

 The cost for members or guests is $25.


Please reply before February 9, 2018 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.




Tuesday, January 30, 2018

It was FUN!



Thank you to all who attended our annual Holiday Party!

The festivities may be over, but the friendship and memories will last for a long time.  It was a magnificent event at a lovely venue.

Our thanks to our board members who helped with providing the wine, selecting the menu, arranging for the wine giveaway, and the hundreds of other details that make up a celebration like this.  Without you, it wouldn't have happened.

Our Membership Chair, Santina, was kind enough to share some photos.


We're looking forward to seeing you at the February tasting!

Friday, January 12, 2018

HOLIDAY PARTY REMINDER



$50 per person
Guests are welcome!

RSVP with your entrée selection
before JANUARY 17, 2018

Choice 1:    Asiago Chicken

Pan-Seared Chicken with Prosciutto, Garlic & Lemon Zest, topped with Asiago Cheese

Choice 2:    English Style Orange Roughy

Broiled with Bread Crumbs and served with a Citrus Butter Sauce

Choice 3:    Flank Steak Roulade

Lightly Marinated Steak, Grilled with Caramelized Onions,
 garnished with a Honey Bourbon Beef Sauce


RSVP TO:


Mail your payment (check made out to AWS)

Dr. Dennis Trumble
1302 Arch St.
Pittsburgh, PA  15212



Check the blog for more news!

http://aws-pittsburgh.blogspot.com/

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Save the Date!


Sunday, August 12, 2018

As a special adventure this year, our annual picnic will be "down south." Arrangements have been made to picnic at

Vinoski Winery,
Rostraver PA.



We'll have access to the picnic areas and the game areas (including new bocce courts!)



It will be a picnic like never before!!!!


Monday, January 8, 2018

Don't forget to RSVP



$50 per person
Guests are welcome!

RSVP with your entrée selection
before JANUARY 17, 2018

Choice 1:    Asiago Chicken

Pan-Seared Chicken with Prosciutto, Garlic & Lemon Zest, topped with Asiago Cheese

Choice 2:    English Style Orange Roughy

Broiled with Bread Crumbs and served with a Citrus Butter Sauce

Choice 3:    Flank Steak Roulade

Lightly Marinated Steak, Grilled with Caramelized Onions,
 garnished with a Honey Bourbon Beef Sauce


RSVP TO:


Mail your payment (check made out to AWS)

Dr. Dennis Trumble
1302 Arch St.
Pittsburgh, PA  15212



Check the blog for more news!

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Auld Lang Wine



If drinking a glass of wine at the end of the day is one your life’s pleasures, we have some news that might concern you: A wine shortage is predicted for 2018 However, before you start to panic, it’s not as bad as it sounds.
Extreme weather conditions, like hail and droughts, led to low harvests in major wine-producing countries like Spain, Italy and France. Combined with the wildfires that affected California’s production, analysts predict shortages and increased prices.
If you’re ready to head to your favorite State Store and wipe out the shelves, experts say that this kind of thing has happened before and the industry knows how to handle it. Very often wine producers and wine industries keep wine stocks in order to respond to such risks.
While it doesn’t seem like there will be an out-and-out wine shortage anytime soon, it can never hurt to grab a few extra bottles, right? In fact, this news is as good a reason as any to kick back with a glass of your favorite wine and appreciate it that much more!
BRANDING
Branding used to take a back seat in the wine world. Labels tell you the region where the grape is from but offer little in terms of design, making it difficult for shoppers to differentiate bottles. Expect to see increased storytelling through wine labels, interesting typography, and compelling imagery. Face it. We all judge a book by its cover.
WINES TO WATCH IN 2018
Rosé – The popularity of Rosé is not expected to slow down. In fact, for the second consecutive year, Rosé accounted for 1.5 % of all table wine sold. As the market for cheaper Rosé has proven its success, experts expect to see more premium Rosé hit the shelves.
Carménère – Carménère is a distant relative to Merlot and Malbec. Harvested in Chili, this South American wine is making a splash with prominent, full-bodied red fruit flavors. According to Uncorkd, this wine is becoming more popular on restaurant wine lists and in wine retailers.  
Red Blends – The red blend craze has largely been driven by the younger shoppers. According to Nielsen, in 2017 red blends made up 13% of the $13 billion that shoppers spent on table wine that year, which was up from 11% in 2016. The blend craze is often equated to the craft beer craze. It’s trendy and appeals to the Millennial wine drinkers.
Crémant – French Crémant is a sparkling wine, which is different from Champagne and Prosecco. Given the less restrictive requirements of making Crémant as opposed to Champagne, bars, restaurants, and wine shops can sell this sparkling wine as an alternative to Champagne. Want to feel extra fancy? Crémant is French for “creamy,” and is considered to have a creamy mouth-feel rather than fizzy due to their lower atmospheric pressures.
Albariño – Your 2018 summer wine comes from the Rias Baixas region of Spain. With acidic and citrus flavors, this wine pairs with your seafood dishes. For the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris drinkers looking for a change, Albariño is the answer.
THE ACCESSIBILITY FACTOR
Winemakers continue to look for new ways to package wine in order to appeal to the broadest base. This includes canned and bagged wine.
Bag-in-box
This isn’t your mom’s Franzia boxed wine. The bag-in-box is cool again and has taken off with the younger shoppers. While previously associated with poor quality wines, wine distributors and suppliers are now seeing that quality doesn’t need to be sacrificed when you can spend less on packaging and offer shoppers a convenient and cheaper way to enjoy their wine.
Canned wine
Like bag-in-box, canned wine is providing a more accessible and user-friendly way for consumers to enjoy wine. It’s also a much cheaper solution for wineries, and can be a huge component in transitioning these wine brands to be direct to consumer. Trader Joe’s got behind this concept by coming out with their own brand four-pack of canned wines called Simpler Wine.
Online Ordering
The wine direct to consumer market is growing fast. In order to keep up with the evolving retail landscape, it’s necessary for wineries and wine retailers to develop an online presence. More wines are now available online for Pennsylvania consumers, as the Commonwealth’s laws change.

Don't forget to RSVP for the AWS Holiday Party!  Just click the link below



Mail your payment (check made out to AWS)

Dr. Dennis Trumble
1302 Arch St.
Pittsburgh, PA  15212



Check the blog for more news!