AMERICAN WINE SOCIETY
A non-profit corporation
John Marshall Chapter
The word symposium, from the ancient Greek word "to drink together,"
arises from the practice of sipping wine while holding intellectual
discussions.
MAY MEETING
Tim Stevens and I presented a program titled, "Globe Trotting With a Hidden
Theme: Cheap and Cheerful." Imported wines are a great value in the
U.S. today. This is expected to continue as our market grows and
foreign producers design wines to cater to our nations palates. The highest
priced wine was $8, and one wine was $4.99 (actually one of the better
wines).
|
Vintage
|
Producer
|
Varietal
|
Region
|
Price
|
Importer
|
| NV |
Segura Viudas |
Brut Reserva |
Spanish Cava |
$7.99 |
Freixenet |
| NV |
Clarity |
Sauvignon Blanc |
Macedonia |
$6.99 |
Dyonysis |
| 1999 |
Domaine Des Cassagnoles |
Ugni Blanc |
Cotes de Gascogne, France |
$5.99 |
Weygandt-Metzler |
| 2000 |
Coteaux du Languedoc |
Picpoul du Pinet |
France |
$5.99 |
KyselaPere & Fils |
| 1997 |
Balbi Vineyard |
Chardonnay – Semillion |
Argentina |
$7.99 |
TheWine Alliance |
| 1998 |
Chateau de Campuget |
Syrah – Grenache |
Nimes, France |
$7.99 |
Robert Kacher |
| 1996 |
Marques de Moral |
Tempranillo |
Valdepenas, Spain |
$5.99 |
KyselaPere & Fils |
| 1996 |
Pergolas |
Tempranillo |
Valdepenas, Spain |
$4.99 |
Kysela Pere & Fils |
| 1998 |
Hardys |
Shiraz |
Southeastern Australia |
$7.99 |
InternationalCellars |
JUNE MEETING
On Sunday, June 10th, plan on a 5 to 5:30 pm arrival at the Shaw's
home. Marilyn and Kearney will host a BBQ followed by a 7:00
pm tasting. They will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, plates, plasticware,
and soda pop. Guests should bring a small dish to share. Please RSVP the
Shaws so they have an idea of head count for the food as well as make sure
we do not end up with too many bags of potato chips (I’m bringin’ the cheeze
curls!). Please phone 703-754-2291 or e-mail kearneynet@erols.com
with your RSVP.
Directions to the Shaw's home are as follows:
-
From Interstate 66 Haymarket exit (exit 40), take Highway 15 north for
3.7 miles.
-
Turn west (left) on Highway 601 (Waterfall Road) and continue for 0.6 miles.
-
Turn north (right) on Highway 630 (Mill Creek Road) and continue for 1.2
miles.
-
Turn right into driveway at 3417 Mill Creek Road. There is a brown fence
around the property.
Note: Coming north on Highway 15 from Interstate 66, Waterfall Road is
on the left. There is a traffic light 200 feet beyond which is thee
western terminus of Highway 234 (on the right) and a 7-11convieniece store.
3417 Mill Creek Road is a cream colored, brown trimmed Tutor style house
set back ~200 feet off the road at the eastern terminus of Berkley Road
(on the left). If you pass up the house, you will end up at a dead end
cul-de-sac about 1200 feet beyond the house.
FUTURE MEETINGS
Mark your calendars:
-
Sunday, July 1st – Loire wines at Chateau Pearmund.
-
August – no meeting so we can visit some Virginia wineries!
STYLES OF SUMMER
Well, the calendar says that summer weather is here, the season when white
wines are more popular than Rolaids at a chili cook-off. Choices, choices,
what’s your pleasure - dry, off-dry, semi-sweet, or sweet; crisp, clean,
sharp; soft, fruity; creamy - buttery; or oaky?
Chardonnay is a white varietal that offers many styles of dry wine.
The distinguishing factors separating Old World from New World style Chardonnay
is the New World’s affinity for oaked and creamy - buttery aromas and flavors.
The oaky components, obviously come from barrel aging in new (no more than
four years use) barrels.
But, how do those Merlins of winemaking get a buttery or creamy component
in their Chardonnays? No, it’s not an addition of butter or
cream. A winemaker controls whether or not a wine goes through a secondary
fermentation called Malolactic Fermentation, referred to as ML. This converts
malic acid into lactic acid. Malic comes from Latin meaning ‘green apples.’
Wine contains tartaric acid, malic acid, citric acid and so on in descending
predominance. To soften the acids of a wine the winemaker can reduce the
malic acid by allowing, or inducing in most cases ML. It is this lactic
acid that imparts that creamy or buttery aroma and taste in a wine, most
notable in Chardonnays. So, what’s your choice – green apples or butter?
See ya on the 10th!
Smile . . .
Fletcher