AMERICAN WINE SOCIETY
A non-profit corporation
John Marshall Chapter
He that drinks not wine after salad,
is in danger of being sick.
– Cotgrace, 17th Century
OCTOBER MEETING
In October, Mike and Mary Anne took us to Washington State to taste representative
examples from four of the five Washington state appellations. The five
appellations are Greater Puget Sound/Seattle, Columbia River Gorge, Yakima
Valley, Red Mountain, and Walla Walla Valley. The wines we enjoyed at the
meeting were as listed below.
|
Year
|
Winery
|
Varietal
|
Appelation
|
| 2000 |
Pacific Estates |
Riesling |
Yakima |
| 2000 |
Bridgeman |
Sauvignon Blanc |
Yakima |
| 1999 |
Bridgman |
Viognier |
Yakima |
| 1999 |
Covey Run |
Chardonnay |
Columbia |
| 2000 |
Gordon Brothers |
Chardonnay |
Columbia |
| 1999 |
Washington Hills |
Syrah |
Columbia |
| 1999 |
Snoquaimie |
Cabernet/Merlot |
Columbia |
| 1998 |
Hedges |
Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon |
Red Mountain |
| 1998 |
Canoe Ridge |
Merlot |
Walla Walla |
| 1999 |
Apex |
Merlot |
Columbia |
All of the wines were good, but surprisingly the reds were very well
made and brought on a lot of discussion. Mike and Mary Anne once again
introduced many of us to wines we had never experienced and are certainly
on my list of "must haves." Mike and Mary Anne included the following link
for further information on Washington state wines: http://www.aws-va.com/john-marshall/articles/Washington.htm
NOVEMBER MEETING
On the SECOND Sunday of the month, November 10th, Sally Gutherie is presenting
"Wines of the World." Sally owns and operates the Farm Store in The Plains
and is very wine knowledgeable so bring a note pad.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
The John Marshall Chapter has been invited to join the newly formed Heritage
Hunt Chapter's Hoilday Wine Gala, "Black Tie Optional," on Saturday, November
30th, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The cost for this fabulous evening is
$100 per couple or $50 per person. The cost for those who are members of
any of the four wine chapters is $45.00 per person or $90.00 per couple.
Contact Clare Keating at 703-743-5304 as soon as possible to reserve your
evening's enjoyment. For further details, call Ray Olszewski or Clare Keating
at 703-743-5320, or e-mail at Ray Rolszewski@aol.com
The holiday season approaches with invitations abounding. Ted and Catherine
Goshorn have once again offered to host our informal holiday party for
the John Marshall and Northern Virginia Chapters. We will gather on Saturday,
December 7th, from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Please bring a dish of your
favorite party food. There is also a meager $10.00 fee to cover the cost
of the awesome wines and party supplies. Directions are as follows:
-
From Interstate 66, east or west bound, take exit 31 onto Route 245 north
(to the right).
-
Proceed into The Plains about 1 mile to the stop sign at Route 55.
-
Turn right onto Route 55.
-
Go about 2 blocks to Ted and Catherine's home on the left.
-
6436 Main Street, The Plains, (540) 253-5542.
TO YOUR HEALTH!
An old wives' tale that may seem logical remains empirical knowledge until
scientists prove the tale in the laboratory. Recently, the American Society
of Microbiologists proved that wine, particularly white wine, is a disinfectant
that kills E.coli, salmonella, staphylococcus, and klebsilla on external
surfaces as well as within human bodies. The scientists previously thought
the ingredient lethal to these pathogens (i.e., disease-causing microbes)
was the alcohol. However, they found that the pathogens were killed by
the malic and tartaric acids present in wines, especially white wines that
have not gone through malolactic fermentation (which converts the malic
acid into lactic acid). Now, a wine-based disinfectant spray for external
use is being developed as an alternative to hydrogen peroxide disinfectants.
With various health benefits from the moderate consumption of wine coming
to scientific light (e.g., whites improve lung function and reds reduce
cholesterol), I advise all of you to be sure to take your "medicine" with
every meal, and especially after salad.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The John Marshall Chapter elections are coming up in January with all positions
open: Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, Treasurer, Kweens of Kwisine, Newsletter,
and Web Site Guru.
Mike Schlosser volunteers to remain as chairperson, unless someone wishes
that cherished title. Mary Anne Wassenberg and Kearney Shaw have done a
great job with the web site and member list, but would welcome help and
ideas. Let Mike Schlosser know if you are interested in any of these prestigious
positions.
See y'all on the 10th!
Smile . . .
Fletcher