Spring

Wine Society News
CMAA International Wine Society
Letter From the Host
By Joe Basso, MCM, CCE
Ladies and Gentlemen:
When my dear friend Tom Bertani
phoned me what seems like a decade
ago and said “we want to nominate you
for the Wine Society Board of
Managers,” I never in my wildest
dreams imagined I would be writing to
you as your incoming host.
I will tell you that this has been one of the most
rewarding experiences of my career, having served you
alongside some of the finest managers I have ever met. I
am grateful to each of them for the wine experience and
knowledge I have gained from our Association. And I am
exceedingly grateful to you for the confidence you have
placed in me by allowing me the privilege to serve on
your Board and as your Host for what is our 25th
Anniversary Year. I would be remiss in not thanking
three very special people – my best friend in the whole
world – Tom Bertani, and the better part of me, my wife
Beckie. As I am sure many of you can appreciate, she
puts up with a lot. It is a good thing for me she has a high
threshold for pain. And certainly Kathi Driggs; Kathi and
I arrived at CMAA about the same time, and while she
has been a tremendous personal support to me during my
journey, I am confident this Society would not exist without her efforts and those of her staff. Much like we are
the continuity in our respective clubs, Kathi and her staff
serve that role for us in the IWS.
If you haven’t taken the time to read the Society’s history, I would encourage you to do so. Even though the
dinner in New Orleans was our 24th Annual Dinner, 2012
is the 25th Year of the International Wine Society, having
been founded in 1988. In recognition of this milestone,
your Board is undertaking some strategic changes to
ensure our on-going success. Much like we have done in
our own clubs, we are looking at how we have traditionally governed the Society and how and where we can
improve to ensure we stay relevant to you.
By default or tradition, each Board has historically
worked within a ten month window, with the exception of
the International Workshops that have been so successful
over the years, and certainly part of our heritage.
Working with the outgoing Host, Oliver Boudin, and
next year’s Host, Eric Gregory, we have begun to
Vol. 25 No. 1
Contents:
Letter From the Host . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
By Joe Basso, MCM, CCE
Society Happenings
Introducing the Wine Society Board of Managers . . .2
CMAA International Wine Society Annual Dinner . .3
By Paul Andrew Smith III
Clubs Recognized for Exceptional Wine Programs . . 4
Sensorium Wines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Congratulations 2012 Bucky Award Winners . . . . . . .6
2012 Arseneaux Scholarship Winner . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Test Your Wine Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Grapevine
A “Case of the Mondays” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
By Peter Colón
Registration Now Open for Annual Wine Tour . . . . .8
Spanish Food and Wine Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
By Merle “Bud” Worman, CCM
A Whirlwind Tour of the Santa Barbara
Wine Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
By Terry Anglin, CCM, CCE
By The Glass
Rosé Wine: Not Your Typical Pink Wine . . . . . . . . . .10
By Keith Collora
implement elements of our past strategic planning efforts
that will “live” through the transition of Hosts to implementation and execution of initiatives that previous Boards
have identified and developed.
In addition to planning our annual programming, your
Board will be working on the following initiatives during
2012:
Education
• Development of a 90-120 minute Conference
Education Session
• Improve the utilization of the Vino 101 Training
Program
• Create Wine core competencies and a sommelier
certification
• Webcasting quarterly education out to all IWS
Members
(continued on page 2)
Spring 2012
Letter From the Host
(continued from page 1)
Membership
• Evaluate our current Membership Marketing
• Recognition of Longevity in the Society
Ambassador Program
• Education Partners
• Friends Program
• Other Alliances
Chapter Liason
• Reinvent At-Conference Chapter Representatives
Luncheon
• Review Chapter Representative Program
• Review Chapter of the Year Program for relevance
The Board of Managers has already begun work on these
initiatives and will be meeting over National Committee
Weekend in May to further address and develop what
promises to be a busy and productive agenda for 2012.
Stay tuned.
Communication/Marketing/Promotion
• Revisit Wine Society Newsletter for new look, format,
relevant content and design
• Information sharing
• Promotion of Wine Society Events and Programs
• Promotion of Warren Arsenaux Scholarship
Saluté,
Governance
• Provide for Continuity of Initiatives and Programs
• Board Transition
Joe Basso, MCM, CCE
Society Happenings
Introducing the Wine Society Board of Managers
Host
Joseph F. Basso, MCM, CCE
General Manager/COO
Birmingham Country Club
Birmingham, MI
Kitchener
Christina Toups, CCM, CCE
General Manager
Ridglea Country Club
Fort Worth, TX
Cellarmaster
Eric B. Gregory, CCM
General Manager
Claremont Country Club
Oakland, CA
Secretary
Thomas M. Czaus, CCM
General Manager/COO
Country Club of York
York, PA
Kitchenmaster
John R. Schuler, CCM
Bennington, NE
Brent Tartamella, CCM, CCE
Cellarer
Craig C. Surdy, CCM, CCE
General Manager/COO
The Reserve Club
Indian Wells, CA
Vol. 25 No. 1
Toastmaster
Nadine D. Rockwell, CCM
Assistant General Manager
Annapolis Yacht Club
Annapolis, MD
Board Members
Terry Anglin, CCM, CCE
General Manager
San Diego Yacht Club
San Diego, CA
Treasurer
General Manager
The Westmoor Club
Nantucket, MA
Michael C. Davis, CCM
General Manager
Park City Club
Dallas, TX
Barrister
Paul Andrew Smith III
Assistant General Manager
Willow Ridge Country Club
Harrison, NY
Oliver Boudin, CCM
General Manager
Oklahoma City Golf &
Country Club
Oklahoma City, OK
2
Spring 2012
Society Happenings
CMAA International Wine Society Annual Dinner
New Orleans Country Club
February 26, 2012
By Paul Andrew Smith III
Barrister
I had the distinct honor and privilege to serve as your
Toastmaster at the recent wine dinner at Conference.
What a wonderful evening it was of good food, wine and
camaraderie hosted by Bobby J. Crifasi, CCM, CCE,
CPA, the New Orleans Country Club and the entire
staff. From the moment you entered the club, you could
feel the warmth and southern hospitality from the entire
team.
The night began with a reception featuring the wines
of Sokol Blosser Winery, Trefethen Family Vineyards
and Iron Horse Vineyards with New Orleans themed
hors d’oeuvres and entertainment.
We then entered the ballroom for the wine dinner featuring the wines of Presqu’ile Winery, Stag’s Leap Wine
Cellars, Sokol Blosser Winery, Peju Province Winery,
Swanson Vineyards, Merryvale Vineyards, Waugh
Cellars and Iron Horse Winery paired beautifully with
the menu selections. Please see the menu to the right for
the specifics. Kudos to Executive Chef Chris Tefarkis,
Chef d’ Cuisine William Mauk and the entire culinary
team on a truly remarkable food and wine experience.
The final course was a “Pure Decadence Dessert Buffet”
in the formal dining room highlighting an assortment of
chocolates, cheeses and wines. It was a great opportunity
to stretch the legs after dinner, socialize with those not at
your table including the winemakers and winery representatives and eat and drink some more!
Once again I would like to thank Bobby and his entire
staff for a memorable event and all the wineries for their
support of our wonderful society!
I would like to finish with the way the night began
with the toast for those who missed it.
“Drinking good wine, with good food in good company
is one of life’s most civilized pleasures. But what is the
definition of good wine? I believe it should start and end
with a SMILE! So to everyone gathered here tonight I
wish you all an evening full of SMILES!”
CHEERS!
I wish you all a season full of smiles!
Vol. 25 No. 1
3
Spring 2012
Society Happenings
Clubs Recognized for Exceptional Wine Programs
2011 Wine Program Awards Winners
CMAA’s International Wine Society announced the winners for the Wine Program Awards at this year’s World
Conference in New Orleans. The objective of the Wine
Program Awards is to recognize the best club wine programs
on an annual basis and to laud CMAA member-managed
clubs that establish and maintain fine wine programs for
their membership. These awards are meant to be a hallmark
of quality and assurance of an eminent wine program and
should be used to market the club’s food and beverage
program to its membership.
Awards are given in the categories of Distinction and
Merit. On the 100 point scale, an Award of Distinction is
achieved when a club scores a 90 or above and an Award of
Merit is achieved when a club scores between 80 and 89.
Awards of Merit:
Awards of Distinction:
Bel-Air Country Club, Los Angeles, CA
Boca Woods Country Club, Boca Raton, FL
Chevy Chase Club, Chevy Chase, MD
Country Club of Little Rock, Little Rock, AR
Country Club of York, York, PA
Deal Golf & Country Club, Deal, NJ
Des Moines Golf & Country Club, West Des Moines, IA
Lakeside Golf Club, Toluca Lake, CA
Long Cove Club, Hilton Head Island, SC
Los Altos Golf & Country Club, Los Altos, CA
Manasquan River Golf Club, Brielle, NJ
Manhasset Bay Yacht Club, Port Washington, NY
Menlo Circus Club, Atherton, CA
Mesa Verde Country Club, Costa Mesa, CA
Milwaukee Country Club, River Hills, WI
Napa Valley Country Club, Napa, CA
Newport Harbor Yacht Club, Newport Beach, CA
Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club, Nichols Hills, OK
Port Royal Club, Naples, FL
Quail Ridge Country Club, Boynton Beach, FL
The Roaring Fork Club, Basalt, CO
Sailfish Point Country Club, Stuart, FL
Sea Pines Country Club, Hilton Head Island, SC
Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club, Menlo Park, CA
Spring Lake Golf Club, Spring Lake Heights, NJ
Bel Air Bay Club, Pacific Palisades, CA
Bellerive Country Club, St. Louis, MO
Big Canyon Country Club, Newport Beach, CA
Birnam Wood Golf Club, Santa Barbara, CA
Burlingame Country Club, Hillsborough, CA
Capital City Club, Atlanta, GA
Charlotte Country Club, Charlotte, NC
Cherokee Town & Country Club, Atlanta, GA
The Club at Las Campanas, Santa Fe, NM
The Denver Country Club, Denver, CO
Houston Country Club, Houston, TX
Interlachen Country Club, Edina, MN
International Polo Club, Wellington, FL
Jonathan Club, Los Angeles, CA
Lakewood Country Club, Dallas, TX
The Los Angeles Country Club, Los Angeles, CA
Maidstone Club, Inc., East Hampton, NY
Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, PA
Metropolitan Club, Washington, DC
Palm Beach Yacht Club, West Palm Beach, FL
Paradise Valley Country Club, Paradise Valley, AZ
The Reserve Club, Indian Wells, CA
River Oaks Country Club, Houston, TX
St. Francis Yacht Club, San Francisco, CA
University Club of Portland, Portland, OR
University Club of Seattle, Seattle, WA
Waverley Country Club, Portland, OR
The Westmoor Club, Nantucket, MA
Vol. 25 No. 1
Congratulations to these 2011 Award Winners!
4
Spring 2012
Society Happenings
Sensorium Wines
Jeff holds a Master of Science degree in Enology from
UC Davis, one of the world’s leading schools for enology and
viticulture.
Dear Wine Society Members:
I hope everyone who attended the CMAA 85th World
Conference and Club Business Expo had a great time
in NOLA and enjoyed the education, networking and
of course the great hospitality and cuisine! If you were
at Conference or were not able to attend and did not
have the opportunity to stop by to the Wine Society
Auction Preview which was held on Saturday,
February 25, to look at the great wines available to bid
on, you missed the opportunity to meet Jeff Richey,
Winemaker and Owner of Sensorium Wines and
Christopher Damon, President and Owner of Noble
Vintners who graciously donated the wonderful wines
to sip on while walking around the auction preview.
Sensorium Wines was founded in 2002 by winemaker Jeff
Ritchey and owners Lee Ritchey and John Zasio.
Sensorium wines reflect the notion of terroir, of wines with
a sense of place. The quality of our wine is directly connected to the earth in which it is grown. Through a combination
of deft detective work, connections established through years
of hands-on winemaking experience, negotiation and no
small amount of luck, we have chosen these fine vineyards to
realize our unique vision of winemaking.
Lynch Valley Ranch Vineyard (Now Somerston)
The 100 acre Lynch Valley Ranch
Vineyard is located in the hills east of
Rutherford in the south end of Chiles
Valley (Napa Valley appellation).
Block 1A was planted in 2000 and
contains closely spaced, vertically trellised Clone 4 Cabernet Sauvignon on
101-14 rootstock. Located on a steep
hillside with thin, red soils and a
southwestern exposure, it provides an excellent environment for
grapes to grow.
Please enjoy the information below on Sensorium
and perhaps give them a taste!
Cheers,
Nadine D. Rockwell, CCM
Toastmaster
Greater Baltimore Chapter
Jeff Ritchey
Sensorium Wines specializes in small lot, hand crafted
wines from select vineyards in Napa Valley, the Santa Cruz
Mountains and Central Coast. Our grapes are hand picked
at the peak of ripeness and crushed within hours to insure
that optimum flavor is maintained.
MdR (Mélanges du Rhone) Vineyard
This small vineyard is located
southeast of Paso Robles, CA,
in the cool area known as the
Templeton Gap. The Templeton
Gap is a low point in the Coastal
Range that allows sea breezes to
cool the vineyards in the afternoon.
Planted to the Syrah Noir and 877
clones on tight four by six foot
spacing on a vertical trellis, it yielded only two tons per acre.
Jeff has worked with vineyard manager/owner Jim Allen for
many years and identified this vineyard as something special.
As a result of this relationship, Sensorium Wines was able to
purchase the 2005 and future harvests from this vineyard.
Sensorium’s award-winning winemaker was previously
winemaker at Clos LaChance Winery in San Martin, CA.
With his guidance, Clos LaChance increased production
from 10,000 to 30,000 cases and built a new, state-of-the-art,
30,000-square-foot winery. Jeff’s wines have won numerous
awards and acclaim from critics and the press. As a consultant, Jeff’s expertise has served several wineries in the Santa
Cruz Mountain and Monterey areas.
Uvas Creek Vineyard
This amazing vineyard is, hands
down, one of the finest Cabernet
Sauvignon vineyards in the Santa
Cruz Mountains, if not California.
Located on a river bench below the
Uvas Dam, it produces grapes of
incomparable depth and flavor.
Expertly tended and manicured by
Bill Holt, the resulting grapes create wine with a concentration rarely seen in wines from the
Santa Cruz Mountains.
(continued on page 6)
Vol. 25 No. 1
5
Spring 2012
Society Happenings
Sensorium
(continued from page 5)
WINE PORTFOLIO AND TASTING NOTES
2008 Misperception Red Rhone Blend
Paso Robles
MdR Vineyard
(Mélanges du Rhone)
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
This unique Cabernet Sauvignon was grown in two distinct areas of Napa Valley, the warmer northern reaches of
Pope Valley and the cooler Coombsville district. The 2007
growing season was nearly ideal in California allowing for a
long hang time on the vine and naturally low yields. This elegant and balanced wine has all the characteristics of
Cabernet Sauvignon including silky tannins framed with
notes of cherry, cassis and raspberry fruit along with cedar,
nutmeg, sweet vanilla and cocoa accents from the new oak
barrels.
This beautiful and elegant red Rhone blend was grown on
a carefully tended vineyard south east of Paso Robles in the
‘Templeton Gap.’ Its low yield, cool climate, expert management and limestone rich soils produced small grapes with
intense flavor and color. The 2008 growing season was late
in California allowing for a long hang time on the vine. This
wine has beautiful aromas of raspberry, blackberry, cherry,
vanilla, fig, smoky bacon and toast followed by well balanced
and silky tannins in the mouth. Approachable now; it will
age well for years to come.
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
Uvas Valley Vineyard
Santa Cruz Mountains
2010 Paso Robles Viognier
MdR Vineyard
(Mélanges du Rhone)
This impressive Cabernet Sauvignon was grown in a new
vineyard on the eastern side of the Santa Cruz Mountains
just west of Morgan Hill and is carefully tended by Bill Holt.
He meticulously farms his vineyard to maximize quality. The
2007 growing season was nearly ideal in California allowing
for a long hang time on the vine. This wine has layers of
complex dark fruits, oak tones and balanced tannins. The
intense aromas of blackberry, currant and cherry are framed
with subtle notes of vanilla, toast, smoke and barrel spice
and sit atop beautifully rich, mouth-filling tannins. This wine
drinks well now, but will age for years to come.
This intense and elegant Viognier was grown on a carefully
tended vineyard southeast of Paso Robles in the Templeton
Gap. It comes from the same vineyard as our Syrah and its
low yield, cool climate, expert management and limestone rich
soils produced small grapes with intense flavor and aromas.
The 2010 growing season was cool and long in California,
allowing great flavor development. Some say it was a challenging vintage with a heat wave during Labor Day weekend,
but this vineyard made it through perfectly. This wine has
concentrated aromas of apricots, peaches, mineral, bananas,
orange blossom and spice along with a viscous, mouth-filling
texture with tropical flavors and a lingering finish.
Congratulations 2012 Bucky Award Winners
It’s official; the 2012 International
Wine Society Silent and Live Wine
Auctions held at the World Conference
and Club Business Expo in New Orleans
were a success. A total of more than
$36,000 was raised to benefit The Club
Foundation.
This year, The Club Foundation
awarded a $2,000 Chapter Education
grant with each Bucky Award. The Per
Capita Bucky was given to the chapter
with the highest average donation
Vol. 25 No. 1
amount per chapter member and the
Overall Bucky was given to the chapter
that donates the most wine by wholesale
value to the auctions. Congratulations to
the Golden State Chapter for winning the
Overall Bucky and the Central
Pennsylvania Chapter for winning the
Per Capita Bucky.
Wine Society Chapter Representatives
or Chapter Presidents should submit
chapter’s receipts for shipping and
shipping materials to CMAA National
6
Headquarters. Requests for reimbursement must be submitted no later than
Friday, April 13, 2012.
The wine auctions have sparked a
competition among the chapters to
donate the most wine by value and average donation amount per chapter member. So start planning now for your chapter’s donation to the 2013 Silent and Live
Auctions to be held at the CMAA World
Conference and Club Business
Expo in San Diego, CA.
Spring 2012
Grapevine
A “Case of the Mondays”
By Peter Colón
Assistant General Manager, St. Francis Yacht Club, San Francisco, CA
a bottle of their choice to taste against
some of the region’s premiere cheeses.
Typically, working professionals wake up on Monday
morning to face the beginning
of another work week. Most
of you can agree that a “case
the Mondays” is a recognizable phrase that our friends
outside of the club industry
face on a weekly basis. Club
managers, on the other hand,
tend to see Mondays as the
beginning of their “weekend.”
It’s a day that, when most
people are working until the
Wine and Cheese with David Bice
closing hours of local busifrom Redwood Hill Farm and
nesses, we zip around the
Creamery
sparsely packed streets of our
cities finishing up our weekly chores. On Monday, January 30, a
group of club managers in the Northern California area had the
opportunity to recreate on their day off with a morning cheese
tasting and an afternoon barrel tasting.
After dialogue about the cheese and
wine pairings, David led the group on a
tour of the creamery. In every room we
saw, and in the staff we met, the commitment to quality and excellence was evident in the operation at Redwood Hill
Farm and Creamery. When looking for
Eric Gregory, CCM,
quality local product in the Bay Area,
keep Redwood Hill Farm and Creamery in and Ron Banaszak,
CCM, CCE, really
your purchasing plans.
like their new outfits.
As my “Monday” hit its stride to becoming another day of envy from my friends back in their office, the
group packed into their cars and headed to Freeman. Freeman
Vineyard and Winery is the fruition of a 20-year dream shared by
Ken and Akiko Freeman to craft elegant cool climate California
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in a sophisticated, Burgundian style.
After descending down
the driveway and into our
parking space, Akiko
Freeman emerged from the
winery to welcome us into her
home. First, we learned the
story of how she and her husband, Ken, took years to find
Akiko Freeman of Freeman
the perfect location to produce
Vineyards and Winery
the acclaimed wines that we
drink today. Following her introduction to the winery, we were led
into the caves for a tasting of current Freeman Winery releases.
Leading off was the 2010 “Ryo-fu” Chardonnay. The heart of the
line-up consisted of the 2010 Sonoma Coast, Akiko’s Cuveé,
Russian River and Keefer Ranch Pinot Noirs. Akiko’s special offer
to barrel taste the 2011 Russian River Pinot Noir rounded out the
portfolio on a high note.
The day began with a 10:00 a.m. visit to Redwood Hill Farm
and Creamery. After a few wrong turns on the way there, thanks
to the reliable GPS, my general manager and I arrived in the
parking lot of the creamery. Once inside, we joined the other
Wine Society members, who were already popping the corks to
the bottles of wine brought to accompany the cheeses. Redwood
Hill Events and Community Relations representative, David
Bice, began the morning with a warm welcome and introduction
on the history of the farm. The award-winning, humane certified,
Grade A goat dairy farm and creamery has been family owned
and sustainably farmed since 1968. In 1978, Bice’s sister, Jennifer,
assumed the ownership from their parents and expanded the
business. Redwood Hill’s products range from artisan cheeses to
goat milk kefir.
Aging Goat Cheese at Redwood
Hill Farm and Creamery
Vol. 25 No. 1
David first led us through a
tasting of their award-winning
artisan cheeses, yogurt and
kefir samples. As we sampled
their Bucheret, Goat Milk
Feta, Camellia, Smoked and
Aged Cheddars and California
Crottin cheeses, we tasted
wine varietals ranging from
Champagne to Cabernet
Sauvignon. There was no prearranged label or varietal
intended for the tasting.
Instead, the attendees brought
The big hitter, and my personal MVP of the tasting, was the
Akiko Cuveé. Not only did this Pinot live up to my expectations
of a great Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, but the story behind
the Cuveé is unlike most labels I have tried. Akiko, along with
winemaker Ed Kurtzman and associate winemaker, Eric
Buffington, taste each barrel of Pinot in the winery from the vintage and choose their favorites. This has been done since its inaugural 2002 vintage. The Akiko Cuveé would make an immediate
impact on any wine list. Not only does it show the Pinot Noir
standard of excellence, but it has a great story that your front of
house staff can use to sell the wine.
(continued on page 8)
7
Spring 2012
Grapevine
A “Case of the Mondays”
(continued from page 7)
As our “Monday” approached the lunch hour, Akiko invited
the whole group to join her for an exclusive opportunity to dine
in her home. As we ascended the hill to the architectural dream in
which they reside, she leaked the buffet menu we were about to
enjoy as Chef Sandra Simile completed the final touches:
Butter Lettuce, Mache, Roasted Golden Beets,
Bartlett Pear, Cherry Tomatoes and Laura Chenel Chevre with
Citrus Dressing
Balsamic, Herb and Garlic Crusted Roast Beef Top Loin
with Grilled Onions and Mushrooms
Parsley and Chive Buttered Red Banana
Fingerling Potatoes
Northern California Wine Society Members with Akiko Freeman
Roasted Butternut Squash with Shallots,
Chestnuts and Marjoram
prietor/winemaker of a renowned winery. The experience gave a
whole new meaning to the “case of the Mondays.” May
Mondays, from now on, be abundant and plentiful, unless you
are one of my friends, stuck punching the clock back at the office.
Grilled Zucchini and Cippolini Onion Gratin
German Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream and Caramel
Sauce
Redwood Hill Creamery and Green Valley Organics
www.redwoodhill.com
contact@redwoodhill.net
(707) 823-8750
A few bottles of Pinot Noir, a bunch of laughs and a couple of
pictures on the deck later, the Northern California Club
Managers completed lunch and retreated back down the hill to
head home.
Freeman Vineyards and Winery
www.freemanwinery.com
Akiko@FreemanWinery.com
(707) 823-6937
This was a day full of camaraderie, local award-winning artisan
cheeses and a surprise barrel tasting and luncheon with the pro-
Registration Now Open
for Annual Wine Tour
2012 Arseneaux
Scholarship Winner
The CMAA International Wine Society is pleased to
announce the 2012 winner of the Warren L. Arseneaux
Honorary Scholarship is Cindy A. Williams, CCM, of Rumson
Country Club in Rumson, NJ. This scholarship was established
in 2007 by the CMAA International Wine Society, to honor the
late Warren L. Arseneaux, CCM, as instrumental to the founding of the Wine Society, as a Past President of CMAA and for
his years of dedicated service to CMAA and the International
Wine Society. The scholarship provides tuition for a CMAA
International Wine Society member who has a passion and love
for wine, and is interested in continuing his or her professional
development, to attend the BMI Wine and Food Experience or
other educational opportunity as approved by the IWS
Board of Managers. Congratulations to Cindy Williams!
Vol. 25 No. 1
Join the International Wine Society for a seven
day, six night tour through the Napa and Sonoma
Counties of California. This workshop is sure to tantalize your taste buds with some of the finest wines
in the country. From the powerful Cabernet
Sauvignons of Napa Valley to the delicate sparkling
wines of Carneros and everything in between, this is
an opportunity to enjoy all that California’s best
wine-producing regions have to offer. Wine Country
is ready to welcome you with open arms to the
Golden State. Registration is limited to 25 participants. Full details are available here. Register
today!
8
Spring 2012
Grapevine
Spanish Food and Wine Experience
January 20, 2012
By Merle “Bud” Worman, CCM
General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
Cleveland Yachting Club
Rocky River, OH
Each year after returning from the International Wine
Society’s Annual Wine Workshop, Nancy and I present a
dinner at the club for the members featuring food and wines
indigenous to the area we have just toured with the Society.
This year, the tour featured the wonderful wines of Spain.
While attending our last night’s dinner in Madrid, we were
fortunate to be seated next to the dinner’s hostess, Victoria
Ordonez, General Manager for Grupo Jorge Ordonez,
broker and exporter of Spanish wines.
As a special treat for our club, Victoria arranged her
schedule to fly from Malaga, Spain, to be the guest of honor
at our event. Nancy and I were
also pleased and honored to have
Victoria as our house guest for
three days in which time Victoria
shared some of her extensive wine
knowledge.
As usual, the event was sold out
with a waiting list and an evening
of Spanish wine converts.
From left to right are Merle Worman, CCM, Victoria Ordonez,
Nancy Worman and Gary Twining, a certified wine educator.
Vol. 25 No. 1
9
Spring 2012
Grapevine
A Whirlwind Tour of the Santa Barbara Wine Country
By Terry Anglin, CCM, CCE
General Manager, San Diego Yacht Club, San Diego, CA
Having made it through the busy holiday season at San Diego
Yacht Club, we needed to get away and take a break. The
thought was to head to Santa Barbara and determine if there was
any wine left in the area after the holidays. The good news is there was.
noted, their Syrah. While it was very good, it did not hold a
candle to the Sangiovese. Once again, I pulled out my wallet and
walked out with a blended case heavy on the Sangiovese.
We jumped back in the car and headed toward Solvang, the
quaint little Danish town in the Santa Barbara county. Just outside of town we found Blackjack Ranch Vineyards and Winery.
There we were met by Allison. We ran through the wines listed
on the tasting sheet and then came across a delicious meritage
Blackjack calls “Allusion.” The juice is a blend of Merlot, Cab
Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon and has a ton of black fruit,
cocoa and expresso. They also have a sign stating that “unattended children will be given an expresso and free puppy.” I am
assuming they want you to watch your kids.
We were unsure of where to begin but finally settled on the little town of Los Olivos to begin our search for little unknown
gems from the area. Los Olivos is basically a town with one twolane road and shops, restaurants and wine tasting rooms on both
sides.
Our first stop took us to a small one room cabin type tasting
room that bore a sign saying “Carhart Vineyards.” As we stepped
in, we were greeted by a lady named Robin who welcomed us
with a glass of Grenache Blanc. The wine had an apple and honeysuckle nose with a finishing palate of citrus cream. Delightful.
Robin’s next pour was the Carhart Sauvignon Blanc, an explosion of tropical fruit and citrus. This was followed by a Pinot
Noir, Merlot and Syrah. The whole line was top notch and it was
tempting, but since this was the first stop, we were using the spit
buckets. We purchased the Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah.
Back in the car, we drove into downtown Santa Barbara
towards the tasting rooms area. After walking for 35 minutes, we
finally located the last stop of the day – Carr Winery. Since it was
now 4:00 p.m., we were done with the spit buckets. The first glass
was the Carr Pinot Gris. The wine is aged in stainless steel for
only five months and has a nose of apples and pears and a long,
slightly acidic finish, quite the palate cleanser. We then began
working our way through their Pinot Noirs of which they produce three. Our favorite was the 2009 Three Vineyards Pinot
from Santa Rita Hills. The wine has a unique floral nose with a
spicy mid-palate and deep dry finish. Of course we ended up
carrying some bottles for home use – again.
Moving down Grand Avenue, the next stop was another
boutique style winery called Stolpman. Stolpman is located in
a small unassuming little house just down from the Flagpole,
the center of town and Grand Avenue. We started off with
their L’Avion, a Roussanne; quite impressive. The second tasting was the Stolpman Sauvignon Blanc, again a winner. Now
we were getting warmed up so it was on to the Sangiovese,
the BEST wine of the day! An incredible combination of
fruit, tannins with a great mouthfeel. We did not spit this one.
The Sangio was followed by the wine for which Stolpman is
There you have it. The end of a great day of tasting in Santa
Barbara. We attained our goal of finding some new fun wines
that we had never tried before. If you have the opportunity to get
to this area, give these four wineries a try. Tell them Terry and
Denise sent you; maybe they’ll give you a puppy.
By the Glass
Rosé Wine: Not Your Typical Pink Wine
By Keith Collora
Reliable Churchill
Simply put, rosés get their color in the same way red
wines do – the fermentation of the grapes with their red
skins during fermentation. The production of a rosé can be
done using three different mechanisms. As far as rosé making goes, the method used most frequently is by combining
the juice from the grape with the skin for a short amount of
time, typically one to three days.
Every spring I go through the same ritual with
myself. I tell myself that this will be the year of
the rosé. Although it has been consistently produced, it hasn’t seen the type of growth that fans
like me expect of it. It is a wine that seems to have
an identity crisis, never being able to break free from
either being a red or white wine. Over the last couple
of years however, rosés are growing in popularity
and are gaining their independence.
Vol. 25 No. 1
The saignée method, or bleeding method, is a byproduct
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Spring 2012
By the Glass
Rosé Wine: Not Your Typical Pink Wine
of red winemaking. During red wine production a portion of
juice is removed from the tank during its primary fermentation (which intensifies the red wine flavor and tannin
structure). The removed “juice” has had little contact with
skin which makes it suitable for use with rosé wine making.
The types of wines that we typically see from this method of
wine production are sweeter blush wines such as white zinfandels.
these grapes produce rose wines that serve a purpose: food
pairing. Rosés are typically lower alcohol with high acid
wines. Higher acid wines make them very food friendly especially with shellfish and lighter fare. The residual tannins
from the winemaking process give them extra body and complexity that you won’t find in many white wines.
Here are a couple of stunning examples of rosés:
The third method is one that isn’t readily accepted with the
exception of making some sparkling rosé wines. This involves
blending white and red wines to get the desired color and flavor profile. It is not favorable because this is a disruption of
the wine’s integrity. In fact, European law doesn’t allow for a
wine to be called a rosé if it has been made in this fashion.
• Domaine De Gournier Rosé – Domaine de Gournier
is owned by Maurice Barnouin and located on the
western edge of the Rhône Valley, north of the city of
Nîmes. Brightly colored, the red berry fruits in the nose
and on the palate are accented by notes of spice and a
touch of earth.
The roots of rosé can be traced back to 600 BC in ancient
Greece. During this time, all of the wines that were produced
were what we would call rosé. Knowledge and necessity dictated that the skins didn’t need to be in prolonged contact
with the juice. Wine was considered safer than the water in
the rivers and streams and was consumed in larger volumes.
It would be almost 500 years later before the Romans would
begin to intensify their red wines to make something more
reminiscent of what we see today.
• Domaine St Eugene Corbières Rosé – Domaine Sainte
Eugénie is positioned within the district of Fontfroide.
The estate is located within the foothills of the Pyrénées
along the Mediterranean coast. This rosé is a blend of
75 percent Cinsault, 15 percent Syrah and 10 percent
Grenache. The result is a bright rosé displaying fresh
raspberry with a slight touch of mineral and dried herbs
with a dry finish.
• Domaine du Tariquet – The Grassa family is known
primarily for making Armagnac, however, the newest
generation of children have begun making some great
still wines. This is a rosé made using the same vinification process as for white wine. Serve it chilled, before
or during a meal. It is excellent with tapas, summer
dishes, Italian food or spicy cuisine.
Romans were also the first people to bring this style of
wine to France. Through their conquests they planted grapes
throughout the country. They planted “Clairet,” a dark rosé
wine which is nearly extinct today in Provence. In this region,
wine production was abundant during the Middle Ages as
monasteries used rosé production as a source of income.
• Montes Cherub – Montes Cherub is 100 percent
Syrah from the Archangel Estate in Marchiqüe. It is
an elegant, dry rosé wine. This wine is fresh and well
balanced. It has a bright intense pink color. Both on the
nose and palate it has a distinct Syrah character, with
some spiciness and hints of strawberries and lively
floral flavors, mainly rosés as well as orange peel.
In the 20th century, railroads opened up new markets for
Provencal wine. As the tourism industry grew up along the
Côte d’Azur, rosé production increased exponentially. In 1935,
the Institute National des Appellations d’Origine (INAO) was
founded to define and establish the terroir and production criteria for individual winegrowing regions called AOCs.
Everything changed for rosés in the 1970s when demand for
white wines from California exceeded production. This is where
the saignée method allowed winemakers to make blush wines
out of red wine batches. This resulted initially in wines of a drier
variety until a few sweeter test batches revealed a whole new
opportunity for the wine market. Once this revelation was made,
the dry rosé market as we knew it was officially destroyed for
years – just as a single line in the movie Sideways hurt merlot
sales and forced winemakers to refocus their efforts.
Today, we are seeing a rebirth of rosés from areas in
Portugal, France, Spain, Canada, Australia and the US.
Winemakers are using grape varieties outside the traditional
Syrah, Grenache and Carignane. They are doing so because
Vol. 25 No. 1
• Etude Rosé of Pinot Noir – This salmon pink rosé of
Pinot Noir has aromas of enticing red fruits and blood
orange with lush flavors of wild strawberries and
rhubarb have balanced acidity and bright finish.
Today dry rosé is finally gaining popularity in the US as
not only a seasonal drink, but a legitimate category of wine
that can often translate variety and terroir with great intensity. You will find them to be very different from their blush
counterparts.
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Spring 2012
Society Happenings
The International Wine Society Welcomes Its New Members
Member:
Club:
Recruited by:
John Albright
Jason Asbra
Anthony Barnhart
Kendal Brown
Bilained Casado
Greg Clark
Chris Clodfelter
Peter Colon
Richard Fairman, CCM
Eric French
Robert J. Green Jr., CCM, CCE
Charlotte Hillery-Welman, CCM
Christian Hull
Jennifer LePage
Amy Lewis
Luis Moreira
James J. Paris
Ken Puttman
Randall J. Rice, CCM
Frederick J. Rickey, CCM
Ron G. Ruffner Jr., CCM
Thomas Shonkwiler, CCM
Felix Solomon
Michael J. Territo, CCM
Christian A. Varas
Tom Walberg
Bob Wilkinson
Nissequogue Golf Club
Claremont Country Club
Dunes Golf & Beach Club
Carlouel Yacht Club
Spring Brook Country Club
Sea Pines Country Club
Hermitage Country Club
St. Francis Yacht Club
Barry L. Chandler
Eric Gregory, CCM
Colin Mack-Allen, CCM
Dave E. Bachman, CCM
Robert J. Green Jr., CCM, CCE
Ronald A. Banaszak, CCM, CCE
Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club Kathleen A. Muneio, CCM, CCE
The Club at Las Campanas
Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club
Wianno Club
Lakewood Country Club
Wianno Club
Horseshoe Bay Golf Club
Canoe Brook Country Club
Dunwoody Country Club
Waverley Country Club
Marietta Country Club
Northampton Country Club
Sunnybrook Golf Club
Governors Club
The Faculty Club
Round Hill Club
River Oaks Country Club
The Chicago Club
Merion Golf Club
Jeff S. Isbell, CCM
Eric J. Dietz, CCM
Jeff S. Isbell, CCM
Kimberly L. Condit, CCM
Larry Lane Peel Jr., CCM
Mitchell B. Marron
Eric Gregory, CCM
Michael L. Catanzaro, CCM, CCE
Maria McGinity
Timothy T. Stein
Clive L. Smith
Test Your Wine Knowledge
Annually, Wine Society members have the opportunity to test their wine knowledge at the Annual Wine
Society Business Meeting and Education Session. Did
you miss this year’s event or would you like to test a
member of your staff?
The 2012 test was created by Paul F. Anthony, CCM,
CCE, of Blackhawk Country Club in Madison, WI.
Download the complete test here.
Vol. 25 No. 1
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Spring 2012