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1 September 2013 Newsletter North Alabama Chapter of the American Wine Society (AWS) National Tasting Project (Rhône Style Wines) September 22, 2013, 3:00 pm Hosted by Dave and Kim Russell at the Starkloff s Every year the American Wine Society conducts a national wide tasting of the same wines with the goal of gaining a larger view of what wines members in each chapter prefer. The AWS national tasting committee chairperson provided a list of 15 wines from which to select six for the tasting: A white Rhône, a Californian Rhône, an Australian Rhône, a Spanish Rhône, and two French Rhônes (one from Northern Rhone and one from Southern Rhône). To achieve consistency among all chapters, a set of specific instructions will be followed to ensure compliance. Here is how we will conduct the tasting: 1. The wines will be tasted in random order. They will not be arranged by region or cost 2. All capsules will be removed from the bottles completely. 3. Bags will be numbered, keeping track of which wine is in each bag number. This tasting will provide all with the opportunity to see how they, and our chapter, compares to other chapters taste. Now that we have been educated by Marj McCulley on the proper way to taste, this should be a fun event. Á votre santé! Look for the article about the National Tasting Project later in the newsletter. Reservation Form is on the last page of the newsletter 1

2 Chapter 2013 Board of Directors Director Margaret Fall Director Elect Jay Wilson Secretaries Susan Coddington and Kristen Lindelow Treasurer Chip Boling Programs Tim and Joy Suttles Education Marj McCulley Newsletter - Karl Starkloff Webmaster - Jay Wilson From the Wine Cellar (Margaret Fall, Director) As we enter September, winding down our summer travels and looking forward to cooler fall weather it is a good time to enjoy BBQ, grilled foods, football and your favorite wine. *Note: there are 93 days from our September Tasting till Christmas. The chapter had a great turn out for the August Membership Mixer at the Highland Lakes Clubhouse. The Membership Mixer kicked off with a hands on, (glass in hand) tasting and we learned how to score the Wine Evaluation Sheet which is valuable to our monthly tasting. Let us thank the 2013 AWS Board for their hard work to pull off our successful Auction that will benefit the education fund, a very special thanks goes to Marj McCulley, and Kristen Lindelow, who shared their knowledge and guided us to appreciate, love and evaluate wines. September s Tasting will feature wines chosen for this year s National Tasting Project! You can then see how your scores and the chapter s average scores compare to other AWS chapters to be published in a future National newsletter. We will have one of the 2013 AWSEF scholarship recipients, one chosen for our chapter attending this tasting, Stephanie Bolton from the University of Georgia, so mark your calendar. WHERE WILL YOU BE NOV 7-9? **NOW Open on-line registration for AWS National Conference that will be held at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in Sandusky, Ohio, November 7-9, Maximum number of attendees is 500 and 300 registered in the first hour; now up to 400, so if you want to go get your reservation in soon! Our North Alabama Chapter had Tom and Suzanne Gainey join our chapter after our Member Mixer. Mark and Stephanie Kutis also joined after our July tasting. We say Welcome and are glad you have joined the family. Have you MARKed YOUR CALENDAR for the October Annual Wine Dinner; to be held Saturday, October 26, at 6:00pm, at 1892 East Restaurant and Tavern, reservations are needed (Watch for a separate notice). Remember, the tradition of our Annual Wine Dinner is to bring 1 or 2 bottles of a wine you would like to share with your fellow wine lovers; as well as electing 2014 Officers for the Board. 2

3 here s another benefit of AWS membership, a discount offer for a great festival not far from your home. euphoria, the food, wine & music festival in Greenville, SC, Sept Founded in 2006 by platinum-selling singer and songwriter Edwin McCain and restaurateur Carl Sobocinski, euphoria educates, entices, enlightens, and entertains. This highly anticipated weekend-long event that Southern Living deemed "the best little food festival in the South" includes exclusive tasting events, cooking demonstrations and wine seminars, as well as multi-course dinners and live musical performances aplenty. Dedicated to excellence, euphoria features domestic and international wines, celebrity chefs from around the nation, master sommeliers, and national recording artists. Every September this long weekend event shines a spotlight on Greenville, South Carolina 's thriving Culinary and Arts Communities. Greenville, situated at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, stands out with its award-winning downtown, vast entertainment options and diverse population. Supporting the community, proceeds from euphoria fund Local Boys do Good, the 501 (c)(3) created to benefit local non-profit organizations. Euphoria, a weekend destination event, impressed all with its passion for quality and value. Find out more by visiting and reserve your seat at the table today! This is one weekend the food, wine or music lover won't want to miss. AWS Members!!! Enter code AWS2013 at checkout to receive 15% your total ticket purchase Chapter Web Site (Jay Wilson, Webmaster) When you have time, check out the AWS web sites for both the National ( and our local chapter ( If you haven t been to the North Alabama Chapter of the American Wine Society web page, you are missing a fine opportunity to explore not only our Chapter s history but a lot more. For example, there is a Tab that can explain how to conduct a wine tasting. Here you can find out it is not as hard as you may think to host a tasting. On several other Tabs, you can see the schedule of future tastings, as well as photos of past events. There are archive Tabs for the monthly Newsletter and Education articles going back to The Recipe Tab has almost 50 delicious recipes that tasting hosts have generously provided. There is even a tab where you can contact directly any member of the Board. A lot of effort and time has gone into this website and it is recognized as one of the best in the AWS. To help you find your way, the monthly Newsletter is posted in both PDF and HTML formats, easily downloaded to your phone, to review driving directions to the tasting or re-read Marj s Education page for the month. Our Chapter web site belongs to us, take a few minutes and explore. 3

4 National Tasting Project 2013 Rhône Style Wines Single Varietal or Blend of Many History, Regions, Wine Making and other Tidbits about Rhône Style Wines The Rhône River Valley of France The Rhône River has its beginning in the Alps of Switzerland. South of its juncture with the Saône at Lyon is the beginning of the wine production in the Rhône valley of France known for its superlative wines. The Rhône valley is divided into the Northern and Southern regions. Wine has certainly been made in the Rhône Valley since AD 71 and possibly before then. However, the origination of the Syrah and Viognier grape in the northern region is not certain. There are three theories: Syrah was imported by Phoenicians from Persia which would make it a relative of Shiraz as the grape was known there; a second alternative is that Syrah derives its name from Syracuse and it was brought to the valley by Roman legions; the last theory is that the grape established itself in the valley and grew wild. Viognier was probably brought by the Roman legions. The earliest records of wine trade date to the 14th century. The valley came into prominence in the 1980s as a producer of serious great reds. A little known bit of irony is that Rhône wines were added to the wines of Burgundy and Bordeaux to flesh them out, color them and deepen their flavors. When the Papal court of the Catholic Church moved to Avignon, the court drank the Rhône valley wines as well as those of Burgundy. So they must have been acceptable because the clergy continued to consume them. In the Northern region Syrah is the only red grape permitted in the wines. Viognier is one of the white grapes grown in this region. The others are Marsanne and Roussane. In this portion of the valley the grapes are grown on steep hillsides to take advantage of sun exposure because the climate is very harsh in winter so the sun exposure helps the vines survive the winter. The steep slopes makes working with the vines difficult and all vine growing is accomplished by families working a family holding. About half of the wine is bottled by merchants, such as, Guigal, Jaboulet, Chapoutier and Delas. Production here is focused on the fine wine connoisseur. Viognier wine is produced in the Condrieu and Chateau Grillet appellations each producing a distinctive style. Thomas Jefferson recognized the latter in the late 18th century. Condrieu is known for its distinctive aroma and full body but rather short life. Chateau Grillet is characterized by a restrained, taut, longer 4

5 living wine. An interesting blend allowed in the Côte Rôtie appellation is Syrah with as much as 20% Viognier which produces a wine for early consumption although legend has it, the best Côte Rôtie is a blend of the two. In Crozes-Hermitage in addition to Syrah wine a full body white wine is produced from blends of Marsanne and Roussane. Also, up to 15% of the white grapes may be added to red at fermentation. The best red Crozes can be kept for 5 to 10 years but the average is best drunk young. The Southern Rhône region is distinctly different with a milder Mediterranean climate and a flatter countryside covered by smooth rolled stones which retain heat to hasten ripening and reduce moisture evaporation from the soil underneath. They do, however, make working the vineyards painstakingly slow. Most wines are blends which sometimes can be composed of as many as 13 wines and can be either white and/ or red. Seventy percent of the wine production is done by co-operatives. The predominant red grapes are Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre, Cinsault and Carignan. Predominant white grapes are Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussane and Viognier. Therefore, these wines can be very multifaceted compared to the Northern Rhône wines. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is probably the most widely know appellation in the south. Some others are Gigondas, Lirac, Vacqueyras, and Tavel. More wine is made in the Chateauneuf-du-Pape appellation than in all of the Northern Rhône. Vineyard yield is closely controlled and very little new oak is used in the process. Grenache is sensitive to oxidation so wooden barrels are not conducive to the process. Large old barrels are used for making Syrah and Mouvedre. The top reds of Chateauneuf du Pape set the bar for the other Southern Rhône wines which is a penetrating, dense, sassy wine with earthy and gamy flavors. To the northwest of Chateauneuf-du-Pape is Gigondas an appellation where the wines are more muscular and tough with explosive aromas and flavors and a totally different personality than Cahteauneuf-du-Pape. Grenache cannot be more than 80% with no less than 15% Syrah/ Mouvedre blended and the remainder is often Cinsault. South of Gigondas is the appellation of Vacqueyras. The wines are sturdy and bold and the best smell and taste like the land itself. Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre and Cinsault are the predominant grapes with the weighting in the blend towards Syrah. Also included in the Southern Rhône is the Tavel appellation known for its bone-dry Rosé which is intended to be drunk young. Grenache is the primary ingredient blended with other red and white grapes and produced by carbonic maceration. Each winemaker is at liberty to choose the particular blend. Côtes-du-Rhône comprises a large portion of the Rhone valley mostly in the southern region. A good portion of the production is focused on low cost wine at a commodity level. In the south the grapes are the same as used for Chateauneuf-du-Pape with Grenache dominating while the northern version is composed of Syrah but any blends are decided by the nègociants or co-operatives that produce them. There are, however, some producers that strive for age worthiness and quality throughout the Côtes-du-Rhône Côtes-du-Rhône Villages is another large appellation in the southern region which represents a step up from the wines of Côtes-du-Rhône but the quality of the wines produced in the Côtes-du-Rhône and Côtes-du-Rhône Villages varies all over the board with some just outstandingly exceptional. Some of the small producers in these two appellations are the innovative types. Because the winemaking rules of the two regions are comparatively flexible, any of the Rhône grapes may be used and there are many terroirs to choose from, the winemakers are out to produce a quality product so some good values can be found. 5

6 California, Washington and the Rhone Rangers In the 1970s Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon dominated the wine landscape in California. In the mid 1980s a group of maverick winemakers led by Bob Lindquist of Qupé and Randall Graham of Bonny Doon Vineyard decided to produce Rhône style wines. Mouvedre (a.k.a Mataro), Syrah and Grenache had all been planted in the19th century. The efforts of the Rhone Rangers to resurrect these vineyards and produce wine were regarded by some as providing welcome alternatives to Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Twelve of the Rhône grapes are planted in the United States, including the best-known Syrah and Viognier, the up and coming Mourvèdre, Grenache, Roussanne and Marsanne, and the truly obscure (but delicious) Counoise, Cinsaut, Grenache Blanc and Picpoul. Plus Petite Sirah, whose parentage places it clearly in the Rhone. Perhaps most exciting, most of these grapes play well with others, and most Rhone Rangers wineries produce blends as well as single-varietal wines. Today there are 205 member wineries most of which are in California with the states of Washington, New York, Virginia, Idaho, Michigan and Oregon also represented. In California production ranges from the Santa Ynez Valley in the south to Lake County in the north and east to Amador County and the Sierra Foothills. Although Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are of primary focus in Washington, other Rhône grapes are grown and blending is practiced by several wineries. Rhône style wine growing regions in Washington include the Columbia Valley, Walla Walla and Red Mountain. Australia Unlike the French Appellation d Origine Contrôlée Laws, Australia has very few rules about wine making. There are regulations governing viticultural regions and bottle labeling. Of particular interest are the following regulations: 6

7 If a single grape variety is named on the label, 85% of the wine must be of that variety If two wines are used in a blend and neither represents 85% of the total, both grapes must be listed in the order of percentage included and the percentage must be stated If an area, district or region is named on a label, 85% if the wine must be from that place The winemakers are at liberty to experiment with many different techniques, one of which is selecting and blending the same grape from many regions to produce consistency of their wine year to year. Their main philosophy is to preserve the fruitiness with a delicacy of touch which results in mouth filling red wines that appeal to the heart as much as the mind. The other gift to winemaking are the flying winemakers who travel around the globe taking their ideas and technology along with them to wine growing areas in emerging wine nations and some of the underachieving areas of Europe. Grenache, Carignan and Mouvedre were brought to Australia late in 1831 and were planted in South Australia. The major wine growing and producing regions are Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia in the east and Western Australia. Of these regions Shiraz (Syrah) is grown in the Margaret River Valley (W. Australia), Barossa, Eden and Clare valleys (S, Australia), Goulbourn Valley (Victoria) and Hunter Valley (New S. Wales). Grenache is grown in the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. Mouvedre is also grown in the Barossa valley. One of the most legendary, and expensive, Australian wines is Penfolds Grange that is composed of 100% Shiraz except in some years, depending on the character of the Shirazes, a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon may be added. Spain The Rhône style wines of Spain are produced in Catalona which borders on France in the northeastern part of the country. Vines have been growing in this region since before the arrival of the Romans in a region known at Priorato just west of Tarragona. These red wines are know for their intense, inky color, massive structure, high alcohol and tannin. Theit characteristics come from the low yielding gnarled old vines plus the intensely hot days and cool nights. Garnacha (Grenache), and Cariñena (Carignan) are the primary grapes while Syrah is a minor grape used for blending. Note: The above information was excerpted from : MacNeil, Karen, The Wine Bible Workman Publishing Co, September 2001 Johnson, Hugh and Robinson, Jancis, The World Atlas of Wine 2001 Ed., Octopus Publishing Group Robinson, Jancis, Editor, The Oxford companion to Wine, 2nd Ed., Oxford Univesity Press,

8 Programs (Tim & Joy Suttles, Programs Chair(s)) Your North Alabama American Wine Society board hosted our first ever educational/potluck/member mixer/wine auction tastings at the Highland Lakes Clubhouse on 25 August 2013 with 32 members and guests in attendance and approximately 17 wines were shared. In recognition of another outstanding year for the North Alabama Chapter of the American Wine Society, your board of directors decided to give back to the members. The format was simple. First, a 30 minute educational seminar was led by our own Marj McCulley (Education Chair) to teach the proper way to taste and judge wine. Next, each couple (either guest or member) brought two bottles of the same wine with a small food pairing. One of the bottles was opened and shared with the members/guests and the other bottle was silently auctioned during the tasting. Singles simply brought one bottle of wine that was auctioned. Members and guests wandered from wine to wine and from food pairing to food pairing to determine their personal favorite. The members and guests also bid on their favorite wine with all proceeds going to our scholarship fund. Our chapter raised over $340 for the scholarship fund. The event was an overwhelming success where all had fun and learned a lot. We have most of the slots filled for next year with only June, September (National tasting), and November open. Please do not be shy about hosting a tasting. If you have never done it, we will assign a veteran member to help with the AWS providing the glasses, pourers, and any advice or guidance you may need. To host you only need a love of wines and we can help with the rest. AWS reimburses the hosts for the food and wine so there s no expense in hosting a tasting. Typically tastings feature an Aperitif and two flights of wine totaling six wines (usually one white and one red but you may have only whites, reds, or rosés if you wish). There is never a shortage of people willing to help with a theme or food pairings. You can contact either of us during the tasting. 8

9 The calendar for the remainder of 2013, 2014, and Jan 2015 are below: 2013 September 22 National Tasting Starkloff s October 26 Annual 1892 East Programs November 17 Kickoff to the Holidays Young s/suttles December N/A No Tasting N/A 2014 January 26 Italian Fabby s February 23 TBA Suttles March 23 TBA Baltar s April 27 Derby Party Falls /Peirce s May 18 Southern Hemisphere Garay s June 22 TBA Open July 27 TBA Coddington s Aug 24 At the Auction Celebrating our Members Wilson s Sep 28 National Tasting Open Oct TBA Annual Dinner Programs Nov 16 TBA Open Dec N/A No Tasting N/A 2015 Jan 25 TBA Open Chapter Bonus The Wine Cellar, The Wine Rack and Great Spirits will give any North Alabama AWS member 10% off their purchase when you show your active membership card at the time of your purchase. So carrying your card is worth the room in your wallet. Why We Raffle We hold a raffle at each monthly tasting to help increase our chapter s annual contribution to the AWS Educational Foundation (AWSEF). The purpose of this fund is to assist graduate students in continuing their studies that support the American wine industry. We all enjoy the fruits of their labors! Just bring your raffle item(s) to the tasting each month and we ll raffle them off. Just $10 buys 12 tickets and $5 gets you six tickets! 9

10 Chapter AWS Educational Foundation (AWSEF) For the August 2013 tasting, $351 was raised from the silent auction. The balance in the chapter s AWSEF fund is $1,704. Our chapter is committed to supporting the AWSEF. As most of you are aware, we add $2 to every tasting and this money is designated for the AWSEF. At almost every tasting we hold a raffle of items donated by the members. The AWSEF scholarship award amount is $3,500; our chapter s has started raising money for our 5 th scholarship. We donated $1,500 at the 2012 conference to reach our goal of $3,500, so our 4th scholarship will be awarded in our chapter s name this year! Our scholarship winner is Stephanie Bolton from the University of Georgia and information about her is on the AWSEF website (see address above). 10

11 AWS North Alabama Chapter Logo Our chapter logo has been digitized and ready to embroider items of your choice. You may either take or buy items at the shop. Logo can be 3 or 4 inches, cost for the logo is $9.50 for your choice. Madison Monogram LLC, Telephone: Address: 181 Hughes Rd # 8, Madison, AL (same shopping center with Hartlex Antiques) Reservation Form for this Month s Tasting (September 22, 2013) Reservations deadline Saturday, September 14th AWS member names Phone Guests names Phone (Guests, is this your 1 st, 2 nd or 3 rd time as a guest?) Total number $20. =. Attendance is limited to 42. (NOTE: $2 of this cost goes to the AWS Educational Foundation Fund and is Tax Deductible) Additional contribution to AWS Educational Foundation: (Add to amount above and include total in check; make check out to AWS, North Alabama Chapter) Please mail your check and reservation form to: AWS, North Alabama Chapter, P.O. Box 461, Madison, AL Cancellation Policy: To receive a refund, you must cancel by 5 pm on the Wednesday prior to the tasting, unless you have a compelling emergency. To cancel, call our treasurer, Chip Boling (phone number and are listed under AWS North Alabama Chapter 2012 Board of Directors paragraph). 11