Reservation Form is on the last page of the newsletter

Transcription

1 May 2012 Newsletter North Alabama Chapter of the American Wine Society (AWS) French Hybrids May 20, 2012, 3:00 pm Hosted by Luke and Brooke Hyde at the Boling s At some point in each person's wine drinking lifetime, talk will turn from the more traditional grapes such as Chardonnay and Zinfandel. Someone will mention a Baco Noir as going wonderfully with BBQ. They will comment casually that these are French Hybrids, or American Hybrids. What exactly is a hybrid, and what does that mean for the wine's flavor? What about the areas of the world where typical grapes do not grow well? This is where the development of hybrids comes in - customizing combination of grapes to grow delicious wine even in not-perfect conditions. The hybrids are generally heartier, and also produce more fruit than native European grapevines. Even so, many French laws forbid their use in classic wines for reasons of tradition. Newer wine regions, not operating under such restrictions, use the French hybrids freely because of their fine flavors and easy growing conditions. French hybrids are often named after their creators, such as Francois Baco and Jean- Louis Vidal. Some well known French hybrids are Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, and Baco Noir. So, it's a Hybrid... Does it really matter if a grape is a hybrid or not? Not to the average wine drinker. The hybrids ensure that wine regions that might normally not be able to grow grapes can now create delicious wines. Traditional areas will continue to make wines with traditional grapes, and new wineries can experiment with vines that grow well in their non-ideal climates. Come see what the buzz is all about. See you on May 20, and see what you think! Reservation Form is on the last page of the newsletter 1

2 Apéritif Results of the April Wine Tasting Louis Perdrier Brut Rose, France Lovely toasty notes melt into the scent of golden apples. Gentle and harmonious on the palate with some richness tempering the citrus finish. Blend of Pinot Noir, Syrah and Cinsault. $11.99 The Wine Cellar (1) 2010 Pacific Rim Riesling, Columbia Valley 90 points Wine Enthusiast Right on the borderline between dry and sweet, this richly fruity Riesling is packed with flavors of peach, apricot, pear, a hint of mint, and a streak of wet stone. There is a lot going on for such an inexpensive wine. #1 Best Buy on Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Best Buys of 2011! (11/ 2011) $13.00 Wine Rack (2) 2011 Black Box Wines, East Coast New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc Fermented in 100% stainless steel tanks, pretty floral aromas unfold into bright citrus and tropical fruit flavors. A crisp and refreshing finish in the distinct New Zealand style. $22.00 Publix (3) 2011 Wonderlust Chardonnay, Chile Wonderlust Chardonnay offers a bright, tasty everyday drinking white wine. Notes of pineapple, melon, meyer lemon and banana create a balanced and pleasing wine from the cool, coastal regions of Chile. $34.99 The Wine Cellar (4) 2009 Saddle Rock Merlot, Central Coast combines spice and fruit in a classic expression of varietal character. It has a dark ruby color and a fruit-forward nose of blackberry and plum. On the palate, its medium body is accented with ripe raspberry and Tahitian vanilla that leads to a smooth, supple and lush finish with just a touch of tobacco. $15.00 Wine Rack (5) Bota Box RedVolution, California Reveals rich aromas of black cherry, plum and dark berry jam which extend into lush flavors of dark fruit and spice with hints of vanilla. Full-bodied and smooth in texture, this wine culminates in a juicy, fruitfocused finish. Blend: Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Petite Syrah. $17.99 Earth Fare (6) 2010 Kumbaya Red Wine Blend, California Ripe blackberry and red currant flavors, with spicy accents; very smooth and velvety on the finish. This wine is versatile and fun to try with a wide range of dishes. Blend: Petite Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Syrah. $10.00 Wine Rack 2

3 Sauvignon Blanc Wine Cake 1 box yellow cake mix* ½ cup water ½ cup Sauvignon Blanc wine ½ cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 1 T grated lemon peel, zest only Recipes from the April Wine Tasting 1. Heat oven to 350 (325 for dark or nonstick pan). Grease and flour bundt cake pan.** 2. Sift the cake batter into mixing bowl. Blend in water, wine, oil, eggs, and lemon then mix just until batter is smooth. Pour into prepared pan. 3. Bake for approximately minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan minutes, then invert onto serving plate. Let cool completely before cutting. For Petite Sirah cake: 1 box devil s food cake mix ½ cup water ¾ cup Petite Sirah wine (Zinfandel is good, too) 1/3 cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 1 cup good-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips or small chunks Prepare cake pan using butter and cocoa powder (instead of flour). Sift cake batter and prepare as above, stirring in chocolate chips last. Bake and cool as directed above. *I use Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Butter Recipe Golden Cake **My bundt cake pan has springform-style sides which make a big difference in getting the cake out in one piece. Pimento Cheese Makes about 3 cups Active time 15 minutes Total time 15 minutes 1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, grated 1 cup mayonnaise 1 7-oz jar pimentos, drained and finely diced 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper In a medium bowl mix together cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos, hot sauce, and cayenne. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. 3

4 Director's Message: We are all learning Director s Cellar (Edwin Núñez, Director) In recent months, several people joined our North Alabama Chapter of the AWS as new members. A few were invited by very knowledgeable family members. Several have had a long experience as wine aficionados in other states. And then, a good portion of the new members are just like I was upon joining: they know relatively little about wine but have a keen interest in learning. To them, our Chapter says, You have come to the right place. Many of us started almost tabula rasa. Initially we knew little beyond the facts that wine could be white, rosé, red, dry, sweet, or sparkling. We feared finding at the tastings some high-browed wine experts, disdainful of new members with little knowledge. To our surprise, we found members considered themselves not as experts but as students in a never-ending process to learn the art and science of wines. But, more important, all Chapter members were quite willing to share their knowledge and guide others to appreciate, love and evaluate wines. There is no need to be shy because you may not have in-depth wine knowledge. Nobody in the Chapter considers they are experts: We are all learning. Chapter Web Site (Jay Wilson, Webmaster) When you have time, check out the AWS web sites for both the National ( and our local chapter ( Two tasty cake recipes were added to the web page CHECK IT OUT (Also included in this newsletter). When you are at the Chapter web page, please take note that under the education tab most of the past education articles are archived on the site. A lot of good information and reference for us wine aficionados. As long as you are looking, go under the newsletter tab and you will find an archive of many years of past newsletters. Both of these tabs are also a fine source of information and past chapter history. Our Chapter web site belongs to us, USE IT! 4

5 What is a Hybrid? (Marj McCulley, Education Chair) A hybrid is the progeny of two different species. The parents usually are the favored European wine-grape varietals, Vitis vinifera, and at least one species of American grape. The most important American grape species for the production of hybrid-grapes include Vitis aestivalis, V. berlandieri, V. riparia, and V. rupestris. V. labrusca is the co-parent for some but is not favored because of the foxiness it imparts to both aroma and taste. Hybridization should not be confused with the cross-breeding of Vitis vinifera cultivars to produce new varieties like Müller Thurgau, Symphony or Ruby Cabernet. These are often called "crossings" in order to differentiate them from the various hybrids. The hybridization of Vitis vinifera with American grape species seems to have occurred in several stages. The first were the "accidental" hybrids of which Alexander and perhaps Norton are the earliest known examples. Other "accidental" hybrids include such grape varieties as Catawba and Delaware. Niagara is an example of the next round of grape hybrids in which the hybrids were produced by intentional crossbreeding. The so-called French hybrids (also called French-American hybrids) represent the third wave grape hybridization. The French hybrids were produced in an attempt to find a solution to the destruction wrecked upon the European wine-industry by the Phylloxera root-louse that was introduced into France by imported American grape vines. As such, the French hybrids were reasonably successful. By the mid-1950s, hybrids were planted in about a third of France's total vineyard acreage. This situation did not remain stable, however, as the use of grafted rootstock was eventually deemed a better solution to Phylloxera infestation. So, we saved the traditional French industry by sending back to France their varietals grafted onto American root stock. The most "American" or foxy tasting hybrids were outlawed in France in In 1955, and again in 1984, the French AOC began actively discouraging new plantings of all "inferior" grape varieties. According to the AOC, most, if not all, of the French hybrids fall under that definition and thus can be used only in the lowest grades of French wine. There remains a short list of authorized French hybrids which merely reflects surviving plantings of the least noticeably "foxy" hybrids. In addition to Chambourcin, French hybrids still grown in France include Baco 1 (aka Baco Noir), Baco 22A (mainly in Armagnac), Seyval Blanc, Chancellor, and Rayon d'or, though some others continue to survive. But in America many of these hybrids remain alive and well. AWS North Alabama Chapter Logo Our chapter logo has been digitized and is ready to be embroidered on items of your choice. You may either take or buy items at the shop. Logo can be 3, 4, or 5 inches. GREEK, Inc, 504 Jordan Lane NW, Huntsville, AL,

6 Chapter 2012 Board of Directors Director Edwin Núñez Director Elect Tracy Norman, Secretaries Susan Coddington and Kristen Lindelow Treasurer Chip Boling Programs Margaret Fall Education Marj McCulley Newsletter - Karl Starkloff Webmaster - Jay Wilson Programs (Margaret Fall, Programs Chair) Our AWS family has had another successful tasting in April. The theme for the April 22 tasting was Is it bottled or boxed? hosted by the Kristen Lindelow and Susan Coddington. Not only did the group try to determine whether the wine being tasted was bottled or box, but the varietal as well. I found it challenging to break down the blends but we have come a long way babe, from the first time we drank Boone s Farm as teens. The group did well and had a great time determinig if it was bottled or boxed. A special thanks for both our April hosts for a great tasting. The great start to the 2012 incredible calendar of events set for our chapter has begun to spill over to the 2013 calendar. Let s keep it going! As our chapter is growing with several new members, we are work hard to arrange for larger venues. We want to make our tastings available to ALL members and their guest that want to participate. With this said, when planning a tasting please plan on having a minimum of 3 bottles of each featured wine, 12 people can be served with the AWS pours for each bottle. Do remember we do have the option of having the tasting at the clubhouse at Karl and Judy Starkloff's subdivision, which we need advance notice to arrange when considering hosting your tasting. Please do not let the size of the tasting be a factor of whether to host a tasting. If you have not hosted for some time, this is a good opportunity to schedule a tasting in your favorite month and include one of our new members. Paul and I are looking to host a BLIND TASTING in April 2013 so we are looking for CO-HOST. If you have an idea for a theme or you would like to host a tasting and need help with a theme, please give me a call, since some of the months are open for 2013 at this time. Also, if you would like to host in a particular month, but the 4th Sunday doesn t work for you, we can look at moving the tasting for that month to the third Sunday. As Programs Chair, I am available to help select with the theme, wines to serve, and determine costs. For May 20 tasting we are preparing to learn about French hybrids; hybrid grapes are grapes that were created by breeding French and American grapevines together to create a hearty grape with a combination of good flavor and winter-sturdiness. The May tasting will be hosted by the Luke and Brooke Hyde, held at the home of Chip and Sheila Boling. See you there! 6

7 2012 May 20 French Hybrids Hyde June 24 Wine Bottles Wilson July 22 Beer Tasting Schumann August 26 Pinot Noir Young September 23 National Tasting-Pinot Noir Starkloff October TBD Annual Dinner Programs November 18 Sparkling Wines Boling December N/A No Tasting N/A 2013 January 27 Open Open February 24 VA Wines Garay March 24 Let s Shout: Olé! Núñez April 28 TBA Fall/looking to partner May 19 Open Open June 23 TBA Boling July 28 Open Open August 25 Open Open September 22 Open Open October TBD Annual Dinner Programs November 17 Open Open December TBA No Tasting N/A 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! 7

8 Chapter AWS Educational Foundation (AWSEF) 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. For the April 2012 tasting, $101 was raised from the raffle, $67 from the amount added to the tasting cost total of $168. The balance in the chapter s AWSEF is $2,898. The AWSEF has raised the scholarship award amount from $3,000 to $3,500; therefore our chapter s goal for our next (4 th ) scholarship award is $3, G oal oal Funds Funds Rai Rai sed sed To To Date Date for a fund Reservation Form for this Month s Tasting French Hybrids (May 20, 2012) Reservations deadline Saturday, May 12 th AWS member names Phone: Guests names Phone: (Guests, is this your 1 st, 2 nd or 3 rd time as a guest?) Total number $23. =. Attendance is limited to 26. (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 in this Newsletter). 8