AWS News Promoting Appreciation of Through Education Volume 32, No. 3 www.americanwinesociety.org June-July 2018 What’s Inside 2018 AWS Awards As anyone who has attended an AWS national conference AWS Educational Foundation 11 knows, one of the highlights is the conferring of the organiza- tion’s greatest honors: The Outstanding Member Award and the Award of Merit. Any member of the AWS can nominate a per- Brainstorming in NJ/NY/PA 11 son for either of these awards—contact [email protected] for more information. Chapter Events 7 I’m happy to share that the AWS Executive Advisory Board Failure to Communicate? 3 decided that the Outstanding Member Award will be presented to past Executive Director John Hames. The Award of Merit, Government Affairs 6 honoring a professional in the wine industry, will be presented to wine marketer and educator Paul Wagner. Member Service News 3 Outstanding Member—John Hames National Tasting Project 4 Many of you know John from his work as Executive Director. He began his service to Northern VA Region 5 the AWS as a chapter chair and regional vice president. He became the first paid Ocean Isle Beach AWC 4 conference coordinator. When the AWS hit what can be charitably called “a rough patch,” John stepped up and stepped in, —Part 2 15 assuming the role of Executive Director. Several AWS members toiled to stabilize the Treasurer’s Report 10 organization, but it’s hard to imagine the effort being successful without John in the Wine and Ice Cream? 2 ED chair, keeping the organization moving forward and professionalizing operations. Serving on the board in years that followed and seeing John’s work, I used to say he was “building the airplane while flying it.” He continues serving the AWS as historian and conference ses- Conference Registration Opens sion coordinator. On a person note, he’s been a friend and This Month! mentor. Award of Merit—Paul Wagner 2018 National Conference Paul Wagner has been a fixture at the Nov 1-3, Buffalo, NY AWS conference for two decades. The recently retired founder of Balzac Com- munications enhanced conference pro- Conference planning is moving forward gramming by bringing clients and industry quickly, and we are creating another friends to our organization. Spoiled as we amazing program for you! are by Paul’s presence, we AWS members may fail to realize how much influence he Once again, registration opens in June! I’m thrilled that has had on how wine is marketed and so many people already are talking about attending. To ease consumed. As an author, his textbooks on the burden on our registration system and to allow members wine marketing have been hugely influen- to make earlier travel plans, we are continuing with earlier tial on the most recent generation to en- conference registration. First, in June, you will register for the ter the profession. He continues to teach conference and then in August you will sign up for sessions. and lecture at Napa Valley College and around the globe. In Please read the following information very carefully. If you less public ways, Paul has also generously of- have any questions, you are welcome to send me an e-mail or fered his support and expertise to the AWS na- call the National Office during business hours. tional office and board.

Monday, June 18 (9am EDT/ 6am PDT) to Saturday, In many ways this duo, John and Paul, have June 23 (7pm EDT/ 4pm PDT) been a team for the AWS. Their contributions Registration opens for all AWS members. To register, show they have truly earned these honors and use the registration link on the AWS website. Every member the gratitude of all AWS members and friends. who would like to attend the 2018 Conference will need to register and pay the fee ($499/person) David Falchek during this week. Cont. on Page 12 [email protected] Wine and Ice Cream? Pairing wine with desserts is always challenging, but the Baskin Robbins Culinary Team has given us a hand. In collab- The American Wine Society, oration with Rosenthal—The Malibu Estates , they de- founded in 1967, is the oldest veloped this guide to pairing several popular ice cream fla- and largest consumer-based vors with types of wines. Can’t wait to try them! wine education group in North America. We have over 7000 • Pinot Grigio or Grenache Blanc with Vanilla: The members and 180 chapters buttery flavor of the ice cream brings out the crisp, across the United States. green fruit notes in the wine. We are a non-profit, educa- • tional corporation. Our mem- or Gruner Veltliner with Pralines 'n Cream: bers appreciate, celebrate The praline pecan and caramel flavors pair well with the and share knowledge about apple notes of the wine. wine. • Rosé with Rainbow Sherbet: The citrus and berry Our mission: Promoting Ap- preciation of Wine Through flavors bring out the floral, fruity notes in the wine. Education. • Pinot Noir with World Class Chocolate: The silki- www.americanwinesociety.org ness of the ice cream complements the vanilla and fruit notes of the wine and rounds out the mouthfeel. • with Old Fashioned Butter Pecan: The sweetness of the ice cream complements the honey, buttery and oaky notes in the wine. • with Jamoca® Almond Fudge: The robust flavors of the cabernet bring out the nutty, AWS National Office coffee notes of the ice cream. P. O. 889 • Scranton, PA 18501 Sauvignon Blanc or Albariño with Raspberry Sorbet: The fresh raspber- Phone (888) AWS-9070 ry flavor brings out the crisp accents and (888) 297-9070 refreshing quality of the wine. Fax (570) 344-4825 • with Chocolate: Chocolate rounds out the mouthfeel of the merlot. David Falchek Executive Director [email protected] Pam Davey [email protected] Katie Kearney Member Services Manager [email protected] Website www.americanwinesociety.org Award of Merit &

2018 AWS National Officers Outstanding Member President Kristin Kraft Each year the AWS selects 2 people for our most prestigious Vice President Joe Broski awards—the Award of Merit and the Outstanding Member. AWS members nominate people for these awards and the Secretary LeAnne Wheeler recipients are selected by the Executive Advisory Board at its Treasurer Tom Wallman November meeting. Directors at Large The Award of Merit is given to someone, whether or not a Competitions Joe Dautlick member of AWS, who has made a Education Aaron Mandel significant contribution that advances Membership Jay Bileti the production, understanding or en- joyment of wine. The person can be involved in viticulture, enology, edu- AWS News Staff cation, journalism or merchandising. Pam Davey Editor—[email protected] The Frank Family received this award David Falchek Publisher in 2017. [email protected] The Outstanding Member Award is given to an AWS member Renee Jones [email protected] who has dedicated substantial time and ener- Tom Cobett [email protected] gy to the advancement of AWS for all of its members. Long and valuable service as a Sharyn Kervyn [email protected] national officer or committee chairman; con- Kevin Kourofsky [email protected] tributions to the AWS Journal or other publi- Bonnie Lance [email protected] cations; or combinations of these would merit Diane Meyer [email protected] consideration for this award. The 2017 recipi- ent was Peter Cisek. Nominating a deserving person for either of these awards is simple—prepare a statement that describes what the individ- The AWS News is the official newsletter of the American ual has done and why he/she should receive the award and Wine Society. It is published bi-monthly in February, submit it to me by October 1. We rely on AWS members and April, June, August, October and December, and posted chapters to submit nominees for these awards, so please on our website www.americanwinesociety.org. We wel- contact me for information. come your comments, and letters. Please send them to [email protected]. Pam Davey ISSN 1543-205X [email protected] AWS News June-July 2018 Page 2 Failure to Communicate? Member Services News It looks like we in the northeastern part of the country have Is What We Have Here a Failure to Communicate? finally found some warmer weather. It was a long, cold win- I was tempted to fill this space with “blah blah blah blah blah” ter, but now it’s time to sip some cold rosé. or maybe “lorem ipsum dolor sit amet” — the Latin that serves as placeholder text on new web pages—just to see how you’d Half-Year Memberships Now Available react. It’s also an excellent time to join AWS. So, if you have any friends who have been contemplating joining, remind them Why? Our data show that only 20-25 percent of members open that as of June 1, we will offer NEW members the half-year this newsletter. The numbers initially frustrated me, because membership rate. This means that any new household or putting this newsletter together takes a good deal of work, and individual members who join will only pay $35 for the rest of all of our members can use the info, so I’d like more of you to the year. It’s a great time to encourage your friends to join read it. our organization. Then, it occurred to me that the issue might be with our method of distribution. You’re all busy and probably have a lot of com- New Chapters Coming mitments, so maybe we could make it easier for you to access Our national community of wine appreciators is growing! So the information. far this year, the national office received more than a dozen requests for New Chapter Playbooks. Typically, we are hap- Better Information Sharing on its Way py if we add a new chapter every month or so, so this puts This is why we are exploring ways to deliver the newsletter in a us on track for a banner year. format that you can read right in your email inbox, without Here's a rundown of the communities that have, or will soon downloading a pdf or needing a computer to view it. Our goal is have, the cultural and social amenity of an AWS chapter: to have something more accessible up and running as soon as Batesburg/Leesville (SC), Northeast Tennessee, Amityville possible—certainly by the end of the year. If you have thoughts (NY), Providence Forge (VA); Chicagoland (IL), New River that can help, please let me know. Valley (VA), San Ramon Valley (CA), Baton Rouge (LA), This is part of one of our big initiatives: better, easier communi- Golden (CO), Sacramento (CA), Lewiston (NY), St. Augus- cations. We tailor all of it to inform AWS members so they can tine (FL) and Gulf Breeze (FL). Our thanks to the hardwork- have a more positive experience. To that end, we’re also up- ing members behind these efforts and the RVPs helping grading our website so you can find what you need, and to ena- them. ble potential members to learn about the great benefits of Conference Registration membership. Also, Executive Director David Falchek has started a newsletter specifically for chapter chairs, who are our mem- You will be able to register for our National Conference very bers’ connection to the larger organization. soon ... June 18-23. I recommend logging Be sure to ask your chapter chair to share into your AWS account before then to make what he or she has learned! sure that you know your username and password. If you’ve forgotten either, please Have more ideas for improving communica- email me or call the National Office at tions? Just let me or the national office know! 570.344.3640 so David and I can help you. Cheers! Kristin Kraft Katie Kearney [email protected] [email protected]

To advertise in the AWS News, please contact Katie Kearney [email protected]

AWS News June-July 2018 Page 3 National Tasting Project Ocean Isle Beach 2018 Amateur Wine Competition The Ocean Isle Beach Chapter recently held its 6th annual amateur wine competition. The competition is held in sup- port of the Museum and Planetarium of Coastal Carolina and receives entries from across the US. This charitable endeav- or by the chapter has raised over $5,000 in support of the educational activities of the Museum and Planetarium. This year’s competition attracted wine submissions from 11 states and included varietal, fruit and fortified wines. Judging was held at the Silver Coast Winery. Our panel of judges included AWS-certified wine judges Linda King, Jane Duralia and Rege Duralia, along with Dana Keeler, winemaker at As the time to place orders for this year’s National Tasting Pro- Silver Coast and a wine judge. Tom King helped with back ject wraps up, we have started receiving chapter reporting room activities to ensure a smooth flow of wines to the judg- forms, and I’m happy to see the wines are well received! es. Fun Fact The chapter, as part of its normal monthly tasting, held an award ceremony for all amateur winemakers who could at- Portugal is smaller than the state of Indiana, but has over 250 tend the event. Prior to the award ceremony, the chapter native varieties growing in its 14 wine regions. used the medal wines as part of a judging exercise, where all If you haven’t set up your chapter’s NTP event, yet members and guests were able to be judges for the day. The exercise required each table to evaluate the 3 wines on their Don’t miss this great opportunity to taste a broad range of Por- table and properly identify the gold, silver and bronze wine. tuguese wines—different geographic areas, styles and . The table that correctly identified each wine won lottery tick- This is your chance to discover that there’s more to Portugal ets for each table member. than Port, Madeira and Vino Verde. Although the deadline has passed to order the wines from Marketview, please contact Six local winemakers were able to attend the event and re- them immediately if you want to conduct the tasting—they may ceived their award packages. Each winemaker award pack- still have some wines available. age included all medals won, certificates for each wine sub- mitted (whether the wine won a medal or not) and a sum- Reporting forms are due by October 1, 2018, so be sure to mary of judging comments for each wine. Following the schedule your tasting before then. award ceremony, all in attendance were treated to a light meal. Winemakers will also be recognized at Wine Fest 2018, This is a blind tasting the museum’s major fundraiser. Please retain its integrity by not revealing the wines before your chapter conducts the event, so the tasters are not influ- Gold medals were received by Stephen Barwikowski, Bruns- enced by prices or branding. Also note that we do not report wick Community College, Luke Capotosto/Barbara Medeiros, the wines in the Chapter News area of the AWS News until the Darrell Dail, Chris Hoppe and Jeff Puryear. reporting deadline has passed. Stan Barwikowski Blind tasting instructions are on the AWS website under NTP Chapter Chair 2018. Your Chapter Chair has been given a copy of the Power RVP-Coastal North & South Carolina Point presentation and order packet with all you need to con- duct the tasting. You’re welcome to email me to obtain a pack- et, if you need it. I hope to see ALL of our chapters participate in the NTP! For questions about the program contact Sharyn Kervyn (856)745-3104 [email protected] Submit the Final Scores/Reporting form to Chris McCutcheon [email protected] Sharyn Kervyn [email protected] THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE NTP 2018!

Local winemakers with their award-winning wines

AWS in Social Media Did you know that AWS can receive a contribution Help spread the word by "liking us" on Facebook from Amazon every time you place an order? It http://www.facebook.com/americanwinesociety doesn’t cost you a thing … the prices are the same; you have the same selection of merchandise; your Join our LinkedIn Group http://www.linkedin.com account history, shopping cart and wish lists remain Search "Groups" for American Wine Society the same. All you have to do is sign up and then go to smile.amazon.com when you shop. It’s easy and you can help AWS with every purchase. Follow us on Twitter @AmericanWineSoc

AWS News June-July 2018 Page 4 Extended Maceration Pinot Noir So, if you should not add tannins or enzymes, why not do an extended maceration (soaking) or increase the skin-to-juice ratio by bleeding off juice (which you can use to make a ro- Taming the Enfant Terrible sé), called the saignée (sawn-yea) method. Not so fast, cau- tions Mike. An extended maceration can sometimes cause A Conversation with Winemaker Michael Countryman pinot to become lighter. And saignée in less ripe years can emphasize green, unripe flavors in the must. Also, holding on too long after fermentation has finished (over fermentation) can cause oxidation and a loss of color and flavor at press. To avoid this, he recommends pressing with some sugar in the must, and allowing the wine to finish in container. And one last thing: Sometimes the pinot color goes lighter and no one can really say why. Pinot is one crazy dude! But when pinot is balanced and reflective of its terroir, this Enfant Terrible becomes one of the greatest wines and is then called by its other name: The King of Wines. Kevin Kourofsky Kevin is a Rochester area amateur winemak- er and grape grower. He is a Certified Spe- cialist in Wine from the Society of Wine Edu- Part Two: From Vine To Wine cators. He also holds the Advanced Certifica- “Wait!” That’s the advice of Michael Countryman, winemaker tion, with distinction, from the Wine and at Point of the Bluff , who says that “Pinot noir can- Spirits Education Trust. He can be reached not be rushed.” It is an Enfant Terrible, French for an unruly through his blog at Kourofskywine.com. or obstinate child. In Part One of this series, Mike explained why growing pinot Please join our winemakers forum on the AWS noir is a challenge and shared some tips on how to tame this website, built for you to ask questions and unruly grape. Part One appeared in the April 2018 AWS News. share. It’s for all levels of expertise. If you missed it there, you can find it on my blog Kourof- skywine.com or on the AWS website. For this column we dis- cussed taking the grapes from vine to wine. Pinot noir is a flexible wine, great with beef, chicken and fish, or by itself on the patio watching the sunset. But so many pinots are unbalanced—thin and acidic, or so huge and hollow Northern Virginia Region Hosts they are like a small person in a blow-up Sumo wrestler cos- tume. An Afternoon in Tuscany

Mike explains that with pinot, small tinkering can have out- Nationally known wine and food educator Tony “Winechef” sized results, especially in the early stages of winemaking. Lawrence conducted a sumptuous afternoon of Italian food Pinot needs time to come together and 3 or 4 months can and wine pairing on May 6. The venue for this event was Eff- make it a wholly different wine. An example of this is with oak ingham Manor, a historic property and one of the newest win- addition decisions—it takes very little oak to affect the flavor eries in Northern Virginia. The event was attended by 68 of the wine and the oak can easily overpower the fruit. members and guests from Northern Virginia. The menu in- cluded five food samplings, each paired with two wines. Should I Add Tannin? Mike believes in a more “natural” wine, one without additions, The wines included Chianti, Rosso di Montalcino, Chianti Clas- including enological tannins. Pinot is a thin-skinned grape and sico and Reserva, Brunello de Montalcino and Super Tuscans. it struggles with color retention. It is usually ruby-colored After a short break, Tony served a complete Italian dinner, rather than the deep garnet of thicker-skinned grapes like with an additional assortment of wines. cabernet sauvignon. There is a temptation to add tannin pow- Much of the planning for this event was accomplished by Al der to bind color, or to augment the must with color-binding Guber, the Chair of the Bristow Chapter and former President enzymes, both of which I admit I am prone to do! He feels of AWS. In addition to having a great time, our objectives these can interfere with the wine stabilizing and may prevent were to show our members the value of AWS membership the wine from integrating, which can make the wine “fall and to recruit new members. In fact, we had several at- apart” after a few years. tendees ask about membership and starting new chapters in In pinot-making, there is much discussion of adding some of their area. the pinot stems to naturally increase tannin. Unfortunately, these can easily add ”green” tannins, the type of tannin that Jerry Fisher is like old tea, which is bitter on the tongue and never softens Northern Virginia RVP in the wine. In cold climates like the Finger Lakes of New York, that is a serious problem, but it can happen anywhere, even in sunny California.

Are the Grapes Ripe? Mike also believes the best wine is made in the . So, ripeness is the first major test of the grapes. Sugar alone does not make a ripe grape. You must taste the grape and try to crack the seeds with your teeth. If they crack, they are ripe. If they are soft, they are not. Unripe grapes make green- tasting wine, which cannot be cured. You cannot ripen grapes in the barrel.

AWS News June-July 2018 Page 5 provinces do have the right to restrict trade. Canada remains one of the only wine producing countries in the world where Government Affairs domestic wine can’t be sold directly to its countrymen. This is bad, eh? Frankfort, KY: In April, Kentucky Gov. Matt Brevin signed a bill allowing direct-to-consumer shipments of wine in and out St. Emilion, Bordeaux, France: On the recent AWS Bor- of the state. Kentucky wineries can ship up to four cases of deaux trip with Paul Wagner on wine to a customer who makes the purchase “on site” at the AMA Waterways, we saw a few of winery or up to 12 cases per year to residents or tourists who the chateaux using large clay join a wine club. Shipments to “dry” counties remain banned, amphorae to age their fantastic but the new law provides that transporters may not be held red blends. This method dates to liable for deliveries to dry counties. the days of the Greeks and Ro- mans and allows wines to age Delaware: Delaware is considering House Bill 165 that without taking on any oak char- would replace a ban on winery-direct shipments. The bill has- acteristics. After staring at these n’t yet made it out of committee and should be modified to huge containers for a bit, it allow DtC shipment of wines produced in Delaware too. Yes, struck me that some wine writer you currently can’t ship any wine directly to a consumer in could soon be using a new de- Delaware. scriptor for wines that are aged in these clay pots. Wait for it…. Bordeaux, France: After a seven-year legal battle, a Bor- “Amphorality.” This should not deaux appeals court has ruled that the makers of a cheap, be confused with the more liber- blended wine that sells for less than $12 a bottle can continue ally used “Minerality.” You heard to use the name ‘Petrus.' The court threw out a petition by Photo taken at Chateau it here first. Château Petrus to force the makers of the lesser Petrus Lam- Beau-Sejour Bécot bertini to drop the word ‘Petrus’ from their brand name on the grounds that it was misleading. Alberta, Canada: Premier Rachel Notley’s boycott of British Columbia wine, designed to punish B.C. for its efforts to delay Petrus is produced in Pomerol, the smallest and maybe the the Trans Mountain pipeline, has backfired. Instead of reduc- most prestigious of Bordeaux’s wine-growing regions. The ing sales, the ban sparked a buying spree among Alberta wine average price of a bottle of Petrus exceeds $2,000. Petrus aficionados. Lambertini is a simple table wine made from grapes grown in less prestigious vineyards near Bordeaux. As soon as the embargo was announced, the Calgary Flames bought every bottle of The name “Petrus Lambertini Major Burdegalensis 1208”, reg- their Penticton-produced official wine in istered as a trademark by the manufacturer, refers to Bor- stock at Alberta retailers. The Flames sell deaux’s first mayor, who in 1208 refused to hand the keys of these wines exclusively at their games and the city to the attacking Spanish army. didn’t want to run out of stock. 95% of Ca- The court ruled that consumers could easily realize that Petrus nadian wine sold in Alberta comes from B.C. Lambertini “is neither a Petrus nor a second Petrus wine.” The court judgment complimented CGM on “their clever use of the Tom Cobett trademark, which they registered in order to attract the cus- [email protected] tomer’s attention,” pointing out that the practice was not ille- gal. The new ruling allows the firm to resume sales without removing ‘Petrus’ from its brand name. Members by State 5/15/2018 China: Wine is on a list of 128 products worth $3 billion that AL 116 MA 98 NY 453 may be hit with tariffs. Wine consumption in China has increased almost five-fold since 2000, with imports making up a third of the market. American wines are playing catch-up in AR 9 MD 202 OH 274 China, where French wines have long dominated. AZ 186 MI 485 ONT 11 US bottles account for less than 5% of foreign wine sales, their appeal hurt in part by high prices tied to hefty fees China levies on most alcohol imports. Australia and Chile signed free CA 405 MN 36 OR 100 trade deals with China in recent years to reduce those taxes, helping their sales. CO 209 MO 35 PA 1046 If demand in China does slip, many wine-makers say they are confident they will find buyers for those bottles in other mar- CT 132 MS 15 RI 30 kets. The volumes are small enough that no change in prices is expected. DC 11 MT 43 SC 205 Washington, D.C.: U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions re- cently sent a memo to the federal prose- DE 49 NC 385 TN 60 cutors urging them to seek the death penalty in cases involving large-scale FL 274 ND 50 TX 139 drug traffickers. The memo points to an existing but little-known federal law that GA 103 NE 23 UT 9 already allows for such a punishment. Anyone convicted of cultivating more than 60,000 marijuana plants or possessing more than 60,000 kilo- HI 9 NH 14 VA 396 grams of a substance that contains marijuana could face death as a punishment. IL 56 NJ 354 WA 50 Until the federal laws change, I would not get involved with any marijuana operations in the U.S. IN 47 NM 56 WI 10

Ottawa, ON, Canada: The Supreme Court of Canada issued KS 9 NV 81 Other 25 its ruling in a case that challenged the restrictions on interpro- vincial trade, and refused to remove barriers to allow winery direct shipping to customers across Canada. The court said KY 108 TOTAL 6,408

AWS News June-July 2018 Page 6 Lodi has about 1500 residents). It appears that fewer than 10 wineries have a Lodi, NY zip code, but some may no longer be Chapter Events in business. The AVA, of which Lodi, NY is a part, has 3,700 acres planted in grapes. San Joaquin vs. the Finger  The Bristow (VA) Chapter met on March 22 for tasting of Lakes. David vs. Goliath. Left Coast vs. East Coast. The tast- wines around the world that are rated 90 or above and cost ing was designed to pair styles of wine, but incorporating the less than $20. The session was conducted by Jerry Fisher. unique “local” grapes. Wine was evaluated on the usual 20- Twelve members were in attendance. Several wine rating point scale, but then members were encouraged to select the systems were discussed as well as the myriad of rating better of each pair. On scores, California averaged 15.8; New “experts.” The general conclusion was that good 90+ wines York only 15.2. are still available for under $20. 2016 Knapp Dry Rosé, NY $16 NV Armani Prosecco, Veneto, Italy (92BD) $17 2016 Klinker Brick Bricks & Roses, CA 17 (1) 2015 Kaia Rosé, pinot noir, CA (92BTI) 12 2014 Klinker Brick Cabernet Blend, CA 30 (3) 2016 Pierre Henri Morel Cotes du Rhone Village 12 (1) NV Idol Ridge Big Timber Red, NY 20 Laudun Blanc (90WS) 2015 Donnachiara Fiano di Avellino, Italy (91WA) 18 NV Lamoreaux Landing Estate Red Cuvee, NY 15 (2) 2015 River Road Unoaked Chardonnay, CA(91BD)13 2015 Michael David Freakshow, CA 23 2014 Gerard Bertrand, Syrah/Grenache (90WS) 10 2013 Dom. Mousset Les Garrigues, FR (91WA) 20  The Golden (CO) Chapter met on April 21 at the home of 2010 Palacio del Burgo, Tempranillo, SP (93WS) 14 Alice and Jeff Neff. 12 members attended the tasting of Sy- 2010 Leone D’Oro Rosso Toscana, IT (92WS) 20 rah/Shiraz. We compared Old World vs. New World wine in 2015 Sextant, Cab Sauvignon, CA (91BD) 18 (3) flights. Jeff provided an overview of the wine and styles. One 2013 Quinta das Carvalhas (91WE) 15 table agreed that the description of old-world Syrah as being 2015 Ch. de la Huste Bordeaux, FR (93WS) 20 (2) "Zippy & Slender" vs. new-world being "Big & Bold" generally 2013 Pallas Old Vine Garnacha Res., SP (91WA) 16 held up in this tasting, although not dramatically so. A French friend said that Syrah should be paired with fresh meats.  The Connecticut Chapters endorsed and supported the sec- 2015 Mitolo Jester Shiraz, Australia $12 ond annual fundraising Wine Dinner and Silent Auction on 2015 François Lurton Les Hauts de Janeil, FR 11 March 18 at App’s Ristorante in West Ha- 2016 St. Cosme Cotes-du-Rhone, France 16 ven. All proceeds benefited Pet Pals North- 2015 Charles Smith Boom Boom Syrah WA 14 (3) east, a non-profit, all volunteer, animal 2015 Stolpman Vineyards Estate Syrah, CA 24 (2) welfare organization celebrating 20 years 2014 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage, France 23 (2) of helping needy animals and pet owners 2015 Domaine Courbis Saint-Joseph Rouge, FR 31 (1) with veterinary care, well pet care, pet food, low cost spay/neuter programs and  62 members of the Heritage Hunt (VA) Chapter met April vaccination clinics. The wine reception 16 at the Heritage Hunt Golf and featured sparkling wine, aperitifs and hors Country Club in Gainesville, VA. Bill d’oeuvres. Dinner included manicotti, Gadino of Gadino Cellars shared spinach sautéed in garlic and oil, roasted red potatoes, garden what it takes to create small-lot, salad with vinaigrette dressing, assorted bread and dessert. high-quality wine under the condi- Entree choices were chicken, eggplant parmigiana, baked tions (and challenges) of Virginia’s stuffed shrimp or prime rib au jus. A wide assortment of Ital- soil and climate. Members had the ian, French and American wines were poured with dinner and pleasure of sampling the following dessert. The silent auction and raffle featured a variety of Gadino Cellars wines: interesting wines, high-quality merchandise and many wine- Pinot Grigio $21 related items. Gary Schaefer, Co-Chairman of the Eastern 2016 Petit Manseng 25 Connecticut Chapter, paid $330 to win a 3-litre 2007 Castello 2016 Sunset (white wine) 19 Banfi Brunello di Montalcino specialty package. Each attendee 2016 Moonrise (rosé wine) 19 received a handsome gift package. The event raised over 33 $2,500 for Pet Pals Northeast. Barry St. Pierre, Connecticut Merlot 26 AWS RVP stated, “This was a terrific memorable event and  The Keuka (NY) Chapter didn’t have a tasting planned everyone had a wonderful time for a great cause.” Gene Spa- for March, but Lynne Montgomery put an easy one together ziani, AWS past president (1997) and Outstanding member for the group. Nine people gathered at her home for a pot (2000) was chairman of the event. luck and tasting of member-contributed wines. There was  The Fleur de Lis (KY) Chapter met on April 14, at the home plenty of good food and a variety of wines to compare and of Chris and Robin Zaborowski for a tasting of New World contrast. GSM’s. As guests arrived they were greeted with a “007” 2015 Thirty Bench Small Lot Rosé champagne cocktail. The champagne used in the cocktail was 2016 Kemmeter Sonero Rosé of Pinot Noir a non-vintage Piper-Heidsieck Brut from Champagne, France. 2015 Hunt Country Dry Riesling The cocktail paired wonderfully with an appetizer of sop- 2017 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc pressata and cheese in puff pastry. After a short business 2017 Hermann J. Weimer Dry Gewurztraminer meeting was conducted, we tasted six wines poured blind. It 2016 Hermann J. Weimer Reserve Chardonnay was discovered after the reveal that all the wines were New 2011 Cross Keys Cabernet Franc World in origin. After scoring the wine, the results from high- 2010 McGregor Cabernet Franc Reserve est to lowest scored are listed below. Chris and Robin provid- 2007 Blackstone Merlot ed a flavorful dinner of spicy turkey meatballs and spaghetti 2014 19 Crimes Red Wine with cheesecake for dessert. A 2011 Podere Scopetone 2015 Home Sweet Home Cab Franc (homemade) (DOCG) was offered as a desert wine.  The Lehigh Valley (PA) Chapter hosted a full house of 58 2014 Secret Squirrel, Walla Walla, WA $28 people attending the “Bottle Shock and Judgment of Paris 2013 Tenet Red Wine, Columbia Valley, WA 86 Tasting” held by Dean and Bonnie 2013 Jeff Cohn Cellars, #PureYum, CA 39 Scott at Monterre Vineyard in Ore- 2012 Penfolds, Bin 138, Barossa, Australia 52 field, PA, on March 25. The tasting 2012 Grant Burge, The Holy Trinity 33 presented 6 white wines associat- 2013 Tablas Creek, Patelin de Tablas, CA 20 ed with the movie Bottle Shock,  The Glimmerglass (NY) Chapter hosted a Lodi vs. Lodi tast- which chronicled the Judgment of ing. Lodi, California, population slightly over 60,000, is home Paris where California wines beat to over 80 wineries. The Lodi AVA has about 100,000 acres French wines in a blind tasting. planted with grapes. The village of Lodi, New York, has a pop- Three flights were served in which ulation of somewhere under 300 (the 40 square mile town of a California wine was compared to a French wine. Dean presented

AWS News June-July 2018 Page 7 several short videos to illustrate facts about the regions from 2015 Conundrum Red $22 (1) which the wines came and gave a good background of the Sweet Justice Moscato 17 Judgment of Paris. After a delicious dinner, the film Bottle Masso Antico Primitivo 15 Shock was shown in its entirety. The resulting scores show The Culprit, Sonoma, CA 17 that the California wines still dominate as far as the Lehigh Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir 20 Valley Chapter is concerned. All three pairings were won by a Reckless Love Red 24 California wines convincingly. The best the French could do Coppola Vendetta Red 28 was an overall tie for third place with the Pouilly-Fuisse. The winner was Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, scoring 16.4  Robert and Susan Ziegenfus of the Northampton (PA) Chap- points. This winery was the star of the movie Bottle Shock. ter hosted a special treat for 32 members. The tasting The 2014 received 93 points from Wine Enthusiast, which stat- featured a presentation by Marco Cammarata, the U.S. repre- ed, "This is a dreamy creamy white founded in stony mineral sentative of a very historic Tuscan winery, Tenuta Torciano, and juicy acidity that shows a mix of baked apple, pineapple located in the hill town of San Gimignano. Marco presented and melon. A tease of green olive provides a briny, salty edge and discussed eight Tenuta Torciano wines as well as three to its tense balance. A lingering hint of vanilla oak figures extra virgin olive oils produced by the estate. The tasting in- prominently on the lengthy floral finish." cluded the one white and seven red wines listed below. The 2014 Ch. Montelena Napa Valley Chardonnay $53 (1) highest scoring wine, Bartolomeo Super Tuscan , is 2014 Dom. du Ch. de Puligny-Montrachet Le 49 a cabernet sauvignon blend It was full-bodied, rich and well Clos du Chateau balanced. Many thanks to Bob and Susan for arranging this 2014 Gustavo Chardonnay Napa Valley 50 (3) tasting! Domaine Michelot Premier Cru Mersault 89 Vernaccia Di San Gimagnano $36 2014 Grgich Hill Chardonnay Napa Valley 47 (2) Chianti 34 2013 Dom. Champy Pouilly-Fuisse, Maconnais 39 (3) Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 37 Brunello di Montalcino 75 (3)  The Lone Star (TX) Chapter met on March 31 in the home of Baldassarre Super Tuscan 54 Tom and Suely Lohr to taste and compare “Rhone-Style Wines Cavaliere Super Tuscan 54 (2) from Around the World”. Twenty-six Bartolomeo Super Tuscan 59 (1) members and guests were treated to vari- Vin Santo (Dessert Wine) 36 ous Rhone-style blends from France, Washington, California, Australia and  MaryLou and Bill Spang of the Princeton (NJ) Chapter host- Spain. Although France is the largest pro- ed “Wines from Australia” in their home on ducer of Rhone-style wine (it was planted April 28. The first course consisted of there in the first century by the Romans), shrimp and white bean salad matched with many countries are now mimicking two Semillon and two Chardonnay wines. France’s formula with their own twists. The second course included a delicious California’s version tends to favor the new pork tenderloin with barbeque sauce, world palate with its fruit-packed style. string beans and roasted potatoes paired Australia is offering both northern and southern Rhone styles with two Cabernet Sauvignon and two Shi- with bold flavors that pair well with the grilled meat we Texans raz wines. Dessert was a flourless choco- frequently enjoy. Although most of us were more familiar with late cake with raspberries paired with a the Washington and California style blends, the winner of the sparkling Shiraz. evening was the Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the southern 2016 Ashbrook Estate, Margaret River, Western Australia Rhone. This powerful and full-bodied red was the highlight of a 2014 Tyrrell, Hunter Valley, New South Wales wonderful evening of tasting and education. Dinner followed 2016 Punt Road, Napoleone Vyd, Yarra Valley, Victoria with a delicious main course of coq au vin and a French coun- 2017 19 Crimes, South Eastern Australia try potato dish made by our hosts, as well as side dishes 2013 Leewin Estate, Prelude Vineyards, Margaret River brought by members. The evening was gorgeous, which made 2014 Penfolds, Max’s, South Australia lingering in the Lohr’s beautiful back yard all the more enjoya- 2013 Zonte’s Footstep, Lake Doctor Vyd, Langhorne Creek ble. 2012 Leewin Estate, Art Series, Margaret River 2015 Tenshen White, Santa Barbara, CA $18 NV The Chook Sparkling Shiraz, McLaren Vale 2015 Ch. de Nages Costiers de Nimes Blanc, FR 14 2013 Casa Castillo Las Gravas, Spain 30  The San Diego (CA) Chapter met on March 25 at the home 2013 Hewitson Miss Harry G.S.M, Australia 22 of John and Barbara Lortscher for a tasting featuring Pinot Noir 2016 Delas Cotes de Rhone St. Esprit Rouge, FR 12 and new start-up wine mak- 2014 Chateauneuf- du-Pape Pierre-Henri Morel 59 (1) ers, presented by Chuck 2013 Cotes de Tablas, Paso Robles, CA 49 (3) Dowe, and provided by Na- 2014 Airfield Mustang, WA 25 (2) kedWines.com, a wine club. This club helps new start-  The North Alabama (AL) Chapter conducted its monthly ups with resources to get event on April 22 with 22 members present at the Highland their wine to market. When Lake Clubhouse for a “Killer” wine tasting. We performed in a Chuck approached them for the AWS Here program, they sent Murder Mystery called “The Bad Vintage,” but there were no him nine wines to share, on the condition that we provide bad vintages served at this tasting! The event was organized feedback. Fifteen members and guests were present to com- by Tom and Bev Fitzgerald and Karl and Judy Starkloff. To pare wine from New Zealand, Oregon and California. Climate is accompany solving the murder of Max Liter, who was found a major factor in defining the regional styles of pinot noir in all dead in a vat of wine, the chapter tasted several fabulous three regions. The Willamette Valley is carved up into several “Killer” wines. Everyone agreed the tasting was fantastic, and sub-AVA’s that are noted for their ability to ripen Pinot Noir this chapter is always educational and fun! perfectly, whereas California has coastal influence and terroir. 2016 Mr. Glover, Marlborough, New Zealand $46 2015 Rod Easthope, Central Otago, NZ 32 2016 Scott Kelley, OR 25 2016 Scott Kelley, Willamette, OR 34 (2) 2016 DRG Susie’s Block, Russian River, OR 40 (2) 2016 LaTapatia, Carneros, CA 27 2016 ROX Peterson, Sonoma Coast, CA 30 2016 Matt Parish, Sta Rita Hills, CA 45 (1) 2016 Rick Boyer, Santa Barbara, CA 36 (2)  The San Luis Obispo (CA) Chapter met on March 16 for a tasting that featured a selection of sauvignon blanc-based wine from around the world. Our guest speaker was David

AWS News June-July 2018 Page 8 McGee, owner/winemaker at Monochrome Wines in Paso Ro- 15 hectares are currently dedicated bles. Dave sources his grapes from vineyards ranging from to vineyard, with a further 6 under Santa Cruz in the north to Santa Barbara in the south. By ob- development. The remaining 35 hec- taining grapes from a variety of climate zones, he begins with tares are made up of buildings, dams fruit that has distinct characteristics. Building on this ap- and pine forest. Andy spends his time proach, he also uses numerous winemaking methods including between the winery in South Africa stainless steel fermentation, new and used barrel fermenta- and his location in High Point, NC, tion, and even clay amphoras--each yielding a distinctive style which was established as a US source of wine. He then blends the wine, resulting in wines that have and hometown of his wife. We highly more complexity than a straight single-vineyard or single recommend you check them out at method would produce. www.ricketybridgewineryusa.com. As 2015 Hermanos Pieters Fontein #3, S Africa $40 we enjoyed our wines, Andy walked us through the estate, 2017 Cloudy Bay, Marlborough, New Zealand 35 sharing history and stories of the winery in South Africa. 2016 Patient Cottat, Sancerre, France 30 (1) 2017 Rickety Bridge Chenin Blanc $17 2016 Shaw & Smith, Adelaide Hills, Australia 20 2017 Rickety Bridge Sauvignon Blanc 17 2016 Spy Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand 22 (2) 2016 Rickety Bridge Chardonnay 21 2016 Monochrome, Paso Robles, CA 35 2017 Foundation Stone Rosé 18 2017 Matetic-“EQ Coastal”, Chile 20 (3) 2015 Rickety Bridge Merlot 25 (3) 2014 Ch. Carbonnieux, Pessac-Leognan AOC 40 2014 Paulina’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 45 (2) 2016 Rickety Bridge Pinotage 24 (1)  The Southport (NC) Chapter met on May 11, at the St. James Community Center in Southport, NC. It was hosted by  George and Carmine, Co-Chairs, of the Westchester/ co-chairs Dave and Vicki Caruso. Western (CT) Chapter hosted a dozen members who Our meeting had 66 members and 5 enjoyed a wonderful tasting of seven selections from Italy, guests in attendance. We reviewed Germany, Uruguay and the United States. Led by JoAnn De- AWS national and local chapter glia, our new regional AWS Vice news, area wine events, and cele- President, we were captivated brated new members and birthdays. by the off-beat wine offered. The theme for this meeting was We began with two selections “Zinfandel Wines.” Prior to getting from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia into the zinfandels, we discussed region of Italy. This world-class our April AWS Bordeaux River Cruise, which made everyone wine region consistently pro- extremely jealous, and mentioned the AWS Rhone River duces wine noted for fullness of Cruise planned for next year. I think we already have some body, complexity and intense members ready to sign up! We discussed the history of zinfan- straw-yellow color. The Jer- del and the wine growing regions of Croatia (where it is known mann Pinot Grigio exhibited as Crljenak Kaštelanski and Tribidrag), California, Australia, delicate peach, almond and green apple flavors, and was rated South Africa and Italy (where it is known as Primitivo). We the better of the two white wines. Also tasted was the 2015 reviewed the characteristics of the wine and its typical food Ponderi di Carlo Friuliano, which came in a close second, with pairings. Our guest speaker, Ed Gurski, led the discussions overtones of nuts and fennel. Moving on to the reds, we began and answered many questions. Our chefs provided Asiago with Affentaler Spatburgunder Rotwein Baden, an excellent cheese puffs, Italian sausage, chicken, lasagna, fish stew and example of Germany’s pinot noir. Lighter than most pinot noir, blue cheese pizza to pair with the wine. it evoked many descriptors including a cherry flavor. Produced 2016 Seghesio Family Vineyards Sonoma $20 (1) through carbonic maceration, it joins dozens of other brands 2015 Ridge Vineyards Pagani Ranch 47 (2) that make Germany the world’s third largest producer of pinot 2014 Tofanelli Estate Zinfandel 35 (3) noir. We then reached back in time to enjoy ancient grape 2015 Angelo Rocca & Figli Primitivo 18 variety Lagrein, from Kupelwieser in the Italian Alto Adige 2013 Hartford Family Old Vine Highwire 59 region. Members noted its blackberry, spice and mineral fla- 2013 Skaramuca Dignac Plavac Mali 40 vors along with chewy tannins and a long, plummy finish. Our next selection shocked many of us by revealing true Sangio-  The Space Coast (FL) Chapter met on May 5, at the home of vese character but not from an Italian winery. The 2013 Long Donnie and Betty Nettles for a tasting featuring wine from 14 Point Sangiovese Finger Lakes is made on the east side of Hands Winery, and to celebrate the Kentucky Derby’s “Run for Cayuga Lake in New York. Known for producing award-winning the Roses.” There wine, this selection could certainly be called “Italian” in origin. were 17 members and Puglia in the Italian ”boot” provided our sixth selection. Trans- guests present. Ladies planted from Croatia, just across the Adriatic Sea, these Primi- wore their best derby tivo di Manduria vines produce wine that is full-bodied with a hat creations and the very nice finish. Here in the U.S., we know is as zinfandel and men wore hats and/or this bottle would be excellent to “Zin” with! Pun intended. Fi- bow ties. Most of the nally, we hopped a jet to faraway Uruguay to taste an "off the 14 Hands wines came beaten path" red wine, 2015 Garzon Tannat Reserva. What a from the Horse Heav- nice surprise! It was well-rounded, fruity, balanced, and en Hills area of Wash- picked as the best of the reds that day. ington, which produces big fruit-forward reds and crisp whites. Following are the 14 Hands wines that were tasted along with To be included in the AWS News, e-mail your tasting results many appetizers and Kentucky Hot Browns Casserole. to [email protected] NV Sparkling $11 2015 Sauvignon Blanc 12 Please follow the format specified for Chapter Events. Down- 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon 11 load it from the AWS website-Publications-AWS News. 2013 Reserve Syrah 21 2014 Stampede 10 (3) Include the cost of the wines you tasted, plus 2014 Kentucky Derby Blend 12 scores or rankings. This information lets oth- 2013 MSGV Reserve 21 (1) er members know what you liked and what 2015 Vintage Red Blend 45 (2) wines were good values.

 The Triangle (NC) Chapter met on April 15, at the home of AND … Please send us sharp, interesting Mary Kingery, for a tasting presented by Andy Woolgar from pictures from your event. We would love Rickety Bridge Winery, USA Inc. These incredible South Afri- to share them. can wines are from the Franschhoek wine estate, Rickety Bridge, which has a winemaking history dating back to the Renee Jones 17th century. The estate is 50 hectares in area, of which only [email protected]

AWS News June-July 2018 Page 9 Treasurer’s Report AMERICAN WINE SOCIETY For the Year Ended Dec. 31, 2017 STATEMENT OF INCOME AND FUND BALANCE As usual, the financial health of the society is dependent on a For the 12 Months Ended December 31 few key factors: (1) Stability and growth of the membership, 2017 2016 (2) Financial performance of the National Conference and the Amateur and Commercial Wine Competitions, and (3) Control REVENUE 2 of expenses. Membership Dues $ 183,836 $ 185,616 The 3-year member dues option adopted in 2016 has been Conference Fees and Income 345,124 183,829 well received and has helped to stabilize the membership rolls. Dues from the addition of Tasters Guild members will Book & Resale Items 146 993 begin as those renewals occur throughout 2018. Journal Advertising 705 6,790 The 50th Anniversary National Conference and the Amateur Interest Income 113 112 and Commercial Wine Competitions were both financial suc- Wine & Label Competitions 36,572 31,436 cesses in 2017. The Board and National Office staff continue to focus on controlling expenses, and the initial AWS Wine WJTP Income 4,526 8,895 Cruise created a promising new revenue source that can be Commissions 27,000 repeated going forward to support and expand our wine edu- 83 cation mission. Donations Other income 65 468 In summary, I am pleased to report that the financial position of the American Wine Society TOTAL REVENUE 598,170 418,138 continues to strengthen as we maintain focus on prudent stewardship of its financial resources. EXPENSES Tom Wallman Conference 311,494 179,166 [email protected] Wine Competitions 18,441 23,484 Journal 45,616 39,116 AMERICAN WINE SOCIETY WJTP Expenses 20 5,625 BALANCE SHEET AS OF DECEMBER 31 Administrative Expenses: 2017 2016 3 52,844 55,000 ASSETS Executive Director Salary 37,111 36,384 CURRENT ASSETS Member Services Manager Payroll Taxes 8,796 7,703 Cash - Checking $ 84,733 $ 18,391 Total Compensation-Related 98,751 99,088 Cash - Savings 247,683 285,953 Bank and Credit Card Fees 6,178 13,963 Total Cash 332,415 304,344 Director/Officer Travel 25,065 15,746 Paypal Deposits 19,651 - Exec. Dir. Search & Transition 5,602 7,393 Inventory 1,623 4,829 Insurance 3,278 8,042 3,633 1,466 Conference/Committee Advances Mailing/ Delivery 9,481 3,581 Prepaid Expenses 1,035 1,787 Membership Certifications 4,198 5,490 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 358,357 312,426 Newsletter & Special Publications 1,867 3,895 FIXED ASSETS Office Expense 12,367 6,541 Equipment (at cost) 16,615 15,405 Office Supplies 3,373 375 Accumulated Depreciation (14,153) (14,153) Printing/Copying 4,057 2,101 TOTAL FIXED ASSETS 2,463 1,253 Promotional Expense 3,189 1,715 Telephone & Internet 3,990 2,427 TOTAL ASSETS $ 360,820 $ 313,679 Website & Database Development 12,683 5,408

Miscellaneous 4,087 4,165 LIABILITIES & FUND BALANCE Total Administrative Expenses 198,165 179,930 CURRENT LIABILITIES TOTAL EXPENSES 573,736 427,321 Accrued Expenses $ 3,385 $ - $ 24,434 $ (9,183) Accrued Payroll Taxes 7,314 3,628 SURPLUS (DEFICIT) Deferred Revenue-Membership FUND BALANCE BEGINNING OF YEAR 147,231 156,414 118,013 108,277 Dues FUND BALANCE END OF YEAR $171,665 $ 147,231 Donations Payable-Fire Relief 5,900 - Notes : 134,612 111,905 1. Effective January 1, 2016, the Society amended its bylaws to change TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES its fiscal year to a calendar year. Prior to 2016, the Society operated on a fiscal year that ran from September 1 through August 31. FUND BALANCE 2. The Society offers 1- and 3-year membership options. Dues are rec- Unrestricted 171,665 147,231 ognized on a pro-rata basis over the appropriate 1 or 3 calendar year periods, Restricted 54,543 54,543 3. For calendar year 2016, the Executive Director salary expense in- TOTAL FUND BALANCE 226,208 201,774 cludes $5,000 paid to the incoming director during a two month tran- sition period; the rate paid during the transition was one-half the TOTAL LIABILITIES & FUND BALANCE $ 360,820 $ 313,679 regular rate that went into effect in 2017.

AWS News June-July 2018 Page 10 Washington State 6 U of Missouri 1 AWS Educational Foundation Brock University 4 North Dakota State 1 Virginia Tech 3 Oregon State 1 25th Anniversary Campaign Cornell University 2 Penn State 1 The AWSEF has been awarding scholarships for 25 consecutive U of British Columbia 1 Portland State 1 years since our founding 25 years ago. In celebration of this U of Georgia 1 U of Wisconsin-Madison 1 milestone anniversary, we are establishing a 25th Anniversary Campaign. The purpose of this campaign is to celebrate our Michigan State 1 history while creating awareness about our mission for the Here are a few key takeaways from this year’s applications: future. Please help the AWSEF raise $25,000 for our 25 years! We have secured an anonymous donor to match dollar for * No students applied from UC Davis. 37 scholarships have dollar, up to $25,000. This gives us the potential to raise been awarded to UC Davis students over the years, the $50,000! most of any university. In 2017, 5 students submitted ap- plications for review and 2 won scholarships. Kristen Linde- The proceeds of this campaign will be dedicated exclusively to low will be reaching out to professors and advisors there. the AWSEF’s endowment fund. As the endowment grows, it will provide a reliable source of funding for student scholar- * New universities on the list: Wisconsin-Madison, Missouri ships ensuring the AWSEF will be around for the next 25 and North Dakota State. Keep the applications coming! We years…and for generations to come! love to see the diversity of schools and research topics. Over the course of the next few months, we are going to be * Texas Tech and Ohio State, who were new to the list in challenging all of the AWS chapters and members to help us 2017, did not have students apply this year. reach our goals. You can expect to see our stories about previ- * Missing again were Purdue, Georgia and Kentucky. Kristen ous scholarship winners, silent auction donations for your bid- will be reaching out to these universities as well. ding pleasure and, hopefully (fingers crossed!), a guest speak- er at the National Conference in Buffalo. More surprises to * We were thoroughly pleased to see that the number of past come. We invite you all to join the campaign and help the stu- scholarship winners who have written letters of recommen- dents who will be the future of the wine industry that we all dation for potential candidates has increased again. know and love. Silent Auction AWSEF Awards Seven Scholarships in 2018 Christine Murphy is starting to round up donations for the This year the Board has decided to award seven scholarships AWSEF silent auction to be held at this year’s AWS conference valued at $3,500 each out of the Special Scholarship Accounts in Buffalo on Friday, November 2, 2018. Please be on the [SSA’s]. We are in the process of notifying students and con- lookout for correspondence from her with directions shortly. firming attributions on the scholarships, but for now we would like to recognize the following groups who will be funding a But if you know that there are items that you would like to 2018 scholarship: donate now, please feel free to reach out to her directly on [email protected]. We already have a ship-to point  Banfi Vintners Foundation so you are welcome to start donating now!  Cleveland, OH Chapter  Columbus, OH Chapter—In Appreciation of the Strength Both the 25th Anniversary Campaign and the silent auction & Vitality of the Columbus Chapter donation forms are on our website www.awsef.org, but please  Glimmerglass, NY Chapter feel free to email me if you have trouble locating or just want  North Alabama Chapter it sent to you.  South Eastern PA Region—In Honor of Edward & Debo- rah Stopper We sincerely appreciate how truly amazing all of you are. We  Thomas Jefferson, KY Chapter—George Wessel Scholar- know you get asked every day to donate to ship various non-profits and we are incredibly honored when you choose us. We appreciate As of 2017, the AWSEF has awarded $360,000 to 125 stu- that you help benefit the students by raising dents. We will be giving $24,500 in 2018, which will bring our money and donating items to our silent auc- grand total up to $384,500 since our inception. tion. For this we send you our deepest THANK YOU! We couldn’t do it without you! Overview of the 2018 AWSEF Scholarship Process The Board finished reviewing the 24 applications that we re- ceived this year from 13 universities across the US and Cana- Bonnie Lance da. Applications were received from the following schools: [email protected]

tween chapters and states. The togetherness and warmth was similar to the feelings garnered at our annual national confer- Brainstorming in NJ/NY/PA ence. We hope to make this a regular event and do it again On April 5, fifteen Chapter Chairs, RVPs and AWS national sometime this fall! managers from the NY/NJ/PA area got together at Café Vene- , zia in Martinsville, NJ. The purpose was to create enthusiasm Danny Klein and excitement to promote regional cross-pollination and in- AWS RVP Northern NJ/Greater NY terbreeding of local chapters. We discussed AWS updates, AWSEF VP Private Development goals and activities while drinking some awesome wine with our delicious four-course meal. AWSEF 25th anniversary dona- tions, Buffalo National Conference, Wine Judging Competi- tions, New & Open AWS Chapters and partnerships were just a few of the topics we covered over the course of the evening. Everyone was excited to open up some of the special wines that were brought by the members, including ’82 Chateau Soutard, ’84 Chateau Beycheville, ’09 Corrison Napa Valley, Barolos, Burgundies and a ’82 Warre’s Vintage Port to finish off the evening with homemade desserts. The event was a wonderful way of introducing AWS manage- ment personnel to each other as well as creating bonds be-

AWS News June-July 2018 Page 11 AWS News American Wine Society® P. O. Box 889 Scranton, PA 18501

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Cancellations If you are dissatisfied with your session Conference Registration assignments and wish to cancel your regis- tration, please notify us by August 31. We Cont. from Page 1 will refund your registration fee, and you may cancel your hotel reservation at no charge. June 25, 2018 If the conference is not sold out, everyone who registered will Diane Meyer be guaranteed a seat. Please feel free to make your travel [email protected] plans. Any remaining seats will be available on the AWS web- site until the event sells out. If the conference has sold out during the June registration period, a computer program will draw the maximum number of registrants we can accommodate. Couples will be selected together. These randomly selected registrants are guaranteed Reservations Open Now a seat. Those not selected will receive a refund and be placed on a waiting list. Mid-July Hyatt Regency Members will receive the conference brochure detailing speakers and sessions. Buffalo, NY Wednesday, August 8 (9am EDT/ 6am PDT) to Saturday August 11 (7pm EDT/ 4pm PDT) Everyone who is registered, and paid in full, will need to se- lect sessions during these dates. This is not first-come, first- served, so you have the full four days to make your choices. Enjoy your stay in one of the 396 contemporary hotel rooms in Once the window closes to select sessions, we will randomly downtown Buffalo, NY, with a chic mix of both modern and assign sessions using a program specifically designed to give classic elements that pay homage to Buffalo’s history. Rest everyone the same number of 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices. We peacefully in the plush Hyatt Grand Beds® and wake up to used this session selection procedure successfully in 2016 sweeping views of the downtown area. and 2017, so it should be familiar to past attendees. We have secured a rate of $139.00 a night for a Califor- If you fail to select sessions by the close of this timeframe, nia king-size bed or two double beds. You will be you can still choose your sessions at a later date from those charged the rate of one night, which is nonrefundable, when with available seats. If you have questions or difficulty, you make your reservation. You can reserve your room online please contact the National Office. at: https://aws.passkey.com/go/americanwinesociety or call 888-421-1442 and refer to the AWS conference. The cutoff Week of August 27th date to make reservations at our room block rate is October 16, 2018. Attendees will be notified of session assignments.