AWS News – June 2025

IN THIS ISSUE

Get ready for National Conference registration

Registration for the 58th AWS National Conference opens on Monday, June 30. You can preview the agenda now. Be sure to book your room, and consider pre-conference tours and educational opportunities.

Recognize others for their contributions to AWS

The time is approaching to nominate someone for the Award of Merit, Outstanding Member, and Regional Ambassador and Chapter Chair of the year.

Bylaw changes and national officer elections are coming your way

Be on the lookout in early August for a ballot that will ask members’ consent for changes to the AWS bylaws and to vote on national officers.

Welcome Here keeps growing

The Welcome Here program has added 6 new wineries — including four more in Virginia, site of this year’s National Conference — bringing the total participating nationwide to 188.

From the desk of the Executive Director

Natalie Dippenaar explains how you can help AWS raise revenue while you buy wine, reviews member benefit discount codes, and reviews travel opportunities.

AWSEF selects its 2025 scholarship recipients

Awardees are being contacted. Plus, donations for the 2025 Silent Auction will be easier than ever, and an election for 3 positions on the AWSEF Board of Trustees is upcoming.

Winemaker’s corner: Pretty in pink — make a rosé this harvest

Dry rosé wines that fill a gap between red wine with big tannins and alcohol and white wine with gentle aromas and a light palate. Kevin Kourofsky discusses how to craft a good rosé and why it’s smart to do so.

An update for all amateur winemakers!

Registration should open after the July 4th holiday weekend. The brochure for this year should be ready shortly and posted the week prior to registration

Here’s an idea for a summer tasting event

Try the 2025 National Tasting Project, which comes with preselected Australian wines and a presentation.

Chapter events

Vertical tastings, regional food and wine pairings, selections from the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines, and some toasting and roasting of wine shop recommendations were just some of the highlights shared by your fellow members. Read what they’ve been up to.

Get ready for National Conference registration

Registration for the 58^th AWS National Conference in Chantilly, VA, from November 6‒8, will open Monday, June 30, and will last through Friday, July 11.

Members will receive a link via email to register and pick their sessions. A link also will be posted to the conference page on our website.

You can get an advance look at what’s available by checking out the Conference agenda, which is available through the button below.

It’s important to note that registration is not a first-come, first-served process this year. Sessions will be randomly selected and assigned to attendees based on their choices for first, second, and third choices for each session. Most, but not all, people will get their first choice.

Conference agenda

This year’s National Conference will bring the world of wine to you with exclusive experiences, best-in-class certifications, 2 walk-around tasting receptions, 7 meals, and your choice from among 49 sessions to attend. The price is $755 per person.

Be sure to book your hotel

Our block of rooms at Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles, in Chantilly, Virginia, is filling up quickly, but some are still available. So, you may wish to take advantage of the remaining rooms at the Westfields Marriott by booking promptly.

The room rate is $179, plus fees. The room block is open for November 6, 7, and 8, and while additional dates are available, they are not guaranteed.

Reserve your room at Westfields Marriott

Allow time for pre-conference tours

Wherever you stay, remember also to reserve your room for any pre-conference tour on Wednesday or Thursday (November 5 and 6) that you want to attend. You’ll be able to choose from among 3 amazing tours. Watch your email for more information coming soon.

Or, if you would rather go it alone, come early and explore the many wineries that are part of the Welcome Here program — including some of the Commonwealth’s best vineyards — and take advantage of available AWS discounts!

Either way, be sure to take advantage of all that Virginia’s wineries have to offer.

Get Smarter with Wine Smarts

Make the most of the National Conference by coming a day early when you register for Wine Smarts 1 or 2.

Wine Smarts 1 is an entertaining and interactive way to explore the basics of how wine is made, and to learn to taste and evaluate wines with the Wine Aroma Wheel using some principal wine varieties. The course includes some background information regarding where the grapes are grown, flavor profiles, and region highlights from old and new world counterparts.

Wine Smarts 2 is a deeper dive into various winemaking processes, as well as an exploration of how climate and terroir affect growing regions and their resulting wines.

Recognize others for their contributions to AWS

At the National Conference each year, AWS recognizes people who have distinguished themselves both in the wine industry and within our organization. The time to nominate someone for these awards is here, with deadlines just days away.

(Note that this year’s winners for Award of Merit and Outstanding Member already have been selected and will be announced soon; the open nominations regarding these awards are for the 2026 winners.)

Madeline Puckette, 2024 Award of Merit

Award of Merit

This is one of the most prestigious awards in the wine industry, and the recipient is a person who has made significant contributions to the industry. This

person does not need to be an AWS member, and his or her contributions can be in winemaking, marketing, education, grape growing, or writing.

Last year’s Award of Merit recipient was Madeline Puckett, who co-founded Wine Folly in 2011 with the goal of inspiring new wine drinkers through knowledge. To recommend someone for 2026, please send the person’s name and a few paragraphs about his or her accomplishments by October 15 to Pam Davey at pamdavey@aol.com.

Jane Duralia, 2024 Outstanding Member

Outstanding Member

The recipient (a person or a couple) typically has a consistent record of valuable service to the AWS, but individuals with a shorter record of unusually valuable service may be considered. Last year’s Outstanding Member was Jane Duralia, a member for more than 30 years and a former AWS president who remained active afterward on several standing volunteer committees

If you would like to nominate an AWS member to be honored at the 2026 conference, please forward the person’s name and a short narrative regarding his or her contributions by October 15 to Pam Davey at pamdavey@aol.com.

Regional Ambassador and Chapter Chair of the Year

In addition, the AWS each year recognizes within our organization a Regional Ambassador and an Outstanding Chapter Chair. To identify nominees for 2025, focus for each award on someone who:

• Goes above and beyond for your region or chapter.
• Communicates regularly with updates from the National Office and/or the Board and other project leaders.
• Reaches out to check on how you are doing as a chapter or as a member and offers recommendations and resources to help with tastings, membership, growth opportunities, events/activities, etc.
• Is easily approachable and responds in a timely manner with a smile.

If you wish to nominate someone for either Regional Ambassador or Outstanding Chapter chair (you can submit one name for your Regional Ambassador and a separate one for your Chapter Chair) contact AWS Director of Membership Carrie Garczynski at directormembership@americanwinesociety.org to request a form.

Bylaw changes and national officer elections coming your way

Be on the lookout in the first week of August for a ballot that will ask members’ consent for changes to the organization’s bylaws and to vote on national officers.

The changes to the bylaws are still being worked through by the Board of Directors, so watch for details in an upcoming communication. Be sure to read and consider them carefully when they’re available, and then vote!

As for national officers, the Governance Committee received only one nomination for each of these positions, but it is still necessary to have an election to confirm their appointment. The candidates are:

• Ken Ostrowski for Director of Education (for the remaining 2 years of a 3-year term vacated earlier). He currently holds the Director of Education slot on an interim basis.
• Vince Williams for Director of Competitions (3-year term). He currently has managed the Amateur Wine Competition for 7 years.

Should the candidates be approved, they will take office with terms beginning on January 1, 2026.

Welcome Here keeps growing

The Welcome Here program has added 6 new wineries — including four more in Virginia, site of this year’s National Conference — bringing the total participating nationwide to 188.

The new wineries in Virginia are:

• Chateau O’Brien at Northpoint Winery and Vineyard in Markham.
• Private Label Cellars in Catharpin.
• Williams Gap Vineyard in Round Hill.
• The Winery at Bull Run.

Fine establishments elsewhere that joined recently include:

• Fine Wine O’clock in Cincinnati, OH. 
• Beaufort Wine in Beaufort, South Carolina.

Welcome Here is a partnership between wineries and the AWS designed to foster an understanding of what AWS is and what we do. AWS lists participating wineries on our website and in our social media, and in return the wineries recognize AWS members by offering discounts, special tasting, or other perks.

For more information about how the program works, click here. To see a complete list of participating wineries, go to https://americanwinesociety.org/welcome-here-wineries/.

If you visit a participating winery, remember to bring your AWS membership card; be pleasant, interested and respectful; buy something; and have a good time.

Include a winery visit before or after attending the National Conference

Welcome Here now includes 30 wineries in Virgina, site of this year’s National Conference. If you plan to attend this year’s National Conference, or if you expect to visit the Commonwealth of Virginia for any reason, consider visiting one of the wineries that have already signed up for Welcome Here.

From the desk of the Executive Director

Hello! I’m hoping you will help us raise some additional revenue at no cost to you!

I have established an affiliate agreement with Wine.com, whereby the American Wine Society will get a small percentage back from member Wine.com purchases IF they click to buy from “our” link. While the few cents will slowly add-up for AWS, I am ultimately hoping to demonstrate we have some serious shoppers among us and to negotiate a discount for all members.

Natalie Dippenaar, AWS Executive Director

So, if you are shopping for a chapter presentation, or just for yourself, please click on a link on this page (https://americanwinesociety.org/winelinks/), or scan the QR code before shopping. You don’t need to buy the featured wines, but by initiating your purchase with us, Wine.com might reward us.

Member benefit discount codes

I mentioned a couple of new member benefits last time, but quite a few people have emailed for the discount codes, so I wanted to share again!

1. Through June 30, AWS members take advantage of a 15% discount on a subscription to Wine Folly+ (normally $99 per year). Simply enter the code aws-save15 when you subscribe.
2. Through 2025, Society of Wine Educators membership is discounted from $135 to $99 and certification exams to $400 with code AWS2025.

Travel with AWS

When considering travel or on your way somewhere, take a look at the AWS Travel page (https://americanwinesociety.org/travel/) where we are adding professional member offerings, and Welcome Here wineries (https://americanwinesociety.org/welcome-here-wineries/).

These are member benefits you can take advantage of!

For those going to conference…

• Tours on Wednesday November 5th and Thursday November 6th.
• WineSmarts and the Wine Judge Certification classes on Thursday November 6th.
• Conference kicks off 7pm Thursday November 6^th through LATE Saturday November 8^th.

Membership Manager, Colleen Reardon, and I are working on setting up conference registration on the new database platform.

• We will send an email to all members in the next week or so with session information AND post to the conference website, https://americanwinesociety.org/conference.
• Registration will be open for at least 2 weeks (end June to early July) and everyone can pick their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices of sessions.
• Registration will close for a week or two (late July) while we assign sessions and calculate the number of spaces left in each session.
• Once we re-open registration, registrants will be able to pick their sessions from among those remaining.

Until next time,

Natalie

AWSEF selects its 2025 scholarship recipients

The AWSEF’s Board of Trustees last month selected its 2025 scholarship recipients from among 28 well-qualified master’s and PhD students, and the awardees are now being contacted. Once that is finished, we will announce their names.

We were delighted to have students apply from 15 different universities across the U.S. and Canada, including several universities that were not represented previously.

Donations for the 2025 Silent Auction are easier than ever!

We have a “new and improved” donation form that you can complete online for items you’d like to donate to the Annual Silent Auction. This makes the process easier and faster because you don’t have to print and mail a paper form!

Check out the donation form here. For future reference, you can find a link to it under the Giving tab on our website, and on  our Facebook page and our Linked-In profile.  We look forward to having a great Silent Auction, and we cannot do it without your donations.

Remember to vote AWSEF Trustees

Three positions on the AWSEF Board of Trustees will be filled by election by the AWS membership this summer. Watch for the ballot to arrive via email, and please be sure to vote.

Kristen Lindelow, President of AWSEF

Our Board is composed of 8 Trustees:  6 are from the AWS membership, one is our Legal Counsel, and one is always the AWS president or the president’s appointed representative. Trustee terms for the 6 elected positions are for four years; we elect three Trustees every odd-numbered year.

Our nominees for 2025 are: Bill Ellis (Virginia), Dean Scott (Pennsylvania), and myself, Kristen Lindelow (Alabama).  Please email me at president01@awsef.org or call me (256-424-3667) with any questions.

Best wishes for a delightful, wine-filled summer!

Winemaker’s corner: Pretty in pink — make rosé this harvest

Kevin Kourofsky

No longer haunted by a history of white Zinfandel and wine coolers, Americans are discovering dry rosé wines that fill a gap between red wine with big tannins and alcohol and white wine with gentle aromas and a light palate.

Rosé works wonderfully with just about any food. And it satisfies in very hot climates, where a red wine seems overbearing and a white just not satisfying enough. Which is why rosé wines are so popular in the torrid south of France.

In his latest column, Kevin Kourofsky discusses how to craft a good rosé and why it’s smart to do so.

Read more

An update for all amateur winemakers

I look forward to my 7th competition celebrating our amateur wine makers as we conduct our Amateur Wine Competition.

We’re lucky this year in that we will use a receiving point that has experience working with AWS, and I’m sure a few of the experienced unpackers can be coaxed into lending a hand again. This will help ensure that your wines are efficiently logged in.

We expect to open registration after the July 4th holiday weekend. The brochure for this year should be ready shortly and posted the week prior to registration. We don’t anticipate any rule changes, just updates to the locations and dates when things are due.

I look forward to tasting some awesome amateur wines again this year. See you in Chantilly, VA!

Vince Williams
Chair, Amateur Wine Competition

Here’s an idea for a summer tasting event

If you’re looking for a pre-arranged chapter meeting with preselected Australian wines and a presentation, try the 2025 National Tasting Project.

Mike Blake, NTP coordinator

The National Tasting Project is ongoing, and wines are still available from the retailer, locally or online. Judge all 15 wines in the lineup or select only a few. It’s your choice!

There’s still plenty of time to judge wines until the score submission deadline of October 15.

You can judge as a chapter, a chapter sub-group, or individually. Questions? Just email Mike at NTP@AmericanWineSociety.org.

Chapter events

MARCH

Ocean Isle Beach (NC) Chapter members Steve and Barb Taylor rounded up nearly 60 members and guests for a grape-stomping, wine-hoedown at the March meeting. They shared a sampling of “some mighty fine wine” discovered while touring the Texas hill country

One highlight of visiting Texas wineries was the gracious hospitality and generosity of winemakers, including complementary tastings and industry discounts for or AWS. They were excited to hear that Texas wines would be making a splash in North Carolina.

Graydon Vandament’s, who presented on Texas wines at the 2024 AWS National Conference in Winston-Salem, graciously shared his materials to augment the chapter’s event.

Along with a discourse on Texas wine history and the many challenges Texas winemakers must overcome to produce great wines, the following wines were poured for sampling.

• Bull Lion Ranch and Winery Trebbiano, $22
• Wedding Oak Winery Eclipse, $26
• Wedding Oak Winery Tioja, $27
• Becker Vineyards Culinaria, $30
• Becker Vineyards Inverno, $34
• William Chris Vineyards Enchanté, $43
• William Chris Vineyards Artist Blend, $43

Tex Mex BBQ beef and pulled pork accompanied the sampling, offering an authentic Texas experience. All agreed that Texas does in fact make some mighty fine wines.

For the March tasting of the San Luis Obispo (CA) Chapter, Pear Valley’s winemaker Jared Lee was the guest speaker. In addition to submitting an Aglianico wine for the competition (it placed 2nd), Jared graciously provided two bottles of Pear Valley’s Nero d’Avola for members to sample. The winery describes its Nero as “deep ruby in the glass with a feminine nose of ripe boysenberry, pink peppercorns, anise and preserved peach.” Their ’21 Nero d’Avola received Double Gold in a SF Chronicle competition and, also, quite a few highly positive comments our AWS tasters. Club member Jim Mueller hosted the tasting.

As usual, nine wines were sampled. Six were California wines; three were from Italy. All of the wines, featuring Anglianico grapes, were:

• 2020 Pipoli Vigneti del Vulture, Basilicata, Italy, $22
• 2021 Penman Spring Vineyards, Paso Robles, $32 (3)
• 2020 Caparone Winery, Paso Robles, $22
• 2017 Feudi di San Gregoria Taurasi DOCG, Campania, Italy $50
• 2021 The Fableist Wine Company 070 The Tree and the Reed, Paso Robles, $49
• 2018 Ciesi Winery, Paso Robles, $45 (1)
• 2020 Pear Valley Vineyard, $38 (2)
• 2020 Giomata, Paso Robles, $50
• 2021 Mastroberardino Mastro Anglianico Campania IGT, Campania, Italy, $22

The March meeting of the Fleur de Lis (KY) Chapter in Louisville was hosted by Owen Wetzel and Pat Cantwell. The theme was “Chardonnays from around the world.” Seven wines were blind-tasted. Below are the ratings from highest to lowest score. There was a tie for 3rd place.

• 2021 Capensis Silene Chardonnay, South Africa, $40 (1)
• 2023 Domaine Chatelain Chablis, Burgundy, France, $40 (2)
• 2022 Bramito della Sala Chardonnay, Umbria, Italy, $26 (3)
• 2019 Petites Secondes Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon, $33
• 2020 Penfolds Bin 31 Chardonnay, Australia, $40
• 2016 EQ Quartz Chardonnay D.O., Valle de San Antonio, Chile, $25
• 2019 Viansa Chardonnay, Carneros, California $40

APRIL

The Myrtle Beach (SC) Chapter met April 17, for ’Celebrating Spring Wine Days,’ presented by Larry and Joann Garner.

More than 30 members/guests were treated to Joann’s delectable homemade empanadas that paired with the 2 South American wines tasted. Particular cheese and crackers were specially chosen to pair with these wines that have their own designated day in April, May, or June.

We learned how the various celebration days began – some were by a winery, some by a nation, etc. (Our tasting happened to fall on Malbec Day.)

Afterward, each attendee listed  their two favorite wines to drink on National Wine Day (May 25). It was difficult picking only two!!  Here are the wines tasted in order of their special day.

• Pisano Tannat Rio de los Pajaros (Tannat Day is April 14), $19
• Cruz Alta Malbec Grand Reserve (Malbec World Day is April 17), $14
• Governors Bay Sauvignon Blanc (Sauvignon Blanc Day is the first Friday in May), $14
• Cavit Pinot Grigio (National Pinot Grigio Day is May 17), $9
• Domaine St. Germain Bourgogne Chardonnay (Chardonnay Day is Thursday before Memorial Day), $17
• Freixenet Cava Brut (National Bubbly Day is June 1), $10
• Spier Seaward Chenin Blanc (Chenin Blanc Days are June 8, 10, 20, and 21), $19
• Wolffer Estate Summer in a Bottle Rose (National Rose Day is the second Saturday in June), $26

The San Diego (CA) Chapter met in the La Costa Valley neighborhood club house, hosted by Dawn and Dwight Navis. A group of 10 members tasted and rated 7 Australian Shiraz, Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Sauvignon wines for the AWS National Tasting Project.

The NTP presentation was given for the group, highlighting Australian wine regions and commonly grown grapes. After each tasting, information on the wine and the AWS judges’ reviews were presented and discussed. A Barossa Shiraz was selected as the group’s top wine of the day.

On April 13, an exuberant group of 21 members of the Perkiomen Valley (PA) Chapter savored the red wines of Damiani Wine Cellars from New York’s Finger Lakes region in a virtual tasting with Jeremy Broshears, the winery’s tasting room manager. The wines were:

• 2023 Pinot Noir, $26
• 2023 Lemberger, $20
• 2023 MC2 19.20, $19
• 2023 Cabernet Franc, $22
• 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon, $26
• 2023 Merlot, $26

As always, Lori Law, who hosted the tasting, outdid herself with an appetizer spread that made beautiful pairings with the wines.

Twenty members and friends of the Ocean Isle Beach (NC) Chapter spent seven glorious days in April sailing the Snake and Columbia Rivers in Oregon and Washington.  Following the trail blazed by Lewis and Clark, the rivers and mountains offered their exceptional best with blue-sky-sunshine days every day. This river cruise was a great way to get together on a personal level and expand our friendships.

The Columbia River Gorge is known for exquisite wines, as are other Washington and Oregon AVAs, and those we tasted did not disappoint. Some of the group visited wineries when in port – Badger Mountain Organic Winery in Kennewick, WA; Maryhill Winery in Goldendale, WA; Tierra De Lobos in The Dalles, OR; and a stop at the WineKraft Wine Bar in Astoria, OR.

All wines served on the ship were from Washington and Oregon, with a couple exceptions, and there were multiple sommelier-led onboard afternoon tastings. We were delighted to have a private VIP tasting led by onboard sommelier Michelle Vaughters, who purchased a selection of Washington wines especially for us to taste and savor. All agreed this was one of many highlights and very special memories of our time together.

Because of the number of travelers in our group, the OIB Education Fund received a check for $5,120! This is truly the sprinkles on the icing of a perfect trip.

The North Wake (NC) Chapter held a tasting on Sunday, April 27, at Heritage View Clubhouse in Wake Forest, with 36 attendees. Chapter treasurer Randy Screen presented 6 wines from Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines.

We sampled 2 whites and 4 reds from around the world: one from Chile, 2 from Argentina one from California, and 2 from Italy. Included were 3 wines priced at $21 or less.

Randy provided a handout with information about each of the wines and wineries. Our group rated all 6 as excellent, with a Malbec from Kaiken Estate of Argentina scoring the highest — a bargain at $18.

• 2022 Vina Tabali Vetas Blanca Sauvignon Blanc, Chile(#58), $21
• 2023 Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay (#43), $54
• 2022 Vina Cobos Cocodrilo Corte Red Blend, Argentina (#39), $30
• 2022 Kaiken Estate Malbec, Argentina (#30) $18
• 2022 Santa Christina Cabernet Sauvignon, Toscano, Italy (#49), $14
• 2020 C. D. Vajra Albe Barolo, Italy (#9), $40

Our chapter holds a Wine Spectator Top 100 event every year, and it is always popular with members.

In April, 30 members of the Lehigh Valley (PA) Chapter gathered at Taste of Italy restaurant in Hellertown to enjoy “Tasting of Syrah Around the World.”

Hosts Mark and Kathy Breloff researched and selected good quality wines from every major Syrah/Shiraz producing region. The tasting started with a 100% Syrah rose ice breaker from the Columbia Valley in Washington State, produced by Portlanda, which all enjoyed. It was interesting to compare the same grape varietal from such different regions with such different climates. The warmer regions have higher alcohol levels and riper fruit characteristics.

Shannon and Dave demonstrated the’ Mollydooker Shake.’ Because its 2021 The Boxer Mollydooker uses nitrogen in the wine process, one must do the shake to release the nitrogen, which allows the flavor of the wine to come through. Shake, open, shake again, open, then enjoy.

• 2022 Jean-Louis Chave, St. Joseph, Northern Rhone, $33
• 2021 Alain Graillot, Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhone, $51
• 2019 Planeta, Sicily, $53
• 2018 Zarihs by Borsao, Spain, $25, (2-tie)
• 2021 The Boxer Mollydooker, Australia, $28, (2-tie)
• 2021 Penfolds Bin 28, Australia, $34
• 2023 Her’s, S. Africa, $18
• 2022 Philoppe Rothchild Gran Reserva, Chile, $17
• 2023 Tensley Santa Barbara, California, $35, (2-tie)
• 2020 K Vinters Milbrandt, Washington, $32, (1)

Thanks to Mark and Kathy for another great tasting. Also, thanks Ann Vlot for hosting another BYOB at Ninja Ramen.

MAY

In May, the 50 Shades of Grapes (NJ) Chapter held an event at the home of Linda and Nick Cashan.

The group enjoyed the evening exploring the specific food of the Basque region of Spain, the unique white wine (Txakoli) of that region, and other delicious Spanish wines.

• 2023 Ameztoi Txakoli
• 2024 Antxiala Txakolina
• 2005 La Rioja Alta (1)
• 2019 Do Ferreiro Albarino (2-tie)
• 2008 Loa Rioja (2-tie)

The evening ended with a few more bottles that were not scored, including a unique dessert wine the Cashans bought on their 2006 trip to Priorat.

The Monterey (CA) Chapter held its monthly meeting on May 2 at the De Tierra Vineyards tasting room in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Owner Jeff Mecham hosted our group, sharing his story and vision for the winery.

The vineyards were founded 25 years ago by Tom Russell, who was seeking an organic property (pesticides make wine unhealthy) and one that would be Sustainable in Practice (SIP). They were only commercial vineyard in Corral de Tierra.

Jeff is focused on the legacy of the original, estate Russell Vineyard and pursues the goal of translating “the defining flavors of place into great wine!”

At this event, we tasted 5 De Tierra Vineyards wines:

• 2023 De Tierra Chardonnay, Russell Estate, Monterey, $49
• 2023 De Tierra Rose of Pinot Noir, Hilltop Ranch, Monterey, $44
• 2022 De Tierra Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, $64
• 2020 De Tierra Puzzler Red Blend, Monterey, $54
• 2020 De Tierra Petite Sirah, Pedregal de Paicines, Central Coast, $69

The May 7 meeting of the Shallotte (NC) Chapter, featuring ‘members’ favorite wine,’ attracted 22 members.

There were six presenters from France (Burgundy), Italy (Piemonte), New Zealand (Marlborough), Portugal (Lisbon)and 2 from California (Paso Robles and Contra Costa). There were 2 whites and 4 reds.

• 2022 Hall Ranch Cellar Reserve, Paso Robles, $25
• 2023 Cline Family Ancient Vines Mourvèdre, $14
• 2020 Casa Santos Confidential Tinto Reserva, $8
• 2022 Ceretto Arneis Blange, $28
• 2022 The Seeker Pinot Noir, $18
• 2024 St. Clair Family Estate Sauvignon Blanc, $16

We learned that the Piedmont white wine (Arneis) almost became extinct in 1970.  It is traditionally blended with Nebbiolo to soften tannins and add aromatic complexity. Our Burgundy wine was a Pinot Noir Vin De Pays, a new name for table wine. We heard that Lisboa is one of Portugal’s richest wine-producing regions because of the diversity of grape varietals planted there, its clay and limestone soil, and favorable climate.

We were surprised that our California wines are both unique. Paso Robles is the largest AVA in California, with over 44,000 acres of vineyards. The Contra Costa region is home to century-old vines and was never infected with phylloxera because of its deep, sandy soils.

On May 8, Linda Rakos hosted and presented wines for a “Sicilian Affair Wine Tasting,” attended by 12 members of the City of Palms (FL) Chapter.

We opened with a toast featuring a Brut Metodo Classico sparkling – Terrazze dell’Etna – made on the lava terrain of a very active volcano, Mt. Etna.

We tasted 6 wines from several DOCs, including Etna, Sicilia, Marsala, Pantelleria, and Vittoria, as well as the only DOCG, Cerasuolo di Vittoria. We highlighted 3 exceptional wineries: Donnafugata, Planeta and Tasca d’Almerita.

We also learned about a number of Sicilian grapes, including whites (Carricante, Catarrato Bianco, Grillo, Zbibbo) and reds (Frappato, Nerello Mascalese and Nero D’Avola).

• 2021 Tasca D’Almerita Regaleali Estate Nero D’Avola Sicilia DOC, $13 (1)
• 2022 Planeta Frappato Vittoria DOC, $22 (2-tie)
• 2020 Planeta Eruzione 1614 Nerello Mascalese Sicilia DOC, $42 (2-tie)
• 2023 Donnafugata SurSur Grillo Sicilia DOC, $24 (3)
• 2022 Donnafugata Floramundi Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG (70% Nero D’Avola and 30% Frappato), $35 (4)
• 2022 Planeta Contrada Taccione Etna Bianco Etna DOC (Carricante), $32 (5)

The evening ended with two outstanding dessert wines: Donnafugata Ben Rye Passito di Pantelleria DOC (made from Zibibbo grapes) and a Marco De Bartoli Vigna La Miccia Superiore Oro Riserva Marsala DOC (Grillo grapes).

Everyone brought Sicilian-inspired appetizers, small plates and desserts that complimented our wines.

The Myrtle Beach (SC) Chapter met May 15 for ‘a toast and roast of Total Wine,’ presented by Bruce Glensky, Rich and Mary Berezinsky, Steve Robertson, and Joann Garner.

Total Wine is the nation’s largest retailer of alcoholic beverages, and its ‘Winery Direct’ wines are sold to it directly by smaller wineries. Each presenter introduced a Winery Direct wine or beer that had been recommended by a Total Wine employee. Everyone toasted or roasted that employee.

• 2023 Erica Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, $29
• 2023 Ed Edmundo Pinot Noir, $12
• 2021 Volition Portugese red blend. $14
• 2023 Pietramerana Nero d’Avola, $10
• 2022 Barba I Vasari Old Vines Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, $20
• 2021 Oak Ridge Zinfandel AV Reserve Lodi Estate Grown, $30
• 2019 Once & Future Wine Sonoma Valley Bedrock Vineyard Zinfandel, $42
• Duvel Belgian Ale, 4-pack of 11-ounce bottles, $19

A fun part of the night was a blind tasting of a Winery Direct Zinfandel against one from a famous California Zinfandel maker. To everyone’s shock, the Winery Direct Zinfandel won!!

On Saturday, May 17, 19 members of the Perkiomen Valley (PA) Chapter enjoyed an unforgettable evening of wine exploration by diving into the rich flavors of Central California, with a special focus on the renowned Paso Robles AVA.

Hosted by Gary and Ann Otto, we were introduced to some of the region’s finest selections — bold and fruit-forward Zinfandel, vibrant Rhone-style blends, and elegant whites — that were perfectly paired with light bites to enhance the experience. The tasting included:

• 2020 Bonny Doon Vineyard OVNI Brut Rose, $35 (starter wine)
• 2023 Stolpman Sauvignon Blanc (Santa Barbara), $24
• 2023 Gironata Fiano (Paso Robles), $23
• 2023 Bonny Doon Vineyard Vin Gris de Cigare (Paso Robles), $24
• 2023 Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas (Paso Robles), $25*
• 2022 J. Lohr South Ridge Syrah (Paso Robles), $14
• 2022 Eberle Estate Zinfandel (Paso Robles), $40

*The price is per bottle, though this was a box wine.

Our overwhelming favorite of the night was the 2022 Eberle Estate Zinfandel. Many thanks to the Ottos for a very enjoyable and educational evening!

The San Diego (CA) Chapter explored Gianni Buonomo Vintners (GBV) of San Diego reserve wines at its May 18 meeting.

GBV owner/winemaker and AWS wine judge Keith Rolle and GBV manager Al Dorvinen hosted our investigation into how winemaking techniques create changes in GBV reserve wines. We analyzed paired wines for differentiating characteristics that help us understand how wine techniques impact the wine:

• Barrel wood source. Two Reserve Syrah (2019 and 2020) sourced from the same row in a Washington vineyard. One year used American (Minnesota) oak barrels to produce classic American Oak flavors (dill, vanilla), and the other year used French oak barrels. Most of the group correctly picked the 2019 as American and the 2020 as French.
• Two comparisons of aging wines. The first was 2018 Cabernet Franc Reserve (3 years in barrel) versus Grand Reserve (4 years in barrel). The second was 2019 Petit Verdot Reserve versus 2019 Petit Verdot Grand Reserve.

The night finished with a mystery wine. We were asked to assess the wine and guess the grape. The wine was a 2018 Zinfandel from Amador County that had grapes at various levels of ripening. The over-ripe grapes (raisins) created a late sugar rush that supercharged the yeast. The wine was treated in way to produce an oxidized dessert wine and brandy.

On Sunday, May 18, the North Wake (NC) Chapter held a tasting at Heritage View Clubhouse in Wake Forest. Some 32 members and guests attended ‘A Vertical Wine Tasting: Old World vs. New World.’

We tasted 3 vintages of Nebbiolo from Barboursville Vineyards in Virginia, and 3 Rosso di Montalcino (100% Sangiovese) from Querce Bettina located in Montalcino, Tuscany. As a ‘welcome wine,’ we tasted a sparkling wine from Barboursville of Pinot Noir grapes, made in Italy by Barboursville’s winemaker in collaboration with his Italian counterpart.

Member Greg Hedrick did an excellent job pointing out the different variables that can affect the taste of different vintages of a wine made from the same grape by the same winemaker in the same location. The main variable is the weather. A late frost, too little or too much rain, when the rain occurs (or doesn’t occur), pest infestation, early or late harvest, among many other things, all make a difference. And, of course, the age of the wine enters into the equation, too.

Members definitely noted differences between the 3 vintages of both wines. A very informative and interesting tasting.

• NV Barboursville Vineyards Brut Rosé Cuvée 1814, $30
• 2021 Barboursville Vineyards Nebbiolo Reserve, $40
• 2017 Barboursville Vineyards Nebbiolo Reserve, $60 (3)
• 2016 Barboursville Vineyards Nebbiolo Reserve, $70
• 2021 Querce Bettina Rosso di Montalcino, $33 (1)
• 2020 Querce Bettina Rosso di Montalcino, $33 (2)
• 2019 Querce Bettina Rosso di Montalcino (no longer available)

The Venice (FL) Vinos Chapter held a tasting on May 18 at Rumours Wine Bar in Englewood, Florida. The theme was wines from Rabble Winery in Paso Robles (10th largest winery in Paso Robles). A local wine representative guided us through the tasting and food pairings. Some 17 members and guests were treated to an exceptional tasting experience.

• 2023 Sauvignon Blanc (2% Bordelo), $18 (best Wwhite and value)
• 2023 Rose, $18
• 2021 Red Blend, $20 (best red value)
• 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon. $25 (best red)
• 2020 Zinfandel, $25

For May, the Lehigh Valley (PA) Chapter enjoyed the first Sommelier Series Tasting hosted by Certified Sommeliers Dave & Shannon Tompkins. They took us through the rigorous process of developing our sense of smell and taste that they went through in becoming Sommeliers.

The ice-breaker was a nice Pinot Noir Rose from Brooks Winery, Willamette Valley. Then, 9 more wines were tasted in groups of three: 3 Chardonnays, 3 Pinot Noirs, and 3 Syrah/Shiraz. The key was to differentiate and identify the various aromas, flavors, and acid levels within each group of the wines, and then to try to pinpoint the specific region that each wine within their group was from. The lighter bodied, more acidic wines are from a cooler climate and the fuller bodied, fruit forward wines are from warmer climates.

JUNE

On June 1, the Monterey (CA) Chapter hosted IIWII Wines (pronounced “ee wee”), which traveled to the Monterey Peninsula to share their wines. This event was organized by our co-chair Sharon Houy, and attended by 30 of our members.

IIWII owners and winemakers Phil Montagne and Cyril Pujadas told us how they came to wine from other careers and eventually met each other while working at Terry Hoague winery in Paso Robles, CA. When that winery closed, they decided to partner in their own winemaking venture.

They shared with us their winemaking stories of unexpected varietals planted in the region (the Graciano was supposed to be Mourvèdre), deciding which varieties to co-ferment when, and vineyard conditions which influence the pH of the soil, impacting the acidity in the grapes. The most interesting story they shared was in naming the winery, ultimately settling on one for which they would not be sued and had the potential to be trademarked.

IIWII generously presented 5 wines from its first vintage at no cost to our members. All these wines have received ratings of 91 to 94 points from renowned wine critic Jeb Dunnuck.

• 2022 IIWII Picpoul Blanc, Willow Creek District, Paso Robles , $65
• 2022 IIWII Wines Among the Wildflowers, Willow Creek District, Paso Robles, $65
• 2022 IIWII Such As Dreams, Willow Creek District, Paso Robles, $85
• 2022 IIWII Mother of Invention, Willow Creek District, Paso Robles, $85
• 2022 IIWII The Realization, Willow Creek District, Paso Robles, $85

This tasting was much more about identifying the aroma and tasting profiles of each wine as opposed to scoring it. Members enjoyed the whole learning experience and the delicious meal from The Trappe Door.