Dolly Ammann
Member, TCWS Board of Directors
Event Chairman
 
     The Bastille Day Party at Meadow Springs Country Club was a fun evening with a good turn out. French wines were excellent and the food fabulous! One guest exclaimed, “The food was to die for.” Another said,” What a great selection of wines!” Chef Clarke, the new executive chef at Meadow Springs, put out 2 beautifully presented heavy hors d’oeuvres buffets. We feasted on lots of yummy food, with plenty of variety, served over a 2-hour period. I liked everything, but my 2 favorites were the baked brie en croûte with berries and the house made chocolate truffles.
     When guests arrived, they received a passport for the wines and the instructions for the “guess-who-I-am” game. Everyone had the name of a famous French personality attached to their back. The objective was to ask questions of other guests until they discovered the name. The prize was a bottle of wine for the first 8 people who solved the puzzle. I was surprised at how quickly those 8 bottles went! I think everyone was really into the game, having fun and circulating.
     We started with a sparkling wine from southern Alsace rated 90 pts. by James Suckling and Wine Enthusiast. Next were 2 white wines. One was a dry Riesling from Alsace, rated 92 pts. by Wine Enthusiast, and the other a classic Sancerre from the Loire Valley, rated 91 pts. by Wine
Spectator. This was my favorite wine of the night. It was amazingly complex with perfect balance – herbaceous with citrus notes, hints of peach and a chalky minerality.
     There were 4 red wines. The first one served was from Côtes-du-Roussillon in southern France. Rated 93 pts. by Robert Parker, the grapes for this amazing wine came from
70-year-old vines. The wine had lots of ripe dark berry fruit. The second was a Côtes-du-Rhône rated 95 pts. by Decanter. It was blend of 4 grape varieties with peppery flavors of black cherry and dark berry fruit. The third came from the Graves area of Bordeaux and was a classic blend
of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It was rated 95 pts. by Decanter and 93 pts. by Wilfred Wong of Wine.com (Wilfred is an international wine judge who has participated in the Tri-Cities Wine Festival judging a number of times). The 4th red, rated 93 pts. by Wine Spectator, is from the Saint-Émilion area in Bordeaux. It is a Bordeaux-style red blend that is elegant and complex with beautiful black currant fruit. The tannin structure means that this wine will age well.
     We ended with a rosé sparkling wine from Burgundy’s Nuits-Saint-Georges area, rated 90 pts. by Decanter. Wow! What great perlage and beautiful strawberry color!
     Special thanks to the volunteers who helped make this event a success. The pourers were: Kurt Ammann; Ted & Judith Davis; Dave Levinskas; Tony & Marie Pennella; Mary Peters; Lois McGuire; Ken Kramer; and, Chuck & Sue McCargar. Also thanks to Marjorie Casper for decorations and Muriel Templeton for helping with the name game.
     Vive La France!
 

Chuck and Sue McCargar Members,
TCWS Board of Directors Event Co-Chairmen

The society’s sold-out June 16 event, “An Afternoon in the Vineyard,” was a big success despite Mother Nature’s variable weather. Strong winds and a bit of rain earlier in the day were concerning; however, things calmed down somewhat. And, after strategically placing the wine serving table and moving the food inside, everything worked out.

The event was held in the Gifford Vineyard, and at Paul and Candy Gifford’s home. Paul began by talking about their experience in starting a new vineyard – preparing the ground, then planting, nurturing, harvesting and marketing. The Giffords did all the work themselves, with the help of some friends.

Next followed a tour of the vineyard with a stop for each grape variety planted – Grenache; Counoise; and, Mourvèdre. Along with each stop, participants had a taste of the featured wines: Shackelford Vintners 2017 Grenache Rosé; Alexandria Nicole 2015 Counoise; and, Syncline 2015 Mourvèdre, Red Mountain, Heart of the Hill Vineyard. The favorite wine was a close call between the Mourvèdre and Counoise, with a slight edge to the Counoise.

The event continued with participants gathering on the patio. A variety of Grenache and Mourvèdre varietals, plus a blend that was 70-percent Counoise, were served along with picnic food catered by Amy Davis. The chicken and steak paninis, and the veggie tartlets, complemented the wine well. For dessert there were sweet cranberry bars. Comments gave “high fives” to Amy for her food.

Participants had many questions for Paul and Candy both in the vineyard and afterward on the patio. Comments indicated people learned a lot and enjoyed the vineyard focus. In summary, it was a “really great” event as expressed by many.

A big thank you to Paul and Candy for graciously allowing us to visit their vineyard property and for the wealth of information they imparted. Thank you also to the volunteers who helped pour the wine! 

Mary Peters
Member, TCWS Board of Directors
 

Sunday afternoon, May 20, Horn Rapids Golf Course Clubhouse, was delightful – wine tasting with deliciously prepared food, great company and conversation, and fun games. Tri-Cities Wine Society President Ted Davis started the afternoon with the society’s annual meeting. During the brief meeting, members received updates, including: membership information; a treasury report; information on the society’s donations during the past year; and, past and upcoming events. Elections were held for 4 new board members (Glen Grabiec, Kevin Leary, Chuck Leininger and Barb Thrall) and 4 current board members who volunteered to serve another 2-year term (Dolly Ammann, Cher Case, Jim Hartley, Chuck McCargar and Randy Schreiner). Besides these 8 board members, 7 other board members will be serving the second year of their 2-year terms (Ted Davis Sue McCargar, Tony Pennella, Mary Peters, Tony Sharpe, Judy Stewart and Pete Tice). Welcome, new board  members, and thank you to all for serving!

Member Sharon Kohler won a free year’s membership for attending the most events during the society’s fiscal year, May 2017 through April 2018. Congratulations, Sharon!

Chef Amy Davis did another outstanding job with the food. With such a variety of award-winning wines from past Tri-Cities Wine Festivals, it was easy to find a perfect pairing with the food. For one person, however, the best part  of the afternoon was the brownies (with molded chocolate grape clusters by Judith Davis)! Thank you, Chef Amy, and thank you, Judith.

The trivia game produced much conversation and was a fun learning experience as we tried to come up with  answers. And, there was interesting conversation throughout the afternoon focused on new ideas for future wine society events.   
   
President Ted ended the day with a lively game of   “heads and tails” – not to make money, but to win a bottle of wine. Each attendee also left with a brown-bagged, award-winning wine as a thank you for being a Tri-Cities Wine Society member.

Submitted by Blaine Hulse, Member, TCWS 

   Huge kudos to Tony Pennella for one of the most entertaining and educational events I have attended lately! As a “blind tasting” of 2 flights with 3 wines in each – 1 from Washington and 2 from elsewhere – this proved to be a fascinating exploration of Syrah. 
     After a lovely French Syrah greeting wine, we went into the actual comparisons. Tony introduced the wines with a great brief description to aid guests in determining the     country of origin but without revealing which one was which. While I did not do so well in determining the origins, other guests did! [Note: Wine info in March and April EVOEs.]
     The CG Public House served excellent hors d’oeuvres with each flight – from chicken skewers to savory meatballs – and nuts, cheese, summer sausage and thin, crispy breadsticks to help clean the palate. This variety was very helpful in showing Syrah’s versatility as a food wine as   there were many different textures and flavors. Thank you, CG Public House!
     And finally, as a Barnard Griffin Syrah Port was served, Tony wrapped up the afternoon with a lively vote of Washington Syrahs vs. the World. Yes, Washington won! 

 

 

     “Great outside-the-box event” and “A refreshing change from a wine-tasting event” were 2 of the most common comments received after the March 18, Tri-Cities Wine Society, Sippin’ Cider event. Mary Peters, a wine   society board member, coordinated the event. She took the time and effort to find 8 diverse ciders. Kudos and thank you, Mary!
     A thank you also to d’s Wicked Cider Company, Kennewick, for: gratuitously donating the space and “Cider Hammer” for the tasting; providing a facility tour; and, additional tastings after the event. Of the 8 ciders presented, the Snowdrift Cellars Perry Reserve won the most accolades. Snowdrift Cellars is located in East Wenatchee and the Perry Reserve is made in the “Méthode Champenoise.” Following closely behind the Perry Reserve for most accolades was our host’s Cider Hammer. However, almost every cider had a following. The other ciders were from: Spain; Ireland; Corvallis, Ore.; Spokane and Tieton, Wash.; and, closer to home, Goose Ridge
Vineyards, Richland.
     Chef Amy Davis prepared many small appetizers to accompany the ciders. They received more than just a few raves from the attendees and paired well with the ciders! Thank you, Chef Amy.       
    All in all, it was a fun event, as many expressed in their comments. In fact, the event actually oversold and had quite a waiting list. So, if you are thinking of attending a future wine society event, keep in mind that if you wait until the last minute to make a reservation, you may not secure a place. Reserve early! 
 

Time to celebrate – March is Washington State Wine Month! Wineries and retail outlets will have “special sales and events” throughout the month. It’s a great time to restock your wine cellar and save money at the same time during this annual event.

     Well, sigh, it is over, until next year. Yes, the wine society’s annual Best-of-the-Festival Gala Wine Dinner is history, but what another wonderful evening it was. For those who enjoy a dining experience, this annual society event – this year, Saturday, January 27 – was just that.
As I said to 2 guests, it is an opportunity to get dressed  up and go “up town” for an evening.
     More than 40 society members and guests attended the event, and the overwhelming feedback on comment cards was consistent with what one guest wrote, “Thank you for a great experience.” From the welcoming, to the ambiance, to the service, wine and food, it was an  opportunity to just relax and enjoy for an evening. 
     It is also always interesting to learn what those attending an event such as this chose as their favorite wine, and wine/food pairing. The strong wine favorite – the 2015 Longship Cellars Invader Tempranillo. However, by an almost 3-to-1 margin, the favorite wine and food pairing – the crème brulee dessert and 2017 College Cellars Muscat. Interestingly, the Muscat as the 2017
Tri-Cities Wine Festival Best-of-Show winner was a surprise to many, and just the third-place favorite at the dinner. However, paired with the crème brulee, it was  the hands-down winner of the night!
     Also an evening winner – Tim Donahue, director of winemaking, College Cellars of Walla Walla! Saying that he has “more ambition than brains,” Tim highlighted his career path – from his family’s Creekside Cellars in Colorado to Australia and College Cellars. The college’s hands on and “just go out and do it” approach to teaching its students about the entire wine industry – from planting, growing and harvesting grapes to running the business side of a winery – is continuing to bring recognition to the school through the awards and recognitions graduates have and continue to receive. Keeping the industry in  perspective, Tim described growing grapes and making wine as “glorified farming” and a “blue-collar, trade job.” He thanked the wine society for its support – a donation  for scholarships and allowing the college to participate in the annual Tri-Cities Wine Festival – and added, “Making great wines pales in comparison to making great people.”
     So now, memories, and a look head. From one event attendee, “Had a good time. Look forward to the event each year. Thank you, Dolly. Thank you, Meadow Springs!”
      Yes, thank you, Dolly! 
 

To kick off the holiday celebrations, 51 members enjoyed the wine society’s sold-out “sparkling
refresher!” The Allied Arts Association Gallery on the Park, Richland, was decorated to create a splendid Christmas holiday spirit that provided a festive atmosphere for the “refresher.”

It seemed everyone enjoyed listening to our speaker, Juergen Grieb, Treveri Cellars owner and winemaker.   He talked about his background and his winery – to date, the only winery in Washington State devoted exclusively to sparkling wine. He presented information about the process for making sparkling wine. Guests also had the opportunity to talk with him one-on-one throughout the event.
 
To start things off, guests were greeted with a sparkling Riesling Mojito. This was followed by tastings of a variety of sparkling wines from around the world: Veuve Cliquot, France; Bohigas Brut Cava, Spain; Tesoro della Regina Prosecco, Italy; Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz, Australia; Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut, California; and Washington State, Treveri Cellars’ Brut Blanc de Noirs, Sparkling Gewürztraminer, and Sparkling Syrah Brut. The wines were all different, but all equally delightful.

Sparkling wine is often considered to be the perfect pairing with food. So, Amy Davis, our event caterer, prepared delicious, and plentiful, appetizers that included: marinated chicken skewers with roasted garlic and herbs; sausage skewers; mini shrimp quiches; mini mushrooms and Jarlsberg cheese quiches; panini bites with fire-roasted tomato jam, manchego, arugula and ham; and, baked brie with holiday garnish. But, equally appealing – society member Kurt Ammann’s dessert tortes! Thank you, Amy and Kurt!

The silent auction, and the drawing for gold-medal-winning wines from the 2017 Tri-Cities Wine Festival, brought in more than $800, which will be applied to scholarships for students in area enology and/or viticulture programs.
 

Tri-Cities Wine Society President's Ted Davis Message 

     The 39th Annual Tri-Cities Wine Festival is behind us! I want to thank all who supported and attended the event. This year 74 winery labels were represented with 373 wines entered for judging. The judging took place during the first week of November with a panel of 7 professional judges: Shelly Fitzgerald, Seattle; Tim McNally, New Orleans; Harry McWatters, Summerland, B.C.; Brad Smith, Grandview; Don Galleano, Mira Loma, California; Jerry Bookwalter and Coke Roth, Tri-Cities. This year’s judging resulted in a record number of silver medals – 205; 93 gold medals – a tie from a previous festival; and, with 46 double golds, another record. More information about the judges and the complete list of festival award winners are on the society’s website, www.tricitieswinesociety.com.
     The festival culminated with the November 11 gala public tasting event at the Three Rivers Convention Center. Besides the wines entered for judging, the gala included food, a microbrew, live entertainment and a silent auction. The festival was simply an incredible event. Looking ahead, mark your calendars now for the 40th Tri-Cities Wine Festival, Three Rivers Convention Center. The date is being finalized, either November 10 or 17. Stay tuned.
      Special thanks go out to the festival’s core team members: Dolly Ammann; Mary Binder; Blaine Hulse; Mary Peters; and, Debra Ticknor. Collectively, they worked tirelessly for months starting in January to prepare for the wine judging, public tasting and silent auction. Thanks also go out to the dozens of volunteers who supported everything from recruiting wineries, to getting donations for the silent auction, to assisting with the wine judging and preparations for Saturday’s public event. More thank yous to the wineries, businesses and individuals who donated items for the silent auction. And finally, a special thank you to our partners – the professional staff at the Three Rivers Convention Center. We could not have this quality event without them.

October 15 – a different type event for the Tri-Cities Wine Society! Yes, our own “Oktoberfest!” And, from the comment cards, many members enjoyed mingling and meeting other members, both new and old.
     The fest started with pours of 2 different ciders courtesy of D’s Wicked Cider in Kennewick. Anthoni Garcia, Cider House manager, poured and enlightened us  on the beverages. We received several positive comments regarding having hard cider as an entry offering.
     An event highlight was the entertainment Pat Holten provided with her accordion! The music really lent the event a festive atmosphere and helped get everyone in the mood. Thank you, Pat!
     Another event offering was beer! Ice Harbor Brewing donated 3 different beers – a nut brown ale; a tangerine Hefeweisen; and, a Kolsch. We also received several positive comments on offering beer; and, we had a split with half enjoying the beers vs. the wines with the German brats and pretzels with a cheese beer dip and mustard.
     Most event attendees liked the concept of mingling with bistro-style tables. However, a number of attendees cited a lack of chairs and tables for sitting and eating. We also received a lot of positive reinforcement for guests being  able to choose the order of the beers, wines and foods.
     As to the wines, the 2014 Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards Grüner Veltliner from the Rogue Valley, Ore., and the 2014 Kiona Vineyards Red Mountain Lemberger seemed to be the favorites from comments heard at the event. While some of the German/Bavarian wines did not garner many accolades, there was consensus that they tasted better with the food.
     Speaking of food, the CG Public House food was well received and rated “excellent” on the comment cards.
Favorites were the German potato salad, the crostini, the lentil soup and, of course, the brats!
     All in all, the meeting and mingling of guests was
successful. We would also like to thank all the volunteers who helped pour and make the event a success.
     Until next time, danke schoen und auf wiedersehen!