Category Archives: Events

Conference Agenda: SWE’s Virtual Mini-Conference—A Deep Dive into Pinot Noir!

  By admin | September 25, 2024 - 11:53 am | ,
Leave a comment

SWE Mini Conference - Pinot NoirComing on Saturday, October 19: SWE’s Virtual Mini-Conference—A Deep Dive into Pinot Noir!

This event is offered free-of-charge for members of SWE. Space is limited, however, and pre-registration is required. If you have any questions about this event (or to request a spot), please contact Jane Nickles at jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

The Conference Website (including speaker information, handouts, and a link to the webinar platform) will be emailed to registered attendees on October 14. We hope to see you there!

CONFERENCE AGENDA (all times central)

  • Saturday, October 19—10:00 am: Pinot Noir in South Africa with Jim Clarke. Pinot Noir first came to South Africa in the 1920s, but it wasn’t until intrepid growers began exploring the Cape South Coast in the 1970s that the grape began to find its home and show off what it’s capable of in the Rainbow Nation. Today it’s still only found in small quantities, but punches far beyond its weight when it comes to reputation and critical regard. Wines of South Africa Country Manager Jim Clarke, author of the Classic Wine Library’s Wines of South Africa, will lead viewers through the story of Pinot Noir in South Africa, exploring its history, taking apart prominent regions where the grape excels, and highlighting the grape’s leading producers.
  • Saturday, October 19—12:00 noon: Exploring Chile and the Future of World-Class Pinot Noir with Elijah B. Smith. While Chile gets a lot of attention for its Cabernet Sauvignon and brawny red blends, the country also contains a plethora of cooler-climate wine regions—including the well-known Casablanca Valley and the up-and-coming southern reaches—where Pinot Noir can shine. In this session, join Elijah B. Smith CWE on a tour of the many producers and regions of Chile that are primed to produce world-class Pinot Noir.
  • Saturday, October 19—2:00 pm: Oregon—The Future of Premium Pinot Noir with Carrie Kalscheuer. Discover all the reasons—including the climate, location, soils, and resources—why Oregon enjoys its well-deserved reputation as a leading producer of premium Pinot Noir. We’ll look at the state’s viticultural history—including the rise of Oregon Pinot Noir—as well as its well-documented diversity in terms of terroir. Join In this session, join Carrie Kalscheuer (Chief Brand Officer of Ponzi Vineyards) for an in-depth look at Oregon’s commitment to sustainability, quality, and affordability. 
  • Saturday, October 19—4:00 pm: Pinot Noir Across Terroir with Tanya Morning Star. Discover the rich diversity of Bourgogne’s red wines with Tanya Morning Star, CWE. Pinot Noir is one of the most ancient and captivating grape varieties on the planet! Native to the famed region of Bourgogne in Eastern France, Pinot Noir is a true chameleon of the wine world, effortlessly adapting to its surroundings and crafting wines that sing with the unique essence of each terroir, from village to village, plot to plot. This grape has been beloved since Roman times, and for good reason – its ability to translate the land into a bottle of wine, from humble table wines to the world’s most prized bottles, is nothing short of magical. Join Tanya Morning Star for a deep dive into the heart and soul of one of the world’s most expressive grapes, uncovering Pinot Noir’s remarkable ability to shape-shift and tell the stories of its origins.

Save the Date: Road Trip through Galicia!

  By admin | August 12, 2022 - 10:58 am | ,
Leave a comment

Road Trip through Galicia COVER GRAPHIC

Save the Date!

Saturday, September 10—10:00 am central time

Road Trip through Galicia

Join us on a tour of Galicia as we drive through the beautiful wine regions of the area—including Rías Baixas, Ribeira Sacra, Ribeiro, Monterrei, and Valdeorras—as well as some of the iconic spirit producers of the region. Of course, a trip to Galicia would not be complete without a visit to the city of Santiago de Compostela (and its amazing Cathedral), and a few bites of Pulpo a la Gallega, a slice of Tarta de Santiago, and a burning bowl of Queimada. Grab your favorite bottle of Rías Baixas Albariño if you’d like to taste-along!

This is a members-only webinar sponsored by the Society of Wine Educators. This event is offered free-of-charge to SWE members, but don’t forget to save your spot! Advance registration is required.

To secure your spot, please contact Jane Nickles at jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

For those that can’t attend the live event, a recorded version will be available on the SWE website/member portal by September 15.

A Walk on the Wild Side: A New Look at Lambrusco by Alan Tardi, CSW

  By admin | May 27, 2022 - 9:48 am | ,
Leave a comment
.

.

Today we have a guest post from Alan Tardi, CSW. Alan gives us a deep dive in the real Lambrusco as well as a preview of his upcoming session—A Walk on the Wild Side: A New Look at Lambrusco—to be presented at the 46th Annual Conference of the Society of Wine Educators. The conference is scheduled for August 10-11 in Coachella Valley (Indian Wells, CA).  

If you think Lambrusco is nothing more than a banal, reddish, cloyingly sweet bubbly, it’s time to taste again.                                             

It happened over and over again: The first wines of a given appellation to be exported to America from post-World War II Italy were the most commercial, inexpensive, readily accessible ones possible. Some of them became quite popular, though it was often more about an appealing name or jingle or the color or shape of the bottle than it was about the wine.

.

.

In the 1960s and ‘70s, Americans started to become more familiar with and attracted to wine. At about the same time, a handful or two of visionary Italian wine producers began focusing on attaining a high-quality level of production and capturing the essence of their particular grape varieties and growing areas.

There are numerous examples of this but one of the best is Tuscany, specifically Chianti.

Prior to this time, the majority of consumers looked (often fondly) upon Chianti as a cheap, rustic wine in a straw-covered flask sitting on a checkered tablecloth next to a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. Then it got a makeover, shed its straw, slimmed down into a Bordeaux-like cylinder and became super, sexy and more expensive. Many other wines underwent a similar transformation (think Barolo, Valpolicella, Friuli whites, Southern reds) and subsequently garnered respect and appreciation in the marketplace.

This has not happened to Lambrusco. But it should and I have no doubt that it will. Here’s why:

  • Unique Terroir:
    • Lambrusco is a terroir-driven wine. It grows in a very limited part of North-Central Italy, specifically a small area in the center of Emilia with a tiny adjacent zone just across the Lombardy border.
    • The area where Lambrusco grows is quite unusual. While most grapevines perform best at higher altitudes up on steep slopes, Lambrusco prefers the flat plains or low hills of the Po River valley.
  • Ancient Origin:
    • Lambrusco is considered to be one of (if not the) oldest native Italian grape varieties, with its origin dating back to sometime around the Middle Bronze Age (c 1700 BC).
    • It is thought to have originated as a wild vine that was domesticated by a mysterious group of people who inhabited the western part of the Po valley around what is now the city of Modena.
  • Family of Grapes:
    • In fact, Lambrusco is not a grape variety but a family of grapevines that are closely related to one another but genetically distinct.
    • Thus, while they do have some basic characteristics in common, each one has its own distinct personality, and each has its own home within the larger perimeter of the defined growing area.
  • Variations on a Theme: In addition to the numerus subvarieties, there are many different production options:
    • Lambrusco may be made from one type of Lambrusco grape or blended with others, depending on appellation regulations.
    • There are a number of specific Lambrusco appellations as well as other generic regional appellations that include a Lambrusco-based wine.
    • Lambrusco runs the full gambit of sugar, from brut nature (no added sugar) to sweet.
    • It can be made frizzante (lightly fizzy) or full bubbly (spumante), using the Traditional Method (in bottle with disgorgement), Ancestral Method (in bottle without disgorgement) or Martinotti Method (tank).
    • Time on lees can range anywhere from days to years. And color ranges from pale pink to deep purple.
  • Food Friendly:
    • Emilia is considered to have one of the finest regional cuisines in Italy. The food is rich and full-flavored, and Lambrusco — whether fizzy or foamy, delicately pale and tart or dark, earthy, and tannic — provides the perfect accompaniment.
    • These same basic characteristics also make it an ideal partner for many other types of food, from pizza to barbeque, burgers, spicy Asian or Indian.
  • User Friendly: Lambrusco is
    • versatile
    • bubbly
    • relatively low in alcohol
    • very affordable
    • fun and enjoyable; sometimes simple and rustic, other times elegant or ethereal
    • undervalued and misunderstood (except by those in the know)
  • Decidedly Distinctive:
    • There is nothing quite like Lambrusco. It has its own unique flavor profile — earthy yet elegant, with a slightly wild streak — regardless of which guise it is wearing.
    • It is red (in various hues) and bubbly (in different levels of intensity) and has tannin. It is, one could say, something of an appealing anomaly.
.

.

Alan’s session—A Walk on the Wild Side: A New Look at Lambrusco—is scheduled for Wednesday, August 10th at 8:45 am as part the 46th Annual Conference of the Society of Wine Educators, to be held August 10-11 in Coachella Valley (Indian Wells, CA). Click here to read about the extraordinary wines—as well as a few other treats that will be tasted as part of Alan’s session.

About the speaker: Alan Tardi first got interested in wine while working as a cook and chef in some of New York City’s finest restaurants and this interest blossomed into a passion when he opened his own restaurant in Manhattan in 2001. While still working long hours in his restaurant, Alan became a frequent panel taster at Wine and Spirits Magazine’s New York office and began writing for the magazine. Over time he went on to write for numerous other publications including The New York Times, Sommelier Journal, Food Arts and Wine Spectator. In 2003 Alan moved to the village of Castiglione Falletto in Piemonte, Italy where he worked extensively in the surrounding vineyards and wineries and managed the town’s Cantina Comunale. His first book “Romancing the Vine: Life, Love and Transformation in the Vineyards of Barolo” won a James Beard Award for Best Wine Book of 2006. His second book “Champagne, Uncorked: The House of Krug and Timeless Allure of the World’s Most Celebrated Drink” (2016) received a Gourmand Best in the World Award. Alan holds a CSW from the Society of Wine Educators, IWS and Champagne Master certificates from the Wine Scholar Guild and is currently pursuing the WSET level 4 Diploma.

 

The Judgment of Orlando—SWE Conference Recap 2021

  By admin | August 26, 2021 - 11:33 am |
1 Comment
.

.

Today we offer a recap of a session—The Judgment of Orlando—from the 45th Conference of the Society of Wine Educators, written by session presenter Alan Tardi

I recently had the pleasure of conducting a session at the Society of Wine Educators 45th Annual Conference, live and in person after a 2-year hiatus due to the pandemic. While I am always pleased to be invited to present at conference, this time I felt a bit jealous of the participants sitting in the ballroom.

Each person had their own well-spaced table, and on the table were 12 exceptional sparkling wines. Of course, I had 12 wines in front of me too, but I was standing up talking rather than sitting down tasting and, unlike the audience, I already knew what the wines where!

All of them—with one exception—were made using the Méthode Champenoise, known as the Traditional Method anywhere outside of Champagne. And, while I gave a brief discourse on the origin and evolution of sparkling wine, the audience embarked on a sort of treasure hunt, tasting through the wines in front of them, without having been given any indication of what they were.

Then we addressed each of the wines one by one: Is this wine Champagne or is it not Champagne? If it is not Champagne, is it from the Old World or New? More importantly, why? And what are these impressions and deductions based on?

.

.

There were 4 Champagnes, 4 Old World sparklers and 4 New World, but none of the participants knew this and the tasting order was intentionally mixed up. All the wines were carefully selected and of extremely high caliber, and each of them was unique yet very representative of its specific place of origin.

From Champagne, there were two classic Maison and two grower-producers. Pierre Gerbais‘ “L’Originale” from the southern department of the Aube, was made from 100% Pinot Blanc (aka Vrai Blanc) from a vineyard planted in 1904, while Aurelien Laherte‘s “Les 7” was comprised of all seven permitted grape varieties of Champagne made from a base wine that came from a perpetual reserve started in 2003.

The 167th edition of Krug’s “Grande Cuvée” (base year 2011) was a masterful assemblage of the three principal grape varieties of Champagne consisting of 191 different wines, including a healthy amount of reserve wines going back to 1995. The iconic “Clos des Goisses” 2005 of Philipponnat (which traces its winegrowing origins back to 1522), was comprised of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from within the steep enclosed vineyard, a wine that many believe constitutes the first site-specific bottling of Champagne.

Other Old-World wines included the “Classic Cuvée” (base year 2011) from Nyetimber, located in Southern England in an area that is, geologically speaking, an extension of the chalky Paris Basin which plays a huge role in the northern Champagne growing area of the Marne. From Trentino in northern Italy, we had a 100% Chardonnay from a single vineyard about 600 meters above sea level that spent 8 years on the lees. This special bottling, made only in exceptional vintages, is named after the founder of the winery (1902) who went to Champagne, fell in love (with the wine), and was compelled to make a champagne-style wine in his homeland, laying the foundation for what is now known as Trento DOC.

.

.

Something similar happened a century earlier when a member of the Raventós family—which traces its winegrowing activity in the Penedès area of Catalonia to 1497—returned home from Champagne in 1872 determined to make a sparkling wine using the Champagne method but with the native grape varieties of his region. It was a big success; many others in the area started to make it and Cava was born. Ironically, Raventós decided to withdraw from the Cava DO in 2012 because they felt that the integrity of the appellation they essentially created had been severely compromised. The wine we tasted was made of 100% Xarel.lo grapes personally selected by Josep Maria Raventós i Negra from the 2005 vintage which spent about 6 years on the lees.

There was also another wine from Italy, a sort of red herring in the form of a Prosecco DOCG made from very old vines in Valdobbiadene by Paolo Bisol of Ruggeri winery. What made it very unusual was that this wine spent four years in an autoclave on the lees (plus one year in bottle) which gave it some subtle autolytic hints resonant of something one might find in a vintage champagne. [This was an experiment; only 4500 bottles were made, they’re practically gone now and bottles for this event had to be sent from Italy.]

New World selections consisted of four prestige-level wines: “Cuvée Clive”, a Cap Classique from Graham Beck Estate, South Africa; Schramsberg “Reserve”, from one of California’s oldest non-mission wineries (founded 1862) that was re-born as sparkling specialist by the Davies family in 1965; “Le Reve” from Domaine Carneros, a winery started by Claude Taittinger in 1987; and “L’Hermitage” from Roederer Estate (founded 1982), offshoot of another highly respected and well-established maison of Champagne.

.

.

With 12 exceptional wines to taste, deduce, critique and explore, we didn’t have time to go into great detail or compare peoples’ contrasting impressions of the wines. And, unlike the 1974 “Judgment of Paris” tasting organized by Steven Spurrier (RIP) in which cabernet sauvignon-based wines from California won out over Bordeaux in a blind tasting, there was no clear consensus in Orlando and participants were quite divided (or ambiguous) about whether a wine was Champagne or not, or whether it was Old World or New.

But that was perfectly fine. The structure of this presentation was not intended so much as a contest to determine the ‘best’ but rather as an opportunity sharpen our faculties of taste, make some deductions about what we tasted, and explore the impact of provenance and production method unhindered by prejudice — not to mention have fun and taste some great wines together, in person!

I do hope participants found it enjoyable and insightful.

P.S. If you weren’t able to be there, you might like to pick a few bottles and create your own ‘judgment’ tasting! Click here for a Wine List-Judgment of Orlando as presented by Alan Tardi

–Alan Tardi

You might also like to pick up a copy of my book “Champagne, Uncorked.” I’m offering SWE members a 25% discount off cover price (plus cost of shipping) and would be happy to sign it if you wish. Write to me at alantardi@aol.com and I will send you an order form. Click here for more information about the SWE Discount for Champagne Uncorked by Alan Tardi

SWE Virtual Conference: that’s a wrap!

  By admin | August 21, 2020 - 8:43 am | ,
Leave a comment

Thats a wrap

Looks like we made it! SWE’s first-ever virtual conference (held August 12–14, 2020) was a success!

We welcomed nine speakers and covered a diversity of topics ranging from the Pyramid Schemes of Germany and Austria to climate change and the best of rosé. We even tackled Tuscany vs. Piedmont under the guidance of Sharron McCarthy! Check out the conference agenda here.

The conference sessions have all been archived and are now available for viewing. Session handouts and review quizzes are also available on the Conference Attendee Portal.

If you are a current member of SWE and would like to access our archived 2020 Virtual Conference, please contact Danielle LaRosa, SWE’s Meetings and Events Coordinator at dlarosa@societyofwineeducators.org.

Note: the conference archive will remain available indefinitely and is available free-of-charge to current members of SWE.

 

Announcing: SWE’s 2020 Virtual Conference!

  By admin | July 13, 2020 - 8:51 am |
Leave a comment
.

.

Welcome to SWE’s 44th Annual Conference, and our first-ever conference to be held online! This conference is offered free-of-charge to members of the Society of Wine Educators, but space is limited. Conference attendees are welcome to attend any or all of the individual sessions. To register, please contact Danielle LaRosa, SWE’s Meetings and Events Coordinator at dlarosa@societyofwineeducators.org.

We have several days of conference programming for you consisting of live, interactive webinars created by our highest-rated and most accomplished conference presenters. Be sure and read over each of the session abstracts in advance, as many of them include suggested wines to accompany the sessions. These wines may be purchased locally and tasted along with the live webinars. Keep in mind, however, that these webinars will be fun and meaningful whether you choose to taste-along or not.

  • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12: 5:00 pm central time
    • Opening Session/SWE General Meeting with Shields T. Hood and Jane Nickles: Join Shields T. Hood (SWE’s General Manager) and Jane Nickles (SWE’s Director of Education and Certification) for an introduction to our 44th Annual Conference as well as an update on SWE’s products, programs, and initiatives. Bring your questions, and a glass of wine!
  • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12: 7:00 pm central time
    • Alan Tardi

      Alan Tardi

      Effervescence: The Wild, Wacky, Wonderful World of Sparkling Wine, presented by Alan Tardi: This session will take a global look at the nature of sparkling wine, as well as its origin and evolution from earliest beginnings to the present day, through its most significant protagonists—the key categories of sparkling wine. Below is a list of the types of wines that will be featured. As this presentation will be both comprehensive and comparative, it is highly recommended that participants get at least two of these wines to taste and compare. It is even more highly recommended that SWE members acquire a bottle of each. They will not go to waste!

    • Suggested Taste-along wines (optional): Suggested wines – Effervescence – Alan Tardi
    • Speaker Bio: Alan Tardi first got interested in wine while working as a cook and chef in some of New York City’s finest restaurants and it blossomed into a passion when he opened his own restaurant in Manhattan in 2001. He soon started writing for Wine & Spirits Magazine and went on to write for numerous other publications including The New York Times, Sommelier Journal, and Wine Spectator. In 2003 Alan moved to the village of Castiglione Falletto in Italy where he worked extensively in the surrounding vineyards and wineries and managed the town’s Cantina Comunale. His first book “Romancing the Vine: Life, Love and Transformation in the Vineyards of Barolo” won a James Beard Award for Best Wine Book of 2006. His second book “Champagne, Uncorked: The House of Krug and Timeless Allure of the World’s Most Celebrated Drink” (2016) received a Gourmand Best in the World Award. Alan holds a CSW from the Society of Wine Educators, IWS and Champagne Master certificates from the Wine Scholar Guild and is currently pursuing WSET Advanced Level 3 Award.
  • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13: 10:00 am central time 
    • Lucia Volk

      Lucia Volk

      Pyramid Schemes: Germany’s VDP and Austria’s Vinea Wachau explained, presented by Lucia Volk, PhD, CWE: Some of Germany’s and Austria’s high-end producers form part of the prestigious growers’ associations, the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) and Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus (Vinea Wachau), respectively.  As members of these associations, they promote their wines in distinct quality tiers that are presented to the consumers in the shape of pyramids. Known as ladder branding in the marketing world, these “pyramid schemes” differ significantly from the quality designations followed by winemakers in the rest of both countries.  This session will explain the origins of the two growers’ associations, as well as the rules and regulations that define the style of wine in each of the tiers.

    • Speaker Bio: Lucia Volk, CWE, runs a wine education business in the Bay Area called Mindful Vine, catering to private and corporate clients. She also holds a PhD in cultural anthropology and teaches on globalization and wine at San Francisco State University. In 2017, she received SWE’s Banfi Award for the highest overall score in that year’s CWE exam. For the past four years, she has lectured and blogged for SWE on a variety of topics. A German native from an extended wine-producing family, she enjoys demystifying complicated labels and regulations to enhance everyone’s enjoyment of Central European wines.
  • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13: 12:00 noon central time  
    • Gary Twining, CWE

      Gary Twining, CWE

      precisely BORDEAUX: Teaching One of the Classic Fine Wine Regions, presented by Gary L. Twining, CWE: Bordeaux is the world’s largest fine wine region.  It offers classic wines with great longevity and the ability for its top wines to gain extreme complexity with bottle age.  Information covered in this seminar will include basics on the history, climate, soil, grapes, winemaking techniques, and laws of the region—as well as the typical flavors and styles of Bordeaux wines. This session promises to be a thorough study in this very vital wine region that will offer you important knowledge to pass on to your students. 

    • Suggested Taste-along wines (optional): Suggested wines – precisely Bordeaux – Gary Twining
    • Speaker Bio: Gary’s first career was as a professional musician, with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra on the road, with various performers at the Cleveland, Ohio Palace, Hanna and Front Row Theatres and in the main showrooms in Las Vegas.  He found another passion in fine wine and ended up lecturing on the subject at UNLV before coming back to his native Ohio to start in the wholesale wine industry in 1984. As a Certified Wine Educator, Spanish Wine Educator, and member of the Society of Wine Educators, Gary has lectured at the SWE national conferences, seven years at Ohio State University for the Creative Activities Program, Tri C Hospitality Department, The American Wine School, Loretta Paganini, Laurel Run Cooking School, Lorain County Community College Culinary Program, the Fabulous Food Show and various other wine education programs. Gary retired at the end of August 2018 from his fourteen year position as the Director of Sales, Northeastern Ohio, for Cutting Edge Selections, a fine wine wholesaler.  He is still an active wine educator and writes on wine for the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and the Wine Buzz.
  • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13: 2:00 pm central time
    • David Glancy, CWE, MS

      David Glancy, CWE, MS

      SLO Coast to Paso: 2 Sides of the Heart of the Central Coast, presented by David Glancy, MS, CWE: The drive from Cambria to Paso Robles and Morro Bay to Paso Robles—both scenically stunning—provide a glimpse into the diversity of the climate and terrain of the San Luis Obispo County wine regions. Learn about the pending San Luis Obispo Coast/SLO Coast AVA (on the docket now, with the potential of being finalized prior to the 2020 SWE Virtual Conference). Learn about classic and emerging grapes and styles from the coolest to warmest portions of the county and get the perspective of producers with vineyards in both. Afterall, how many regions range from 1 to 4 on the Winkler-Amerine Heat Summation Scale?

    • Suggested Taste-along wines (optional): TBA
    • Speaker Bio:  David Glancy founded the San Francisco Wine School in 2011 to create the ideal educational setting from the ground up. He is one of only twelve people in the world to hold both the revered Master Sommelier diploma and Certified Wine Educator credential. A certified French Wine Scholar, Italian Wine Professional, and Certified Specialist of Spirits, Glancy has earned the credential for every program he teaches, and more. In 2012 he created the California Wine Appellation Specialist program and credential to fill a glaring void in the educational market. Previously, he managed restaurants in the Bay Area and abroad, taught wine and business management at Le Cordon Bleu’s California Culinary Academy, conceived and launched the Sommelier Program at the former Professional Culinary Institute, served on the editorial board of Sommelier Journal and was a 3-term member on the board of directors for the Society of Wine Educators. Currently he is on the advisory board for SommCon and the American Institute of Wine & Food.
  • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13: 4:00 pm central time
    • Jim Clarke

      Jim Clarke

      Chenin Blanc and South African Terroir, presented by Jim Clarke: Chenin Blanc is South Africa’s most planted grape; the country has more of the variety planted than the rest of the world combined. With its diversity of climates, the South Africa’s Chenin comes in an array of styles. Much of that variety derives from the local terroir; wines from the Swartland, Stellenbosch, or Walker Bay can be quite distinct from each other. Wines of South Africa’s Marketing Manager Jim Clarke, a wine writer and former sommelier, will lead a presentation featuring the diversity of South African Chenin Blancs, familiarizing you with Chenin’s various homes around the Cape and how those different origins are reflected in the glass. You are encouraged to purchase a few examples of South African Chenin Blanc if you would like to taste-along with Jim’s webinar.

    • Suggested Taste-along wines (optional): Suggested wines – Chenin Blanc and South African Terroir – Jim Clarke
    • Speaker Bio: Jim Clarke writes about wine, beer, and spirits for a number of publications both trade and consumer; his work has appeared in NPR.com, NBCnews.com, the San Francisco Chronicle, and elsewhere. Jim is a trained sommelier and was formerly the wine director at Megu New York for five years and then the Armani Ristorante for two. In addition to his writing Jim is also the U.S. Marketing Manager for Wines of South Africa (WOSA USA), a levy-supported organization devoted to promoting South African wine exports. Jim is in-demand as a speaker at wine events around the world and for many years has been one of the best-received speakers at SWE’s Annual Conferences.
  • FRIDAY, AUGUST 14: 10:00 am central time
    • Annie Edgerton

      Annie Edgerton

      Not Yo’ Momma’s White Zin & Passing Provence: The BEST and the REST of Rosé, presented by Annie Edgerton, DipWSET, CS, CSW, CSS: Rosé is truly the best of both worlds; it is a red wine in a white wine’s body. So why does it get such short shrift, thought of as sweet and blah or only pushed for a summertime marketing campaign? Winemakers truly are the craftsmen (and -women) when it comes to rosé; every moment of maceration counts, blending and aging decisions are delicate, plus types of yeast, time on lees, filtering – all matter big time when you go rosé. We’ll look at a series of rosés from around the globe and many from grapes you might not expect, and savor the delicious boundaries these wines are pushing. Let’s jump in together and DRINK the PINK!”

    • Suggested Taste-along wines (optional):  Suggested wines -The Best and the Rest of Rose – Annie Edgerton
    • Speaker Bio: Annie Edgerton has been working in the wine industry since before she was legally able to drink! She holds the WSET Diploma in Wines & Spirits, is a Certified Sommelier (Court of Master Sommeliers,) is a Certified Specialist of Wine and Certified Specialist of Spirits (Society of Wine Educators,) and she is a candidate for membership in the Appraisers Association of America. This year she is also applying for the Institute of Masters of Wine, so please cross your fingers for her. Annie primarily works alongside her father, William H. Edgerton, at Edgerton Wine Appraisals & Consultation, where they tackle insurance claims, counterfeit wine investigation, and value collections for estate and tax purposes. She is also the Wine Minx® and is the host of “Wine Minx: UNCORKED!” and “Broadway Buzzed” on YouTube, and the livestream “Day Drinking with the Wine Minx.” She writes the blog wineminx.blogspot.com and she is active on social media @wineminxannie (IG/twt) and “Wine Minx” on FB. For more information: wineminxannie.com.
  • FRIDAY, AUGUST 14: 12:00 noon central time
    • Carrie Kal

      Carrie Kalscheuer, CWE

      Beyond the Willamette: Exploring Oregon’s Other Dynamic Regions, presented by Carrie Kalscheuer, CWE: The Willamette Valley is home to roughly 70% of all wine production in Oregon. However, the dynamic regions outside of this well-known AVA deserve interest and attention. In this seminar, we’ll explore the exciting small-production regions of western Oregon, from the unique climate of the Columbia River Gorge to the topographical diversity of the Rogue Valley, tasting from some of the most innovative producers as we go.

    • Suggested Taste-along wines (optional): Suggested wines – Beyond the Willamette – Carrie Kalscheuer
    • Speaker Bio: Carrie transitioned from the restaurant industry in 2010 to start a career in Oregon’s thriving wine country, where she currently works as Director of Sales & Education at A to Z Wineworks/REX HILL. In addition to a degree in Philosophy, Carrie possesses multiple wine certifications, including Certified Wine Educator through the Society of Wine Educators, Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, and the Level 3, Advanced Certification with Distinction through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.  In addition to her responsibilities at the winery, Carrie teaches the WSET Level 2 course through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and delivers presentations on Oregon wine at trade events internationally. Carrie also sits on several committees and boards throughout the Valley, including the Willamette Valley Wineries Association Board, the Oregon Pinot Camp Steering Committee, the Oregon Wine Board Education Committee and the Chehalem Mountains Winegrowers Association Board.
  • FRIDAY, AUGUST 14: 2:00 pm central time
    • Roger Bohmrich, MW

      Roger Bohmrich, MW

      Wine and a Changing Climate—Will the Terroir Model of Today Survive?” Presented by Roger C. Bohmrich, Master of Wine: It seems almost impossible to grasp climate change in its entirety. Both global temperatures and CO2 have increased, yet a changing climate involves so much more: rising sea levels and unpredictable, often violent weather. The debate among scientists revolves around what the future will look like, not what has already occurred. In this seminar, we will attempt to set out fundamental patterns and trends using scientifically grounded facts, not suppositions. There will be charts to visualize what has been happening along with first-hand accounts from vintners. All will be explained with easily understandable language. After establishing where the wine world is at present, we will consider “what if” scenarios: How soon will it be before Tempranillo replaces Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley? Will a Saint-Julien be based mainly on Touriga Nacional by mid-century? Will the 2059 vintage of Chambolle-Musigny be a GSM? Will England be the new Champagne? Will Mosel Riesling come from Scandinavia? Which vineyards and major urban markets for wine will be under water by the late 21st century?

    • Speaker Bio: Roger has presented myriad themes at SWE Conferences in recent years including minerality, China and Riesling. He has enjoyed a fulfilling career in the wine trade and is currently an independent consultant, educator, writer and competition judge. He has worked for two national importers. Roger is one of the first U.S. Masters of Wine and led the formation of the Institute of Masters of Wine (No. America), where he served as its first President. He has appeared often as a speaker at wine festivals and conferences, and his articles and writing have been published in the Journal of Wine Research, Wine Business Monthly, Santé, Wines & Vines, and other publications. Roger has traveled extensively around the world of wine, and in recent years he has judged multiple competitions in the U.S., Argentina, Turkey, Portugal and China. He currently provides extensive content including essays/videos, vintage profiles and more for WineAuctionPrices.com. He is as well closely involved with consulting projects at Martin Sinkoff Associates (www.sinkoff.com). His own website is www.vintrinsic.com.
  • FRIDAY, AUGUST 14: 4:00 pm central time
    • Sharron McCarthy, CSW

      Sharron McCarthy, CSW

      Piedmont and Tuscany, Comparison and Contrast presented by Sharron McCarthy, CSW: Piedmont, a panorama of dramatic peaks and sloping hills is the backdrop for the breathtaking beauty of Italy’s westernmost region.  Piedmont, which literally translates as “foot of the mountain,” borders Switzerland to the north and France to the west.  It is a confined region with an evident French background, a land of hearty wines and foods.  It is home to prestigious wines such as Gavi, Dolcetto, Barbera and Barolo.  From time immemorial, Tuscany, located on Italy’s geographic center and bounded by Liguria, Emilia-Romagna, the Marches, Umbria, Latium and, along the whole its western edge, the Tyrrhenian Sea, has been recognized as one of the country’s premier agricultural regions. It is, and for thousands of years has been, one of the leading winemaking regions of the Italian peninsula.  The region’s enologic traditions date at least to the Etruscan period producing such treasured wines as Vermentino, Chianti Classico, Bolgheri Rosso and Brunello. Join us on a romp through the vineyards of these two extraordinary regions and taste, compare, contrast and share some stories of famed examples from each place.

    • Suggested taste-along wines (optional): Suggested wines – Piedmont and Tuscany Compare and Contrast – Sharron McCarthy
    • Handout: Piedmont vs Tuscany Backgrounder
    • Handout: SWE PIEDMONT vs TUSCANY The Wines
    • Speaker Bio: Sharron McCarthy, Director Emeritus and Past President of the U.S. Society of Wine Educators and former VP Wine Education at Banfi Vintners, is a wine industry legend. Affectionately known as “America’s First Lady of Wine Ed,” Sharron has played an instrumental role in introducing Americans from all walks of life to an appreciation for the fruit of the vine. In February 2015, Sharron was recognized by the Italian Trade Commission and the Italian Consul General of Italy for her efforts, service, and visionary approach toward Italian wines and her decades long efforts to promote Italian wines in the United States.  Sharron was inducted into the Wines of Italy Hall of Fame to honor her as a goodwill ambassador for Italian wines and for her dedication to the country of Italy and to the Italian way of life. Other of Sharron’s many accolades include that she is a Sommelier, certified by the Sommelier Society of America (where she served on their board for a number of years) and has been honored by the American Wine Society with its prestigious Award of Merit.  Sharron is a member of a number of organizations including New York Women’s Culinary Alliance,  Women of the Vine and Spirits and  La Chaine de Rotisseurs.

SWE 2019 Conference Recaps

  By admin | August 31, 2019 - 8:07 am |
Leave a comment
.

.

SWE’s 43rd Annual Conference, held in August of 2019 in Washington DC,  was a tremendous success! SWE would like to thank all of our volunteers, speakers, and the SWE Board of Directors for all of their help with this enormous annual undertaking!

Whether you were able to join us this year or not, you might enjoy looking over our slate of conference session recaps. Just click here! 

SAVE THE DATE: SWE’s 44th Annual Conference will be in Indian Wells, CA, August 12-14, 2020, at the Renaissance Indian Wells Resort and Spa.

Note: If you are a conference speaker and you would like to share your notes and/or handouts with our audience, please contact Jane Nickles, CWE, our Director of Education and Certification, at jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Conference Recap: Specifically Spirits

  By admin | April 29, 2019 - 8:08 am | , ,
Leave a comment
.

.

The SWE crew is just back from our first-ever “Specifically Spirits” mini-conference (held in Washington DC on April 26, 2019), and we are pleased to declare it a great success! We’d like to thank our attendees, many of whom were first-time participants in an SWE program. For those of you who couldn’t make it, here are a few of the highlights.

First up: “Herbs and Flowers, Weeds and Seeds: The Beauty of Botanicals” presented by Jane A. Nickles, CSE, CWE (yours truly). This session presented six botanically-infused spirits, while concentrating on the botanical components themselves. Attendees were each provided with nine (super-cute) labeled jars containing the botanicals and were encouraged to sniff, crush, and taste each one. The featured botanicals included juniper berry, coriander seed, angelica root, orris root, cardamom, cubeb berry, bergamot, rose hips, and allspice.

.

.

Each botanical was introduced along with a little bit of scientific (botanical) information, its typical aroma/taste profile, and bits of its local lore. For instance, did you know that allspice is named for its aromas (described as a cross between cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and clove), but was originally believed to be black pepper—which is while it is often referred to as pimento or pimienta? Or that orris root is the dried root of the lovely iris flower?

The spirits (and botanicals) tasted included the following: Bluecoat American Dry Gin (featuring juniper berry, coriander seed, and angelica root), Drumshanbo Slow Distilled Gunpowder Irish Gin (featuring orris root and cardamom), Bobby’s Schiedam Dry Gin (featuring cubeb berry), Sacred Rosehip cup (featuring rosehips), and Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto (featuring Bergamotto di Reggio-Calabria). Attendees were gifted a “botanical aroma kit” featuring 10 glass vials with aromatic botanicals as well as a selection of botanical teas and candies.

.

.

Next up was “American Spirit,” presented by Ben Coffelt, CSW and Shields Hood, CSS, CWE. This session traced the history of the United States along with the history of American whiskey. Here’s how Shields and Ben describe the session: George Washington’s presidency. The Civil War. The Railroad. The Industrial Revolution. World War II. Through almost every step of the American journey, one spirit has been our constant companion: whiskey. From early Monongahela ryes to our modern finished bourbons, attendees will learn about the role whiskey has played in American culture and history.

The whiskeys that were presented (and tasted) included the following: Henry McKenna 10 Year Single Barrel Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select Tennessee Whiskey, Whistle Pig 10 Year Straight Rye Whiskey, and Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Revival Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

.

.

Following lunch, attendees were treated to a session by the name of “That’s the Spirit 2019,” presented by Trudy Thomas, CSE, CSW. Trudy is the Director of Beverage operations at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Conference Center, and her session revolved around the latest trends that she has observed throughout the resort’s more than twenty food and beverage outlets, as well as her in-depth knowledge of the industry as a whole.

The trends (and spirits) that were featured in Trudy’s session included the following: craft vermouth (featuring Trincheri Sweet Vermouth), drinking globally (featuring Roku Gin), American brandy (featuring Copper & Kings Brandy American Craft Brandy), private barrel programs (featuring Casa Noble Single Barrel Reposado Tequila), and the importance of the story behind the pour (featuring Piggyback Rye).

Our final session of the day was “Cognac: a Culmination of Excellence,” presented by Hugh Lander, CSS. Cognac has long had the reputation as the “king of brandies,” and its quality and complexity place it alongside the finest of fine whiskies. This information-packed session discussed just what it is that makes cognac unique among spirits—starting with the region, the climate, the crus, and the soils.

.

.

Hugh was able to break down the seemingly complicated aging requirements for cognac, and the audience was fascinated to learn that the reason some aging designations are in English (such as VSOP – “very special old pale”) rather than French is that England was historically considered the main market for cognac—and even today a huge majority of cognac is exported (and not consumed by the French)! To wrap it up, we discussed how the numerous regulations cognac must adhere to are actually the result of centuries of best practice in winemaking, distillation, and aging. The cognacs sipped along the way included Courvoisier VS, Remy Martin VSOP, Remy Martin 1738 Accord Royal, and Remy Martin XO.

An hors d’oeuvre reception and walk-around tasting featuring a range of spirits as well as local distilleries provided the capstone to the day. Featured distilleries included One Eight Distilling (Washington DC), Catoctin Creek Distilling Company (Purcellville, VA), Falls Church Distillers (Falls Church, VA), New Columbia Distilling (Green Hat Gin/Washington DC), Republic Restoratives (Washington DC), and KO Distilling (Manassas, VA). In addition, the lovely Sharron McCarthy was on hand to pour a delicious and minty Florio Fernet from Sicily, Sartori di Verona Villa Marzia Limoncello, and Castello Banfi Tuscan Grappa.

And a good time was had by all!

Guest Post: The (R)evolution of the Basque Country’s Txakolina

  By admin | February 26, 2019 - 9:44 am | , ,
1 Comment
Celebrating Txakolina with dance in the town of Bakio

Celebrating Txakolina with dance in the town of Bakio

Today we have a guest post from Kerri Lesh, CSW and and Ph.d candidate. Kerri tells us about her search for Txakolina and other adventures in wine and the Basque Country of Spain. Kerri will be presenting a webinar on Txakolina and Basque wine on Saturday, March 9th at 10:00 am central time. 

Now advertised as a “Culinary Nation,” the Basque Country of Spain (Hegoalde) has changed quite a bit over the last few decades. Known in the native language Euskara as Euskadi, this part of Basque Country has evolved from a nation associated with terrorism, to one of gastronomic fame. Touting more Michelin-star restaurants per capita than anywhere in the world, cities like San Sebastián/Donostia have become increasingly attractive to foreigners searching for sandy beaches as well as great food and wine. This city is located in the province of Gipuzkoa, which extends to what we know as the French border and the rest of the Basque Country (Iparralde). To the west of this city is Bilbao—located in the province of Biscay/Bizkaia—and joining the southern borders of these two provinces is Álava/Araba, with Vitoria-Gasteiz as its capital. These three provinces not only make up the Basque Autonomous Community, but each contains a Denominación de Origen (DO) for Txakolina: Getariako Txakolina, Bizkaiko Txakolina, and Arabako Txakolina.

My first walk among the vineyards around Getaria

My first walk among the vineyards around Getaria

Just as the Basque Country is transforming, so is Txakolina. This wine—known as either Txakoli or Txakolina—has changed considerably over the last few hundred years. Its debated etymological roots, stemming from “etxeko ain,” meaning “enough for the home,” link this wine to the Basque language and local production for the home. As I interviewed people while living in the Basque Country, I found this iconic wine had not always had such a positive reputation. Older generations had a much different perspective on it than the younger generations of Basques and the tourists who have only had access to Txakoli for the last decade or so.

Production methods have changed the taste of Txakoli both abroad and closer to home. Today, there are three different styles of the wine—white, rosé, and red. However, well before designations of origin protected Txakolina, an advertisement for “Chacoli de Ezcaba” (the Castilian spelling) indicates that a wine with the same name was once produced in the province of Navarra with Garnacha. This would have been much different from the Txakolina produced today in the three DOs.

A vineyard of Hondarribi Zuri near where I lived outside of Elorrio withi Udalaitz Mountain in the background

A vineyard of Hondarribi Zuri near where I lived outside of Elorrio withi Udalaitz Mountain in the background

Cultural tastes play a role in the Txakolina available to consumers. While a rosé version of the wine made by producers such as Ameztoi and Txomin Etxaniz can commonly be found in the United States, drinking the rosé version is not part of local Basque culture. Most producers depend largely on the white grape Hondaribbi Zuri to make white wine, exporting rosé, which typically incorporates the red grape Hondaribbi Beltza, to countries such as the United States. Over time, producers such as Doniene Gorrondona have even created a version of Txakolina using the Traditional Method as well as red.

In addition to helping with a 2017 harvest in the Basque Country, I also had the opportunity to work a harvest in Casablanca, Chile. One weekend after the harvest was complete, a few colleagues from the winery and I got in a car in search of the Chilean Chacoli. I had read that Chacoli could be found near the Chilean city of Doñihue.

Discovering Chacoli in Chile

Discovering Chacoli in Chile

It took some digging around to find this wine, which included asking locals traveling on horseback and knocking on doors. After hours of driving around, we found one bodega and a couple of people who claimed to make it, mostly for local consumption. It tasted nothing like the Txakolina made in the Basque Country, which made sense considering the use of different grape varietals and production methods. Most of the producers also referred to their chacoli as chicha, a beverage typically from Latin America that is fermented from fruits or grains. While living in the Basque Country in 2017, I received news that a group of Chilean producers were revitalizing the production of Chacoli as a local artisanal wine that would typically be sold at local festivals and celebrations. Unlike its Basque ancestor, this version does not have a geographical or designation of origin.

It will be interesting to see how this wine will continue to change across the Basque DOs. and in Chilean artisanal production. Today in the Basque Country, the scale of Txakolina has evolved from being just “enough for the home,” to now being sold across the globe. It is also no longer solely advertised as a young white wine to be drunk soon after it is bottled, and can be enjoyed in its many forms over time whether it is white, rosé, or red; slightly effervescent, still, or sparkling; young or aged. As tourism continues to increase in the Basque Country, in turn opening up these winegrowing regions to globalized tastes, what will Txakolina look like in another 20 years?

Kerri Lesh, CSW and Ph.d candidate, will present a webinar on Txakolina and the Basque Country on Saturday, March 6th at 10:00 am central time. Click here f or more information on the March 9th webinar.

For more posts and interviews from Kerri Lesh, please visit http://www.kerrilesh.com/

Photo credits: Kerri Lesh, Cameron Watson

 

SWE’s Bourbon Mini-Conference Re-cap: Day Two!

  By admin | April 16, 2016 - 3:57 pm |
1 Comment
...

…

Day 2 of the Society of Wine Educators’ Bourbon Mini-Conference in Louisville, Kentucky was filled with another group of inspiring speakers, tours, and delicious food and cocktail pairings.  The seminars kicked off with Albert Schmid, CSS, CSW. Albert is Director of the Hotel Management and Hospitality departments at Sullivan University in Louisville.  Additionally, he’s written several books on the history of cocktails and other beverages as well as the much acclaimed “The Kentucky Bourbon Cookbook,” a copy of which all attendees were able to take home compliments of SWE.

Albert woke us all up by explaining that we were being historically accurate by drinking cocktails in the morning—a line some of us might want to use in the future—as cocktails were originally enjoyed for their ability to “stimulate” the mind and body.  He then went on to focus on teaching classic cocktails by returning to one of the oldest definitions: a base, a modifying agent, a flavoring agent, and water (historically, ice was “too valuable” to be used in drinks).  We learned to analyze the “build” of a cocktail and how to judge the balance of the various components of a drink.

Eric Gregory of the KDA

Eric Gregory of the KDA

We topped off the seminars with an essential topic—the business of Bourbon.  Eric Gregory, President of the Kentucky Distillery Association (KDA), and Adam Johnson, Director of the Bourbon Trail, put the scope of the industry in perspective for us.  Eric laid out the complex layers of the taxing scheme, how the KDA has been fighting to keep the industry sustainable, and how they strive to attract and include small distillers in Kentucky.  Adam described the development of the tourism industry, which is of increasing importance in many segments of the adult beverage industry.

After a wonderful Southwestern lunch, we took off for two more distillery tours—Wild Turkey and Four Roses.  At Wild Turkey, Bubba guided us through all the facilities, entertained us with stories of the 101 White Label, and lead us to the tasting room where Jimmy Russell himself was signing bottles!  Jimmy, who as been making Bourbon for over 60 years, is the most tenured distiller in the world!  At Four Roses, we saw an operation on a smaller scale and how a distillery can make a wide variety of products using different mash bills.  Four Roses is also utilizing unique wooden fermentation tanks and some one-story rickhouses (while 7-9 stories is the norm).

Jimmy Russels signs his handiwork

Jimmy Russels signs his handiwork

The evening’s dinner was held at the Bristol Bar and Grill, where Master Sommelier and CWE Scott Harper led us through an incredibly innovative pairing dinner.  We checked off a handful of other Bourbons that we didn’t get to cover in the seminars or tours, Buffalo Trace and Willet to name a few.  Scott also talked about the terroir of the rickhouse and what it is like to maintain one of the top wine programs in Bourbon country.

Shields Hood, General Manager of SWE, delivered the thank you and farewell and alluded to next year’s Spirits Mini-Conference possibly taking place in Denver.  All attendees were eager to start planning for next year as well as the wine-focused Finger Lakes conference in Rochester, June 9th and 10th, and the SWE main conference in Washington DC, August 11th-13th.  We hope to see you at one of these upcoming events!

Click here to read the re-cap of Day 1 of SWE’s Bourbon Mini-Conference.

Bourbon Four Roses