Tag Archives: SWE

SWE Welcomes New Executive Committee and Board Members

  By admin | August 16, 2013 - 2:22 pm | ,
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SWE's new President, Guy Stout, MS

SWE’s new President, Guy Stout, CSS, CWE, MS

As of August 15, 2013 the Society of Wine Educators welcomed two new Board Members and a new Executive Committee.  Our new President is Guy Stout, CSS, CWE, MS, Corporate Director of Beverage Education at Glazer’s Distributing.

Rounding out the Executive Committee are:

  • Edward Korry, CWE, Vice President
  • Gary Spadafore, CWE, Educational Liasion
  • Don Kinnan, CWE, Secretary
  • Neill Trimble, Treasurer

 

Our two new members of the Board of Directors include David Glancy, CSS, CWE, MS, who currently serves as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the San Francisco Wine School, and Missi Holle, CSS, CSW, National Account Manager and Southeast Education Specialist for Kobrand Corporation.

Continuing to serve on the Board of Directors are:

  • Maria E. Denton, CWE (Pinnacle House – Washington Wholesale)
  • Gary Spadafore, CWE, Educational Liasion

    Gary Spadafore, CWE, Educational Liasion

    Patrick D. Dodd, CWE, CSS (Gallo Family Vineyards)

  • Margie Ferree-Jones, PhD (Collins College of Hospitality Management – Cal Poly, Pomona)
  • Mary Gorman-McAdams DWS, MW
  • Linda G. Lawry, DWS, CWE (International Wine Center)
  • Paul Wagner (Balzac Communications & Marketing)
  • Henry Wasserstein (Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP)
  • Barry Wiss, CWE (Trinchero Family Wine Estates)
  • Hayato Kojima, CWE, Director Emeritus (Wine & New Life, Ltd.)
  • William Lembeck, CSS, CWE, Director Emeritus (Wine & Spirits Program)
  • Sharron McCarthy, CSW, Director Emeritus (Banfi Vintners)

The Hard-working office staff of SWE continues to be:

  • Sharron McCarthy, CSW, Director Emeritus; William Lembeck, CSS, CWE, Director Emeritus; and Neill Trimble, Treasurer

    Sharron McCarthy, CSW, Director Emeritus;
    William Lembeck, CSS, CWE, Director Emeritus; and Neill Trimble, Treasurer

    Shields T. Hood, CSS, CWE, General Manager

  • Vanessa Brandenburg, Operations Director
  • Ben Coffelt, Education & Technology Manager
  • Jessica Morse, Education Programs Assistant
  • Eva Woo, Education Programs Assistant
  • Kerry Lynch, Membership and Events Assistant
  • Jane A. Nickles, CSS, CWE, Education and Certification Consultant

Welcome and Congratulations to our new board! Here’s to a successful SWE Year.

 

For contact information, please consult the SWE Website at: http://www.societyofwineeducators.org/contact

SWE Presents 2013 Grand Award to Professor “Chip” Cassidy

  By admin | August 15, 2013 - 7:53 pm | ,
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Chip and GobletEvery year, at the annual conference, the Society of Wine Educators grants a prestigious lifetime achievement award to a deserving wine professional.  Known as “The Grand Award,” this award has been presented to a plethora of wine luminaries, includng Robert Mondavi, Sandro Boscaini, Jancis Robinson, Warren Winiarski, Carol Meredith, and Mike Grgich.

This year’s award was presented to Patrick J. Cassidy during the Friday luncheon of the Society’s 37th Annual Conference, held in Orlando, Florida.   

Professor “Chip” Cassidy’s wine experience began over 40 years ago in New York. Working in a wine shop through college led to the head sommelier’s position at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach. He later became the wine buyer for the Crown Wine and Spirits chain, and worked previously at Sunset Corners, a large volume wine shop. He currently serves as a wine and beverage instructor at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management of Florida International University.

A member of the entering class of FIU’s inaugural year, Chip graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management. His teaching career began in 1984. Today he teaches Wine Technology, The Business of Wine and recently has developed a Wine Certificate Program offered to professionals already working in the wine or related fields.

A noted speaker and fundraiser, Professor Cassidy was instrumental in developing the concept to build the Southern Wine and Spirits Beverage Management Center, a state of the art wine teaching laboratory. A man of many “hats”, Chip is a decorated Vietnam War veteran, avid reader, and passionate fisherman. Today he resides in South Miami-Dade County with his wife Christine and beloved golden lab, Darius.

Chip and HarrietDuring the awards presentation, Harriet Lembeck, Mistress of Ceremonies, presented Chip with a Riedel “Grand Shiraz” goblet with the following inscription: The Society of Wine Educators toasts  Patrick J. “Chip” Cassidy, CSH & TM at Florida International University for Impeccably High Standards as a Wine Communicator, Fundraiser, War Hero, and Mentor to his Students. Orlando, FL 2013.

Congratulations, Professor Cassidy!

Conference Highlights – Clash of the Titans

  By admin | August 13, 2013 - 9:24 pm |
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SWE Conference Highlights 2013

On Friday afternoon, a large room full of people witnessed a Clash of the Titans.  It was the case of Barolo versus Brunello. Both claimed the title of “Italy’s Greatest Wine.”  It was determined that in this session, the audience would be the jury and would choose the victor.

The jury deliberatesThe courtroom was presided over by Judge Missi Holle, CSW, CSS.  “Barolo Man,” known to many as Nick Poletto, CSW, CSS, DSW; regaled the jury with tales of the history of Barolo, the noble Nebbiolo grape variety, and the majesty and history of the region of Barolo.

Clash team

Don Kinnan Brunello FellowNick Barolo ManBrunello Fellow, know to most as Don Kinnan, CSS, CWE; rebutted with the majesty of Italy’s leading grape, the purely Italian lineage of Brunello, and tales of the land of Montalcino.

After a delicious tasting, many objections, closing arguments and much deliberation, it was determined, that (at least for SWE’s 2013 Conference) Brunello was indeed king.

The audience, of course, is already calling for a re-match, to be held at SWE’s 2014 Conference in Seattle, Washington.

See you there!

Conference Highlights – Master Level Wine Service

  By admin | August 9, 2013 - 5:15 am |
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SWE Conference Highlights 2013
On Friday evening, Andrew McNamara, MS and David Glancy, MS presented a lively session entitled “Master Level Wine Service.”  The session featured two Master Sommeliers demonstrating standard wine service, Champagne service and decanting for sediment. Discussion topics included the Court of Master Sommeliers service standards, including the real-world and exam applications; as well as how specific service programs might differ based on house standards.
Here are a few photos from the session:
David Glancy and Andrew McNamara discussing the finer points of service.
David G and Andrew M Service Session
David Glancy demonstrating the importance of keeping one’s thumb and serviette over the cage and cork when opening Champagne.  As expected, this led to the liveliest debate of the session…the CMS service standards call for a quiet opening of a bottle of bubbly, yet the festive “pop” often leads to increased sales…
David G Service Session Bubbly
Andrew McNamara demonstrating cutting the bottle foil while using a decanting cradle.
Andrew Decanting Service
Andrew McNamara demonstrating (with humor) proper service equipment (or not) with his #1 (frist birthday?) candle.
Andrew Service Session

Conference Highlights – Lodi Rules

  By admin | August 8, 2013 - 10:03 am |
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On Wednesday afternoon, Camron King,  Executive Director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission, led a group in a tasting of wines produced with fruit from certified sustainable vineyards in the Lodi Rules program.

Camron front of room

The Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing is California’s first 3rd party-certified sustainable winegrowing program. It promotes practices that enhance biodiversity, soil and water health, community well-being, and fair practices for employees; all without compromising the needs of future generations.

Lodi Bottles

Lodi is well-known for its old vine zinfandel, but also grows a good deal of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Viognier. Attendees also were treated to samples of Malbec, Graciano, and Tempranillo…just a few of the other grape varieties that thrive in Lodi.

Camron and Audience Lodi

Conference Highlights – Albariño and Rías Baixas

  By admin | August 6, 2013 - 2:58 pm |
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 SWE Conference Highlights 2013
Starting off the general sessions on Wednesday morning, Brian Freedman treated us to a tasting of delicious Albariño-based wines from Rías Baixas. The full name of the session was “Albariño, Rias Baixas, and the Evolution of a Spanish Icon.”
Brian Freedman
Rías Baixas is the most important Denomination of Origin (DO) in the Galicia region of northwestern Spain, sometimes known as “Green Spain” due to its cool climate and abundance of rain, especially as compared to the rest of Spain. The DO was formally established in 1988, and has since received much acclaim for the crisp, fruity, and mineral-driven white wines from the Albariño grape variety.
Albarino with Map

 Brian led us through a tasting of wines from each of the sub-regions of Rías Baixas. The five sub-regions are:

  • Val do Salnés:  This is the original and oldest sub-zone with the most area under vine and the highest concentration of wineries. Located on the Atlantic coast, it surrounds the historic town of Cambados. Val do Salnés is the birthplace of the Albariño grape.
  • Condado do Tea:  “Tea County” is named after the river Tea, a tributary of the Miño River. Located in a fairly mountainous area along the Miño, this is the second largest sub-zone. The most inland, it is a warmer, drier area, than the other sub-regions.
  • O Rosal:  Also lying along the Miño River where it joins the Atlantic Ocean, this sub-zone forms the border with Portugal. Vineyards in O Rosal are terraced along the sides of the Miño.
  • Ribeira do Ulla: The newest Rías Baixas sub-zone, this area was registered in 2000 and is located inland, southeast of Santiago de Compostela.
  • Soutomaior:  Nestled in the hills at the head of the Rίa de Vigo, Soutomaior is the smallest of the sub-zones and was registered in 1996.

Brian with glass

All the wines were delicious and crisp, and with Brain’s help the crowd was able to detect the subtle differences among the wines produced in the different sub-regions. All were delicious, and showed varying levels of fruitiness from crisp, citrus flavors to rich, tropical fruit as well as varying – but subtle – aromas of mineral, herb, and flowers. Thank you, Brian!
Glass and Brian

Conference Highlights – Pink Champagne

  By admin | August 5, 2013 - 1:07 pm |
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SWE Conference Highlights 2013
On Wednesday afternoon, Seth Box, Director of Education for  Moët-Hennessey USA, treated us to a flight of six amazing Rosé Champagnes in his session titled “Pink Champagne – Fluffy Fiction or Profound Pleasure?”
Seth Box Pink Champagne
Seth gave a lively session and addressed the very wide spread and yet often erroneous habit of pairing Brut Rosé Champage with dessert.  Highlighting the fact that pink Champage is very food friendly, he emphasized its appropriateness for pairing with just about any food from soup, salads, appetizers and even main courses made with heavier foods…but warned against pairing it with heavily spiced or sweet dishes, as these foods can disturb the delicate balance and mask the complex flavors of the wine.
Pink Champagne Audience Glasses
Seth discussed the various methods of producing Rosé Champage, including saignée as well as adding a dosage  of pinot noir or pinot meunier at the end of the process.  Champagne is the only wine region in France that allows the blending of red and white wines in the production of Rosé.
Pink Champagne Glasses
 All of the wines were delicious, with a crowd favorite being the Krug Rosé N/V.
Pink Champagne Session Audience
The tasting concluded with a sip of Moët & Chandon Nectar Imperial Rosé, a slightly sweet wine that due to its residual sugar could be used as a successful pairing partner with dessert – such as milk chocolate dipped strawberries or raspberry tart.  To wrap up the session, it was agreed that Rosé Champage is indeed a “Profound Pleasure!”

Conference Highlights – Opening Session with Georges Duboeuf!

  By admin | August 4, 2013 - 3:43 pm |
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Whew! All of us lucky folks who attended the 37th Conference of the Society of Wine Educators over the last few days are still unwinding from all of the excellent opportunities for wine education, wine tasting, and networking that the Conference had to offer. With a record-breaking attendance of over 370 people, 66+ educational sessions, networking events every night, and three well-attended certification previews; this was one of the best conferences yet.

Here are just a few highlights from the opening session on day one:

georges

The opening session was an amazing tasting of Beaujolais and Burgundy wines presented by none other than Georges Duboeuf.
Jorge Hernandez intro DuBoeuf
Mr. Duboeuf was graciously introduced by Jorge Hernandez of Deutsch Family Wine and Spirits, who described some of the appellations of Southern Burgundy and Beaujolais, and provided an overview of the wines of the Georges Duboeuf family.
Crowd at DuBoeuf
It was a rare opportunity to taste a delightful range of wines while listening to the Master of Beaujolais himself describe the wines.  Mr. Duboeuf also discussed the vineyard settings and winemaking techniques that went into each wine. It was easy to sense (and taste) the care and quality that go into the Duboeuf wines.
Duboeuf Pouilly-Fuisse
The 2011 Emile Beranger Pouilly-Fuisse is a phenomenal white wine that drinks more like an expensive Mersault. This wine is a sentimental favorite of Mr. Duboeuf, as he grew up in the region of Pouilly-Fuisse and often relaxes with a glass of this wine.
DoBoeuf Bottle Line up
The crowd loved all the wines, and were interested to learn that Hob Nob Pinot Noir, from the Languedoc-Roussillon, is a delightfully fruity-floral-smooth-rich version of Pinot Noir produced by the Duboeuf family for the American Market.
Duboeuf Glasses
Thank you so much to Mr. Hernandez, Mr. Duboeuf, and everyone who made this opening session possible!

The (Confusion of the) Torrontés Family Tree

  By admin | July 27, 2013 - 1:26 am | ,
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Chenin Blanc GrapesTorrontés, a vinifera cross native to Argentina, is known for producing crisp, fruity, and floral wines redolent of peach, apricot, mandarin orange, honey, melon, and rose.  While Chile, Spain, and a few other countries grow grapes that go by the same name, Torrontés – actually several closely-related varieties –  is grown primarily in Argentina. Along with Malbec, it is considered one of the two “signature varieties” of the country.

A wine labeled “Torrontés” from Argentina may actually be made from three separate but related varieites.  Torrontés Riojano is the most widely grown, the most aromatic, and is considered to produce the highest quality wines.  Torrontés Mendocino, the least aromatic, is also the least widely grown; and Torrontés Sanjuanino takes the middle ground.

All three varieties of Argentine Torrontés are thought to be natural vinifera crossings involving Muscat of Alexandria that occurred on Argentine soil. As for the parentage of each, it gets a little tricky:  The leader of the pack, Torrontés Riojano, is known to be a crossing for Muscat of Alexandria and Criolla Chica (a version of the Mission grape). Torrontés Sanjuanino is a separate crossing of those two same grapes. Torrontés Mendocino is a mystery, thought to be a crossing of Muscat de Alexandria and an unknown variety.

Casa Rosada ArgentinaOf the versions of the grape grown in Argentina, Torrontés Riojano is by far the most widely grown and renowned. As the name suggests, it thrives in the La Rioja region, and is also widely planted in Mendoza and the Salta region of northern Argentina.  It seems to do particularly well in the arid, ultra-high altitude vineyards of Salta where the conditions allow the grape to retain a crisp acidity and develop the intense floral aromas the grape is known for.  Torrontés Sanjuanino is planted mainly in the San Juan province, but even there plays second fiddle to Torrontés Riojano.  Torrontés Mendocino, despite being named after Mendoza, is rarely seen there and is mostly found in the southern province of Rio Negro.

For many years it was thought (naturally, I think) that the Torrontés of Argentina was the same grape, known by the same name, grown in Galicia and other regions of Spain. It was thought that the grape was simply brought to the new world along with an influx of immigrants from Galicia into Argentina.  However, recent DNA evidence has shown there is no relation between the two grapes. The Torrontés of Galicia, grown mainly in the DO of Ribeiro, is now known to be identical to the Fernão Pires of Portugal.  It aslo appears that many different grape varieties go by the name “Torrontés” in Spain. To quote Jancis Robinson and her co-authors in Wine Grapes, “Confusion reigns supreme over Torrontés in the Iberian Peninsula.”

Crios TorrontesChile grows a good deal of Torrontés, sometimes under the synonym “Moscatel de Austria.”  There are varying reports of its exact provenance, with some publications claiming that most Chilean Torrontés is the Sanjuanino version and others that claim it to be Riojano. We do know for certain that much of the Torrontés grown in Chile ends up distilled into Pisco.  Wines (and grapes) labeled as Torrontés in Chile may also actually be Torontel, a closely related but separate crossing of Muscat of Alexandria and Criolla. Tortontel—known by its correct name—is grown in many regions in Chile.

In case you would like to be confused even more, there is also a red grape known as Torrontés, which also goes by the names Tarrantes and Turrundos. Perhaps that is a good topic for another day.  For now, I think I need a glass of Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontés, Cafayate, 2012 (peach, melon, honeysuckle, tropical fruit, and most likely Torrontés Riojano) to calm my brain down.

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles, your SWE Blog  Administrator – bevspecialist@societyofwineeducators.org
 References/for more information:
  • Robinson, Jancis and Hugh Johnson: The World Atlas of Wine, 7th edition. London, 2013: Mitchell Bealey (Octopus Publishing Group).
  • Robinson, Jancis, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz: Wine Grapes. New York, 2012: Harper Collins Publishers
  • http://www.winesofargentina.org/argentina/variedades/malbec-torrontes/torrontes/

The Wine Formerly Known as Tricastin

  By admin | July 19, 2013 - 1:34 pm |
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Rhone1973 was a very good year for the winemakers of the Côteaux du Tricastin.  The region, which sits on the eastern bank of the Rhône River, was approved as an AOC after nine years as a VDQS.  It’s a unique area, slightly at a crossroads, being the northernmost appellation of the southern Rhône, with vineyards sitting at a slightly higher elevation than elsewhere in the Rhône.

A year later, construction began on the Tricastin nuclear plant, just west of the Rhône, and within a few miles of the vineyards. In France, where three quarters of the electricity is generated via nuclear power, you are never far from a reactor. So, life went on, both nuclear and bucolic.

That is, until July 2008, when 4,755 gallons of Uranium solution were accidentally released in a “Level One International Nuclear Event.” That’s level one out of seven, on the Nuclear Reactorsmall side, so officially this event was labeled as an “anomaly” as opposed to an “accident” or even an “incident.” However, no one seems to like the thought of nuclear radiation near their food, wine, or water!

Needless to say, sales of Côteaux de Tricastin wines plummeted.  In a business where image is everything, the name “Tricastin” had become associated with a nuclear error, however small. Some producers reacted by printing the name of the appellation in teeny-tiny print, or even moving it to the back label.  Others brought in Geiger counters to prove the wine was not radioactive. Some even gave into EU incentives to dig up their vines and find a new profession.

Others began to look for a more permanent solution, and petitioned the INAO for a name change.  The INAO, defenders of terroir that they are, do not take name changes lightly. However, in this case, a change was allowed and as of the 2010 vintage, Côteaux du Tricastin is now officially known as the Grignan-Les Adhémar AOC.

Château de Grignan

Château de Grignan

The new name refers to Grignan, the main village of the region, which comes complete with an elegant Château and ties to both nobility (the dashing Count of  Grignan was a member of the noble Adhémar family) and French literature (the 17th-century letters of the Marquise of Sévigné were addressed to an inhabitant of the Château). The vignerons of the region thought this was a nicer association than glow-in-the-dark wine.

Along with the name change, tougher standards for the wines of the region were enacted, which include lower permitted yields, restrictions on herbicides, and minimum percentages for the highest quality grapes.

Red wines of the Grignan-Les Adhémar AOC are made from Syrah and Grenache, with Carignan, Mouvèdre, and Cinsaut permitted up to levels of 15% each, as long as their combined total does not exceed 30%. Whites are a blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Marsanne, Roussane, and Viognier; with no single variety allowed to exceed 60% of the final blend.

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles, CWE – your SWE Blog Administration jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org