2003 Officers (till February 2004)
Presidents: Tom & Linda Hickey (585) 544-2479
Secretary: Brian Thomas (585) 264-0079
Treasurers: Richard & Pamela Hemmenway (585) 392-0046

Librarian: Tim Jacobs (585) 425-3279
Quartermaster:

APRIL TASTING:

As many of you know, the Rhone tasting scheduled for April 5th was cancelled due to the ice storm that hit the Rochester area. All the wines for the tasting had been purchased, and we will reschedule it for September 20th, the date that had been originally scheduled for the Banfi tasting, and then for the National tasting of cabernet sauvignon.

UPCOMING TASTINGS

JUNE 21ST SAUVIGNON BLANC (note this is a change of subject from the original schedule)

SEPTEMBER 20TH RHONE WINES

IN THE NEWS

" According to an article in the Feb. 2003 edition of the American Journal of Bacteriology, a team of Brazilian scientists have made a breakthrough in the fight against Pierce's Disease, the "plague" that threatens California's $2.7 Billion wine and grape industry. Spread by sap-feeding insects known as "sharp-shooters", Pierce's disease blocks the flow of essential nutrients and kills vines within two years of infection.

The scientists have succeeded in mapping out the DNA of the strain of Xyiella that affects grape vines. Certain genes have also been isolated, enabling the researchers to produce a mutation that will stimulate a vine to produce antibodies and thus make it immune.

" Wine Spectator reports that numerous wines from the 2001 vintage have been tainted by the secretions of the Asian lady beetle. The wines affected are from Southern Ontario, and states surrounding the Great Lakes. The taint affects a wine's aroma and taste, producing odors that have been described as rancid peanut butter, rotting spinach, blue cheese or sawdust! Data is not available on from the U.S. but 20% of Ontario's wine production in 2001 was affected. The article adds that the taint may be difficult to detect in some wines as the bug's secretions contain the same chemical that give Sauvignon Blanc its characteristic vegetative smell.

IN MEMORIAM

John Hursh

John Hursh, a former nuclear scientist and AWS member from Pittsford, passed away on March 19th, 2003 at the age of 95. He was a resident of the retirement community "La Posada" in Green Valley, Arizona for the last 14 years. John was predeceased by his wife Lydia.