SEPTEMBER TASTING NOTES:

Wines of the Rhone Valley-September 20th, 2003

Entry Wine:
2000 Jaboulet Cotes du Rhone
Parallele 45 $6-7
Tasting Wines:
1) 1999 Perrin Vacqueyras $16-20
2) 1999 Domaine de Font-Sane Gigondas $15-19
3) 2000 Coudelet de Beaucastel (Perrin),
Cotes du Rhone $20-25**
4) 2000 Domaine Courbis,
Saint Joseph "Les Royes" $20-24
5) 1989 De Vallouit Cote Rotie $29
6) 1998 Guigal Cote Rotie,
Brune at Blonde $29-34**
7) 2000 Domaine Pegau, Reserve
Chateauneuf du Pape $35-45*
8) 2000 Jaboulet Muscat de Beaumes de
Venise $21-23@

Prices shown are typical ranges found locally

Favorites:
* Voted #1
** Voted #2=

@ The Muscat was polled separately and was also one of the favorite wines

Cheeses:
Fol Epi, a cow's milk cheese from the Loire Valley
St Nectaire, a washed-rind cheese from the Auvergne, west of the Rhone Valley
Fourme D'Ambert, a delicate blue cheese, served with the heavier reds and Muscat.

Breads:
Baguettes, Sourdough Raisin and Pecan

All the above were purchased at Pittsford Wegmans

Program Notes:
Rock Rochford welcomed the 70 eager tasters to the third leg of our Tour de France, the Rhone Valley. The Rhone is normally discussed in terms of wines from the North, and wines from the South. Both the predominant grape variety and the climate change as we move between the two regions. In the Northern Rhone the Syrah grape predominates (this grape is known as Shiraz in Australia and in some other New World vineyards). The most famous vineyards in the North are Cote Rotie (roasted slope) and Hermitage, where complex soils coupled with the ideal climate make powerful but elegant wines. The villages of St Joseph and Cornas also make very good Syrah wines.

The larger Southern Rhone region produces much of the Cote du Rhone (blended) wine. These wines are typically mixtures of Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre with other varieties in smaller quantities. Several villages have their own appellation, the most famous being Chateauneuf du Pape, which has unique pebbled vineyards reflecting heat and sun back onto the vines. Gigondas wines can be almost as good, with villages like Vacqueyras and Cairrane showing better wines every year. The village of Beaumes de Venise lies to the east of Gigondas and is renowned for producing the Rhone's only dessert wine. Muscat grapes (the "Petit-Grains" variety) are fermented at a low temperature using special yeasts. The fermentation is stopped with the addition of grape alcohol leaving a wine that is sweet and fruity, with excellent freshness.

The tasting ended on a wonderful celebratory note, when a cake was presented to Joe and Angel Nardone in honor of their upcoming 50th Wedding Anniversary!

Committee:
Rock and Maryellen Rochford, Tom and Linda Hickey, Joe and Angel Nardone, Holly Howell, Alice Neff, Tone Kelly, Jan Klapetzky, Brian Thomas

Chapter Business:

" Mailing Dues:
Thanks to all the members who paid their $5 after the first appeal. We will continue to collect this amount up till the end of the year so please either send your check (payable to AWS) to Rich and Pam Hemmenway, 42 Burritt Road, Hilton, NY 14468-9768 or pay a chapter officer at the next tasting you attend before the end of the year.

" October Tasting Peter Frisch announced that the October tasting theme would be changed from Tannins to the National Tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon. For tannin lovers there should still be plenty to enjoy, with lots of fruit as well!

" Tastings for the Next Season:
There will be a sign up sheet for next season's tastings at the October meeting. We still need several more suggestions so please do not hold back. In November we hope to agree on the program for next year. Wine Spectator has recently been featuring "New Faces in Winemaking" from France, Italy and the U.S.A. It would be excellent to have some New Faces chairing tastings, not that there is anything wrong with the "Old" Faces of course!

IN THE NEWS

" Golf and Wine Anyone? Following the course of Greg Norman and Ernie Els, both of whom have introduced a range of wines from their home countries, Nick Faldo is the latest golf champion to tee-off in the wine business. Lest anyone think that he would test the market for a range of British wines, Nick is playing it safe and going with Australia. The initial range will feature Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc. The wines are described as "high-quality, approachable, fruit-driven, wine that's easy on the palate". The launch will be in the UK initially.

" 2003 Vintage With the current cool weather following on from a relatively cool summer, Finger Lakes winemakers are concerned about ripeness in this year's vinifera grapes, particularly reds. With a prolonged Indian Summer and a touch of magic in the cellar we may yet have some interesting wines to taste next year. In contrast, many of Europe's vineyards are recovering from the toasty summer heat that resulted in a very early and small harvest in most areas. Opinions differ as to whether this will be a great vintage or not. Some question possible lack of acidity and complexity in the wines. We shall see.

UPCOMING TASTINGS:

November 22nd: The Many Faces of Grenache (Hank and Cindy Jankowski)

December 6th Holiday Party Dinner
(Sam and Marissa Andolino)