AMERICAN WINE SOCIETY                          

a non-profit corporation

           

Summer 2005    ROCHESTER CHAPTER NEWSLETTER www.awsrochester.org                 Volume 31, No. 6

 
2005 Officers (till January 2006)

President: Tone Kelly (585) 265-3943

Secretary: Fred & Molly Fant (585) 225-3029

Treasurers: Richard & Pamela Hemmenway

                        (585) 392-0046

 

JUNE TASTING NOTES:

 

Wines of Cayuga Lake

Wines:

E.   2003 Cayuga White – Swedish Hill- $8

1.   2003 Pinot Gris - Hosmer    $14

2.   2003 Pinot Grigio – Goose Watch $15

3.   2003 Dry Riesling – Lucas $13

4.   2004 Dry Riesling – Hosmer $12

5.   2003 Semi-dry Riesling – Lucas $13

6.   2004 Semi-dry Riesling – Sheldrake Pt $13

7.   2002 Cabernet Franc – Sheldrake Pt $17

8.   2002 Cabernet Franc – Buttonwood Groove $16

9.   2001 Barrel Res. Pinot Noir-Sheldrake Pt.  $26

10. 2003 Pinot Noir – Hosmer $12

 

After the entry wine, these remaining wines were tasted in a rotation style, where attendees, now subdivided into small groups, visited a sequence of five tables. At each table, a pair of wines was presented, tasted and discussed among the small group at the table. At a signal, each group traveled to the next table in the rotation, until all tables were visited and each pair of wines was tasted. The rotation method provided a smaller venue in which to discuss the wines and their subtleties.

             

 

Notes:

 

Mr. Bob Madrill, winemaker and General Manager of Sheldrake Point Winery on Cayuga Lake was the featured presenter discussing the recent improvements made by the wineries on that Finger Lake. Bob is also the co-founder of the Finger Lakes Pinot Noir Alliance, a group of winemakers working hard to improve the quality and reputation of Pinot Noir from our region. He related the story of one wine critic who had dismissed Finger Lakes Wines as “non-commercial” as his reason for not featuring the wines in any articles. The wines tasted on this evening, prove that the wines from the Finger Lakes can have excellent character, and that the winemakers now resident in our area are responding to the different harvest that each year produces with skill and art.

 

Swedish Hill Cayuga White is a clean, crisp wine with floral and citrus notes with ~2.0% RS

 

Hosmer 2003 Pinot Gris has a mineral aroma with pear flavors, ~1.0% RS. It contrasts with the 2003 Pinot Grigio (same grape) from Goose Watch. The Goose Watch wine has light rose aromas with pear and peach flavors.

 

The 2003 Dry Riesling from Lucas Winery has pronounced peach notes with a long, dry finish. The 2004 Dry Riesling from Hosmer has peach and citrus aromas with some mineral notes.

 

For semi-dry Riesling, the committee presented the 2003 from Lucas (a gold medal winner- competition unknown). It has apricot and pear flavors. Sheldrake Point Winery’s 2004 Riesling is crisp, with peach and pineapple aromas.

 

Sheldrake Point 2002 Cabernet Franc is softly oaked with cherries and black currants. Buttonwood Grove 2002 Cabernet Franc is oak-aged with berries and vanilla notes and spice on the finish

 

For Pinot Noir, the committee presented the 2001 Sheldrake Point Barrel Reserve with aged wood, spice and raspberry on the nose and a silky, long finish. The Hosmer 2003 Pinot Noir has firm tannins, good fruit oak and 0.0% RS

 

This selection of wines from Cayuga Lake wineries shows the ability of the winemakers’ art to coax flavors and quality out of the grapes grown in our region. Our thanks to the committee for reminding us of the tremendous Finger Lakes resource within a few hours of Rochester!

 

Committee:

Sue and John Habbersett, Ken & Eileen Beard, John & Anne Stavisky, Beth & Paul Van Horn, Janet & Larry Lavery, Mary Jean Welser

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER BUSINESS

Joe Nardone reminds the chapter of a medical interaction that he was recently reminded about. Following a need for routine doses of Tylenol, Joe’s doctor cautioned him against drinking any alcohol. There is a high level of evidence of an interaction between Tylenol and alcohol that increases the risk of liver damage. Joe requested that we pass the caution on to the membership. Thanks, Joe.

 

 

 

RECIPES FROM THE TASTING

 

 

CHERRY SWISS CHEESE SPREAD

3c shredded Swiss cheese

1/4c margarine or butter

1/2c dried tart red cherries (we used dried cranberries)

1/2c Mayonnaise

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2c finely chopped green onion

 

Bring the cheese and margarine to room temperature. Meanwhile, boil water and soak the cherries in it for 10 minutes - drain well. Use a food processor to combine the cheese, margarine, mayonnaise, mustard. Stir in the cherries and onions.

 

 

 

 

PESTA LAVERY

 

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves

12 blanched almonds

1 T. pine nuts, roasted

2 cloves garlic

˝ cup olive oil

˝ cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 T. butter

 

Using food processor, make paste of leaves, nuts and garlic Add oil, cheese and butter to the processor and blend in.

 May be frozen. I freeze in ice cube trays then put in freezer bags.

 Toss with pasta. For the tasting I mixed 3 cubes with 8 oz of cream cheese and spread on crackers.

 

             

 

UPCOMING TASTINGS

Sept 17 – “Food and Wines of Spain”

Committee -  Mike and Linda Budinski, Brian and Jo Spindler, Holly Howell, Brian Thomas, Pete Czora, Pat Hemmenway, Alan and Karen Kuntz, George Riehle and Lisa Borcz