AMERICAN WINE SOCIETY

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

OCT TASTING NOTES:

Worldwide Pinot Noir

Wines:

E. 2003 La Foret Drouhin $$8

1. 2002 Nepenthe-Australia $14-17

2. 2001 St.Claire-Doctor’s Creek New Zealand $14-17

3. 2002 Rodney Strong-Russian River California $12-15

4. 2003 Byron-Santa Maria California $19-21

5. 2002 Fess Parker-Santa Barbera California $17-20

6. 2001 Dr. Frank-Finger Lakes New York $18-20

7. 2003 A to Z – Willamette Oregon $13-15

8. 2002 Girardin- Emotion du Terroir, Burgundy France $17-19

9. 2002 Tollot Beaut – Beaune Clos du Roi- Premier Cru, France $36-45

10. 1995 Remoissenet – Clos Vougeot, Grand Cru, Burgindy France $42-50

Known since the time of the Romans, the Pinot Noir grape is grown around the world, from Australia to Yugoslavia, from Brazil to Canada and most places in between. Despite the difficulties in growing and fermenting this grape, its characteristics, when done right, create a wine with the ability to reflect its terroir best among the black grapes. In Burgundy the wine is earthy, with its fruit subdued within layers of complexity. In the new World, the style tends to be fruit forward, with its other qualities lying in wait behind its gentle caress. The wines tend to be low in tannin allowing them to be enjoyed younger than the more robust red wines, and when made by those who have tamed the grape, the wine can last for many, many years.

Notes:

The entry wine is a value priced Pinot from Burgundy and exhibits fruit and some earthiness.

The first flight featured the Nepenthe and the Doctor’s Creek. The Nepenthe showed cooked fruit, menthol and strawberry tones with even some suggestions of violets on the nose, while the New Zealand wine was clearly strawberry with only a hint of earth.

The three California wines were then shown to display the differences among the California viticultural areas. The Rodney Strong has strawberry and cherry tones with little earth. The Byron is almost a Rhone style, with cherry notes and some earth within a complex structure. The Fess Parker is less complex (is this the region or the vintage difference?) with cherry and earth tones.

The next flight featured the New York Finger Lakes and the Willamette Valley or Oregon. Dr. Frank’s 2001 Pinot was very earthy with the fruit lying well under the earth tones – almost more Burgundy than the Burgundy samples we tasted later! The A to Z is a blend of wines from the Willamette region wineries and has black cherry hints. This wine was a little closed.

The fourth flight featured two wines from Burgundy’s 2002 vintage. The Emotion du Terroir is complex with earth, black cherry, hints of vanilla. This wine is reminiscent of the village wines with very good structure. The Tollot Beaut is a Grand Cru with complexity showing earth and black cherry. We believe this wine will last another ten years or more, if you can find some to lay away!

The final wine was enjoyed by itself! The 1995 Clos Vougout is showing a brownish color due to age, but no hints of oxidation or being “over-martured”. It shows what most Burgundy Pinot Noirs would like to be “when they grow up”. Wet leaves, earth, mushroom, very little fruit, but soft and silky on the palate, this was an excellent wine to conclude a world wide sample of Pinot Noir.

Thanks to the committee for a superb overview of this grape and its different styles around the world!

Committee:

Committee - Rock and Maryellen Rochford, Joe and Angel Nardone, Bill and Sue Fay, Alice Neff, Joe Moore, John and Mimi Bacilek, Fred and Molly Fant

CHAPTER BUSINESS

At the October meeting, we agreed to create the position of webmaster for our local AWS chapter Website. Jan Klapetzky was nominated and elected to serve in this role. Thanks, Jan!

Tone also mentioned that one of the other groups using Mountain Rise Church has left the door from the parking lot open when they left. The automatic alarm setting detected the open door and called the police. MRC has asked each group to be vigilant in closing up according to the guidelines.

Because of the business at the November meeting, we will start at 7:00, with the program to start immediately after the business concludes.

Elections will be held at the November meeting. The slate of nominees is:

Treasurer: Pam and Rich Hemmenway

Secretary: Mimi and John Bacilek

President: Molly and Fred Fant

Other nominations may be made from the floor at the meeting.

At the November meeting, we will also be choosing topics for the tastings in 2006 and early 2007. Please submit your ideas to Fred Fant and Tone Kelly so we can place them on the board for your selection and signup. Thanks

UPCOMING TASTING:

December 10: Christmas Holiday Party:

Committee: Sam and Marissa Andolino, Karen Kuntz (dessert), Peter Frisch, Pat Hemmenway, Anne & John Stavisky (setup)