awscincy.com - Notes about 2007 First Tasting

Dave and Jean Huwer did an excellent job getting 2007 off to a great start as host to our first tasting. As normal this was a casual tasting with attendees bringing a bottle of wine and some food to share. The event was well attended by approximately 25 people. As usual people got a chance to enjoy some great conversation along with wonderful selection of wine and food. This event was a bit different in that for the first time in many years we did not have a specific theme for the wine. And when you leave it up to the AWS group to bring wine of their choice you are in for some real treats. We had everything from a 2005 Nebraskan wine to a 1976 Sauternes.

It was a great chance to taste a lot of new wines. While we didn’t have a vote for a favorite wine I am sure it would have been very interesting if we had.

In general I think I really enjoyed getting a chance to taste one of my favorite wines the Willakenzie Pierre Leon Pinot. As usual it did not disappoint. Starting off the tasting with the likes of champagnes like Henriot and Perrier Jouet didn’t hurt much either. Also, where else to you get to taste wines from Nebraska, Indiana and Kentucky in one setting.

The Tobin James was a very nice treat if for nothing else the chance to experience the use of the Lagrein grape outside of an Italian wine. The 3^rd growth Margaux was also a real nice treat even if never seemed to open up completely. Tasting the Hitching Post Syrah brought back a lot of memories for me of my trips to Solvang. Who could ever be disappointed with the chance to taste a 30 year old Sauternes (the bringing of this wine I am sure was appreciated by many in attendance).

The only thing more varied and just as excellent was the food. To list a few of the wonderful choices we all had:

Crab Cakes,
Roast beef, arugula, sun dried tomato, open faced sandwiches
Sausage topped bread (I know there is a better name but I am not going to put in what David Huwer called them).
Dueling meatballs
Smoked salmon
Barbecue and Slaw sandwiches
Pates, Cheeses, Dips, etc
Assortment of desserts.

Below is a list of the wines:

2003 Chateau Bonnet (Bordeaux)
Domaine Ste Michelle Sparkling (Washington)
2003 Dry Creek Meritage
2003 Dobra Viognier (Amador)
Nissley Rhapsody in Blue (Pennsylvania) (I think 79% Vidal Blanc, 21% Cayuga. Grapes)
2004 Huber Cellars Sparkling Vidal/Muscat Blend
2003 Luna Sangiovese (Napa)
1986 Chateau Cantenac Brown (Margaux 3^rd growth)
1998 Willakenzie Estate Pierre Leon Pinot Noir (Oregon)
Henriot NV Champagne (Souverain)
2002 Tobin James Lagrein
1998 Chateau Tour De Perigau (Bordeaux)
2005 Basa Blanco Rueda (50% Verdejo, 40% Viura, and 10% Sauvignon Blanc)
2005 deChaunac (Nebraska – yes the state)
2005 Creekbend Chardonnay (Indiana I think)
2004 Horseshoe Bend Cabernet (Kentucky)
2000 Burnet Ridge Purple Trillium
2001 Wilson Zinfandel Carl’s Vineyard (Dry Creek)
2003 Hitching Post Big Circle Syrah (Santa Barbara)
Perrier Jouet Champagne (Champagne France)
Jean Marc Boillot Montagny (Older White Burgundy – Dick did not write down the year)
1976 Chateau Suduiraut Sauternes (France)

I am sure there were a few more that people forgot to add to the list. Also appologize for errors. As a group our handwriting is not the best